Plant and animal proteins, healthy fats, complex carbs, and dairy products made with whole milk seem to be the greatest choices when trying to gain weight. However, your weight and health objectives should guide your food choices.
Gaining weight or muscle mass can be just as challenging for some as losing weight is for others.
To gain weight, it’s best to consume more calories than you burn every day by eating several smaller meals frequently throughout the day.
You can safely and effectively gain weight by eating more of specific meals that are high in calories and nutrients like protein.
1. Homemade protein smoothies
Making your own protein smoothie at home can be a healthy and efficient way to pack on the pounds.
If you make your own smoothies, you can choose exactly what goes into them, which is a great way to increase your calorie intake.
Here are some great alternatives to the standard recipe. Each can be made with 2 cups (470 mL) of milk, whether it be regular milk or soy milk for those who can’t tolerate lactose. Both have more calories and nutrients than other non-dairy milk.
One banana, one scoop of chocolate whey protein, and one tablespoon (15 mL) of peanut or other nut butter make a delicious chocolate banana nut shake.
Blend together 1 cup (237 mL) of mixed berries (fresh or frozen), 1 cup (237 mL) of high-protein, whole-milk Greek yogurt, 1 scoop of vanilla whey protein, and 1 cup of ice for a delicious vanilla berry shake.
Energizing green drink: Mix one scoop of vanilla or unflavored whey protein with one cup (237 mL) each of spinach, avocado, banana, and pineapple.
Each smoothie has between 400 and 600 calories, depending on the ingredients, and is a good source of protein and other nutrients.
2. Dairy milk
Weight gainers and muscle builders have consumed dairy milk for years (1Reliable Source).
It’s a well-rounded supply of nutrients like calcium and a variety of vitamins and minerals (2 Trusted Sources).
Milk’s casein and whey proteins make it a great choice for anyone looking to bulk up. When paired with weight training, drinking cow’s milk can help you gain muscle, according to a summary of the studies on the topic published in 2018.
Milk, or a combination of whey and casein protein, has been shown in trials to promote more bulk gain than other protein sources (4).
One serving of whole milk, which is equal to one cup (237 mL), contains 149 calories and 8 grams (g) of protein and can be consumed as a snack, with a meal, or before and after exercise.
3. Rice
A weight gain diet can benefit from including rice because it is a cheap and easy source of carbohydrates. White rice has 204 calories, 44 grams of carbohydrates, and almost little fat (5 Trusted Sources).
In addition to being a good source of carbs and calories, rice is also fairly calorie-dense. Those who don’t naturally feel hungry or who fill up quickly can benefit from this.
Two-minute microwaveable rice packs are a convenient addition to other protein sources when time is of the essence.
One more common strategy is to cook a big batch of rice on the weekend, divide it up into portions, and store it in the fridge or freezer; then, during the week, you can mix and match it with various meats and fats for a variety of meals. Rice can be used as a foundational dish for several smaller meals spread out over the course of the day.
Some of these ingredients can be stirred into cooked rice to add flavor, calories, and protein.
- butter and Parmesan cheese
- broccoli and cheese
- scrambled eggs
- toasted sesame seeds, peanuts, or cashews
- You can also top rice with a sauce, such as:
- curry
- pesto
- alfredo
You may make a complete supper out of a rice dish. For a healthy and filling lunch (400 calories per serving), try this dish of wild rice with chicken and kale.
4. Nuts and nut butter
Nuts and nut butter are great additions to a weight-gain diet.
Raw almonds include 170 calories, 6 grams of protein, and 15 grams of lipids in just a handful (approximately 32 grams) (6Trustworthy Source).
Nuts are high in calories, so eating even two handfuls a day with food or as a snack can quickly add hundreds of extra calories to your diet.
Adding nut butter to foods like smoothies, yogurts, and crackers instantly transforms them into high-calorie snacks.
This peanut butter banana smoothie has only three ingredients (270 calories, using whole milk) and is a great choice for a quick pick-me-up. If you have a nut allergy, you can replace the peanut butter with any other nut or seed butter that you know you can eat safely.
Choose a nut butter that is made entirely of nuts and has no added sugars or oils. You can buy almond butter, but I recommend making your own using this recipe. It’s cheap and simple to prepare.
5. Red meats
One of the most potent muscle-building diets is red meat, such as beef or hog.
The protein content of 3 ounces (85 grams) of steak is 24 grams, while the leucine content is about 2.5 grams (7 Trusted Source).
When it comes to stimulating muscle protein synthesis and building new muscle tissue, leucine is king (8 Trusted Source).
Additionally, red meats are a great way to get the dietary creatine you need to help your muscles grow, get bigger, and stay healthy (9Trustworthy Source).
Fattier cuts, such as pork tenderloin, contain more calories than leaner meats, so they can help you take in more calories even if you’re eating a balanced diet.
When combined with strength training, eating meat, especially red meat, can significantly increase muscle growth and protect against the natural decline in muscle mass that occurs with age (10 Trusted Source).
Eating excessive amounts of red meat has been linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer, according to the same analysis. The writers are aware of the recommendation to consume no more than 50 g of red meat daily.
You can start this brisket recipe in the morning and have a healthy dinner ready by nightfall. It’s a good example of a red meat dish with a higher fat content. Each 3-ounce (85-gram) meal has around 300 calories.
6. Potatoes and complex carbohydrates
Extra calories can be added to a diet cheaply by eating potatoes and other complex carbohydrates.
The sustained release of energy from complex carbs is a potential benefit. Potassium, fiber, veggies, and whole grains are just some of the additional minerals and food groups that are provided.
If you’re looking for complex carbohydrates, try one of these options:
- quinoa
- oats
- corn
- buckwheat
- potatoes and sweet potatoes
- squash
- winter root vegetables
- beans and legumes
Potatoes and other complex carbs are good sources of calories because they help promote the storage of sugar molecules in muscle tissue in the form of glycogen. Most physical activities rely on glycogen for energy (11Reliable Source).
The resistant starch included in many of these carb sources may give nourishment to the microorganisms in your digestive tract (12).
This recipe for quinoa and roasted sweet potato bowls makes a filling lunch (albeit it does have 336 calories per serving).
- Calories can also be added to complex carbohydrates by:
- adding sour cream to potatoes
- adding grated cheese to quinoa or mashed potatoes
- adding fats like olive or avocado oil to roast your vegetables
- adding hummus to whole grain bread, crackers, or baked potato
- using dairy or soy milk instead of water in your oatmeal or other hot grains
7. Salmon and oily fish
Omega-3 fatty acids and other essential fats can be found in abundance in salmon and other oily fish, much like they can in red meat.
Numerous studies have found that diets high in omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of multiple diseases, including cardiovascular disease (13).
One fillet of deboned wild Atlantic salmon (about 3 ounces, or 85 grams) has about 155 calories, 7 grams of lipids, and 22 grams of high-quality protein, all of which may aid in muscle and weight gain (14 Reliable Sources).
Salmon can be steamed, sautéed, smoked, grilled, baked, or poached, among other preparation methods. You can also consume salmon in its raw form as sushi or sashimi, or you can smoke it. Canned salmon is a quick and affordable alternative to the more expensive fresh or frozen variety.
Take into account these quick and delicious salmon options:
Plant and animal proteins, healthy fats, complex carbs, and dairy products made with whole milk seem to be the greatest choices when trying to gain weight. However, your weight and health objectives should guide your food choices.
Gaining weight or muscle mass can be just as challenging for some as losing weight is for others.
To gain weight, it’s best to consume more calories than you burn every day by eating several smaller meals frequently throughout the day.
You can safely and effectively gain weight by eating more specific meals that are high in calories and nutrients like protein.
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