High-Calorie Meals

These instructions are for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) patients who will benefit from increasing calorie intake.

Important information about preparing high-calorie meals:

• When you are trying to increase calories, choose foods that have a lot of calories in a small amount. For example, choose ice cream over yogurt, breaded chicken over grilled chicken, and cream sauce over marinara sauce.

• Cook with or mix extra butter, oil, ghee, coconut oil, heavy whipping cream into casseroles, sauces and your other favorite recipes.

• Serve meat, poultry and fish with cheese, marinades, sauces or dressing. Serve with mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, buttered or flavored rice, macaroni and cheese, bread with butter, onion rings, sweet potato fries, tater tots or French fries.

• No bread product should be dry. Spread nut butters, butter, cream cheese, chocolate hazelnut spread, cookie butters, jelly or jam, mayo, cream cheese, pesto, aioli, hummus and guacamole.

• Serve vegetables and fruits with dips or spreads like hummus, guacamole, salad dressing, veggie dip, caramel dip, chocolate hazelnut spread, cookie butter, and fruit dip. Try dried fruit and fruit canned in syrup.

• Serve calorie-containing beverages with all meals and snacks. Try whole milk, milk with instant breakfast powder, soy milk or other milk alternatives with at least 120 calories per 8 ounce or more, flavored milk, juice, lemonade, iced tea, milkshakes and smoothies.

Examples of high-calorie meals:

Breakfast

• Breakfast should include more than one food item.

• Include a piece of fruit such as an apple, banana, grapes, orange or a cup of 100% juice.

Breakfast foods

• Toast, bagel, biscuits, croissants, english muffin

  • Add egg and cheese, breakfast meat, gravy, butter, jelly or jam, cream cheese, or peanut butter.

  • Melt butter on both sides of the bagel or biscuit before adding other toppings.

  • Spread 2 tablespoons of peanut butter on two pieces of toast, and then cut one banana into slices and press onto each piece.

  • Mash up a whole avocado and mix with olive oil, salt and pepper. Butter two slices of bread and spread avocado. Top each slice of bread with a fried egg cooked in butter.

• Pancakes, waffles, french toast

  • Top with butter, syrup, fruit, jelly or jam, powdered sugar, whipped cream.

  • Top waffles with fried chicken or cream chipped beef.

  • Make waffle or pancake batter with chocolate chips, fresh or dried fruit.

  • Make a waffle sandwich with ice cream or nut butter and fruit in the middle.

  • Use banana, pumpkin or another flavored bread to make French toast.

• Grits, oatmeal

  • Cook with whole milk, heavy cream, half-and-half or preferred milk alternative instead of water.

  • Add butter, dried fruit, sugar, nuts.

• Bakery items (breads, muffins, pastries, etc.)

  • Serve with butter, cream cheese, icing, jam or jelly.

• Granola cereals, breakfast cereals

  • Serve with whole milk and drink the milk after the cereal is gone.

  • Add fruits or nuts.

• Breakfast bars, granola bars, protein cookies

  • Choose brands that are at least 200 calories with added chocolate, peanut butter, nuts, dried fruit, or seeds.

• Yogurt and cottage cheese

  • Choose full-fat varieties.

  • Try yogurt with fruit on the bottom or added toppings such as chocolate or nuts.

  • Top with granola, fruit and nuts.

  • Mix yogurt with whole milk and add fruit to make a smoothie.

• Scrambled eggs

  • Use whole eggs rather than egg substitute. Make with heavy cream, cheese, ham, sausage, or bacon. Melt butter in the pan before you cook instead of cooking spray.

• Breakfast potatoes

  • Try hash browns, tater tots and breakfast potatoes cooked in oil. Melt cheese and sprinkle bacon on top.

• Smoothies & shakes

  • Blend full-fat yogurt or ice cream with a nutrition shake (Boost ® or Boost Plus ® , Ensure ® or Ensure Plus ® ), whole milk or heavy cream. Then add fruit, instant breakfast powder, seeds, chocolate chips, nut butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, or cookie butter.

Lunch

• Lunch should have multiple items beyond the main dish including fruit, veggies, chips, crackers, bars, nuts, trail mix, pudding or yogurt and dessert items (candy, cookies, brownies, cupcakes).

• Serve dinner leftovers for lunch.

Lunch foods

• Hummus or guacamole with pita bread or pita chips

  • Choose from a variety of flavors. Add your favorite proteins and veggies. Top with tahini sauce, mayonnaise, or mustard.

• Chicken nuggets, tenders or fingers

  • Serve with dips such as ranch, BBQ sauce, honey mustard, or sweet and sour sauce.

• Soups and stews

  • Choose cream soups with meat, chicken, potatoes, broccoli and cheese, or New England clam chowder.

  • Choose broth-based soups with pasta, lentils, beans or potatoes.

  • Serve with sandwich, toast, crackers or bagel.

• Fish sticks

  • Serve with tartar sauce.

• Salads

  • Choose toppings like cheese, eggs, meat, croutons, avocado, beans, dried fruit, nuts and salad dressing.

  • Mix pasta or tortellini with fresh mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes and pesto sauce or with Italian dressing, olives and diced veggies.

  • Mix canned corn, black beans, diced avocados, tomatoes and peppers with cilantro, lime juice and olive oil. Add some hot sauce for a kick!

• Macaroni and cheese

  • Add ham, chicken, peas, broccoli, or bacon.

  • When making homemade macaroni and cheese, use bread crumbs, extra cheese, heavy cream and whole milk.

  • Add shredded cheese to boxed macaroni and cheese.

• Bento box

  • Mix and match! Slices of cheese or string cheese, pepperoni or salami, veggies with ranch dressing or hummus, mixed nuts, cut up fruit with dip, tortilla chips and guacamole, lunch meat and cheese roll-ups with mustard, finger sandwiches.

Dinner

• Serve dessert! Try cookies, brownies, ice cream, milkshakes, chocolate, candy, cupcakes, ice cream bars, pies, cakes.

Dinner Foods

• Meats & meat alternatives

  • Add sauces or gravy to your favorite meats such as Dijon or honey mustard, cream of mushroom or chicken soup, sweet and sour or ranch dressing.

  • Cook or fry in oil or butter instead of dry bake or grill.

  • Choose breaded poultry, fish and meat.

  • Top sandwiches or burgers with cheese, mayonnaise, avocado or bacon.

• Salisbury steak

  • Serve with gravy and mashed potatoes.

• Meatloaf

  • Make with ground beef, turkey or chicken. Top with sauce or gravy; serve with mashed potatoes, French fries, or macaroni and cheese.

• Chicken parmesan

  • Use breaded chicken topped with sauce and cheese; serve with pasta.

  • Serve with buttered bread or rolls, garlic bread or fresh ciabatta or focaccia bread dipped in olive oil.

• Fried chicken

  • Serve with mashed potatoes with gravy or butter, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, or French fries.

• Indian food

  • Choose cream-based dishes like saag paneer, korma, tikka masala and butter chicken.

  • Add additional cream or ghee to sauces and stews.

  • Serve with samosas, pakora, and naan.

• Asian food

  • Choose dishes with breaded meats and sauce, like Generals Tso's, sesame chicken and sweet & sour chicken.

  • Serve with egg rolls, spring rolls, fried gyoza, fried rice, edamame, noodles (ramen, udon, lo mein).

• Fish and seafood

  • Dip in tartar sauce, cocktail sauce or ketchup.

• Chili

  • Top with shredded cheese, sour cream and avocados.

  • Serve with or over buttered corn bread.

• Casseroles

  • Try a cheesy tuna noodle casserole, stuffed peppers, chicken casserole, paella or taco casserole.

  • Add extra cream, cheese and butter to casseroles.

• Pasta, gnocchi, orzo, risotto, stuffed pastas

  • Top with Alfredo, pesto or rosa sauce.

  • Sprinkle parmesan cheese on marinara sauce.

  • Add or make your own meatballs (turkey, beef, and vegetarian). Try making homemade meatballs and stuff them with cheese.

  • Serve with buttered bread or rolls, garlic bread or fresh ciabatta or focaccia bread dipped in olive oil.

  • When making lasagna use plenty of cheese.

• Garlic bread

  • Top both sides with butter and mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

  • Season with Italian seasoning and garlic, then bake until cheese melts.

• Potatoes

  • Try mashed potatoes made with cream and butter, baked potatoes with butter and sour cream, twice-baked potatoes or potatoes au gratin.

• Pizza, calzone, stromboli

  • Top with your favorite items: pepperoni, sausage, or veggies. Add extra cheese.

  • Try deep dish, Chicago, stuffed crust or Sicilian.

  • Try plain cheese or add meat and veggies. Dip in marinara sauce.

• Mexican food

  • Make or buy burritos, fajitas, quesadillas, tacos enchiladas, chimichangas or taquitos.

  • Choose high-calorie additions, like cheese, refried beans, meat or fish, and your choice of beans, and rice.

  • Top with salsa, sour cream, guacamole and crushed tortilla chips.

  • Make your favorite rice and beans mixture, by adding chicken, pork, fish or tofu. Serve with sautéed vegetables.

  • Serve with rice, sweet corn cake, avocados, guacamole or refried beans.

Reviewed on July 1, 2022