Print | Search | Send-to-Friend | Health Library Home

High-Calorie, High-Protein Diet

Why Should I Eat This Way?

Eating this way may be helpful if you have lost weight, do not feel hungry, or have an higher need for protein, such as with a burn or infection. Eating this way can help you:

Have more strength
Gain weight or stop losing weight
Heal
Fight off infection
Get better from surgery or sickness faster

A List of Foods You Should Eat TOP

Here are foods that are high in calories and protein. Try to make foods from these lists as part of your snacks and meals:

High-Calorie Foods	High-Protein Foods
Cheese, cream cheese Whole milk, heavy cream, whipped cream Sour cream Butter, margarine, oil Ice cream Cake, cookies, chocolate Gravy Salad dressing, mayo Avocado Jam, jelly, syrup Honey, sugar Dried fruit	Cheese, cottage cheese Milk, soy milk, milk powder Eggs Yogurt Nuts, seeds Peanut butter Tofu and other soy products Beans, peas, lentils Beef, poultry, pork, and other meats Fish and other seafood

Snack Tips TOP

Snack	Ideas	Calories
Fruit smoothie	Blend 8 ounces whole milk vanilla yogurt + ½ cup orange juice + 1 cup frozen berries	360
Egg and cheese English muffin	1 whole wheat English muffin + 2 teaspoons margarine spread or butter + 1 ounce cheese + 1 egg	365
Peanut butter and banana sandwich	2 slices of bread + 2 tablespoons peanut butter + 1 sliced banana	400
Trail mix	½ cup nuts, seeds, and dried fruit	350
Cereal, milk, and banana	1 cup presweetened wheat cereal + 8 ounces whole milk + 1 banana	360
Yogurt and granola	1 cup whole milk flavored yogurt + ½ cup low-fat granola	440

Tips to Get More Calories and Protein TOP

Eat small meals and snacks during the day.
Keep pre-made, ready-to-eat snacks on hand while at home, at the office, and on the road.
Drink your calories. Pick high-calorie drinks, such as milk, blended coffee drinks, milk shakes, or juice.
Add protein powder or powdered milk to your drinks, smoothies, and foods, such as cream soups, scrambled eggs, gravy, and mashed potatoes.
Melt cheese onto sandwiches, bread, tortillas, eggs, meat, and veggies.
Use milk in place of water when cooking and making foods, such as hot cereal, cocoa, or pudding.
Load salads with hardboiled eggs, avocado, nuts, cheese, and dressing.
Use peanut butter or creamy salad dressings as a dip for raw veggies.
Try drinks like Boost, Ensure, Resource, or Carnation Instant Breakfast.
Talk to a dietitian if you need more help.

RESOURCES:

Eat Right—Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
http://www.eatright.org

Nutrition.gov—US Department of Agriculture
http://www.nutrition.gov

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

Dietitians of Canada
http://www.dietitians.ca

Health Canada
https://www.canada.ca

REFERENCES:

High calorie high protein diet. The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center website. Available at: https://www.healthwise.net/osumychart/Content/StdDocument.aspx?DOCHWID=custom.hs0105. Accessed February 4, 2021.

ILD nutrition manual: Sample menu: High-calorie, high-protein meals. UCSF Medical Center website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed February 4, 2021.

Last reviewed December 2020 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Dianne Scheinberg Rishikof MS, RD, LDN
Last Updated: 2/4/2021

EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

To send comments or feedback to our Editorial Team regarding the content please email us at healthlibrarysupport@ebsco.com. Our Health Library Support team will respond to your email request within 2 business days.