Healthy, High Calorie Snacks

High calorie does not have to mean unhealthy. Try some of the foods listed below to increase your calorie intake while still eating a healthy diet.

Cereals

(1 cup high calorie cereal with 1/2 cup whole milk)

• Ezekiel® cereal = 435-475 calories

• Post Great Grains/Blueberry Morning® = 250 calories

• Frosted Mini Wheats Cereal = 275 calories

• Kellogg’s Raisin Bran = 275 calories

• General Mills Crunchy Nut/Honey Nut Clusters® = 285 calories

• Post Great Grains/Banana Nut Crunch® = 315 calories

• Kellogg’s Cracklin’ Oat Bran® = 340 calories

• Homemade or Store-Bought Granola= 570 calories

• 1 packet Instant Oatmeal made with ½ cup heavy cream = 510 calories
  

Dairy

• Yoplait® thick and creamy yogurt(any flavor): 6 ounces = 170-190 calories

• Stonyfield Farms® organic whole milk yogurt: 6 ounces = 170 - 210 calories

• ½ cup cheese curds = 220 calories

• 1 cup 4% fat cottage cheese = 240 calories

• Instant pudding made with heavy cream: ½ cup = 300 calories

• Smoothie made with 1 5 oz. carton vanilla Greek yogurt, 1 Tbsp honey,1 banana, and ¼ cup half and half =360 calories

• Flavored milk made with ¾ cup whole milk, ¼ cup cream, and 2Tbsp chocolate or strawberry syrup = 415 calories

• Milkshake with 1 cup ice cream, ½cup whole milk, ½ cup fruit = 435 calories (top with whipped cream and crushed peanuts for an extra 100 calories)
  

Nuts, Dried Fruit, and Peanut Butter

• ¼ cup chocolate covered raisins =190 calories

• ¼ cup chocolate covered peanuts = 200 calories

• Dried fruit: ½ cup = 200 calories

• 2 Tbsp of nut butter* = 200 calories

• 1 apple with 2 Tbsp of nut butter* =270 calories

• Celery with 2 Tbsp of nut butter*and 2 Tbsp of raisins = 285 calories

• Trail mix (nuts, seeds, dried fruit, pretzels, chocolate chips – buy or make your own): ½ cup = 350 calories

• Sandwich made with 2 slices bread,1 Tbsp nut butter, and 1 Tbsp Nutella® = 350 calories

• Sunflower seeds: ½ cup = 375 calories

• Oil roasted mixed nuts: ½ cup = 435 calories
  

*If allergic to peanut butter, try soy nut butter, sunflower seed butter, almond butter, or cashew butter. Add to smoothies and shakes.

Crackers and Bars

• Power Bar® or Clif Bar® = average 220-260 calories

• KIND® Bars = 190-210 calories

• Lara Bars® = 190-220 calories

• 15 Tortilla chips with ¼ cup guacamole = 230 calories (add ¼ cup cheese to take calories up to 350!)

• Marathon Protein Bar = 150-290 calories

• 5 Akmak® crackers with 2 Tablespoons nut butter = 310 calories

• 5 Ritz® crackers with 5 cheese squares = about 220 calories
  

*Eat one of these high calorie snacks at least once a day.

Condiments that Count

Ideas for 50 – 70 calories

• Sour cream: 2 Tbsp=50-60 calories

  • Add to baked potato

  • Add to burritos or tacos

  • Stir into cream soups

• Hummus: 2 Tbsp = 50 calories

  • Spread on pita bread and sandwiches

  • Use as a dip with raw vegetables

• Wheat germ: 2 Tbsp = 50 calories

  • Sprinkle on yogurt, ice cream, or pudding

  • Stir into oatmeal or cream of wheat.

  • Add to casseroles

  • Use in smoothies and muffins

• Chia seeds: 1 Tbsp = 60 calories

  • Sprinkle on yogurt or parfaits

  • Stir into oatmeal or cream of wheat

  • Add to smoothies

  • Add to baked goods

• Large black or green olives: 5 olives = 50 calories

  • Add to salads, tacos, nachos, or pastas

  • Layer on sandwiches

• Sweetened coconut (shredded): 3 Tbsp = 55 calories

  • Add to trail mix, homemade granola, cookies, or cakes

  • Sprinkle over cereal or oatmeal

  • Sprinkle over ice cream or yogurt

• Guacamole or avocado: 2 Tbsp = 60 calories

  • Serve with tortilla chips, tacos, or burritos

  • Add to salads, sandwiches, and wraps

  • Serve with raw vegetables

• Cheese dip: 2 Tbsp = 60 calories

  • Use as a dip for pretzels

  • Spread on apples or celery

  • Melt over broccoli or cauliflower

• Mayonnaise: 1 Tbsp = 60 calories

  • Spread on sandwiches and burgers

  • Add to fruit and vegetable salads

• Salad dressing: 2 Tbsp = 145

  • Serve with salads

  • Use as a dip for vegetables

  • Use as a spread with sandwiches

• Flaxseed meal (ground flax): 2 Tbsp = 60 calories

  • Sprinkle on yogurt or parfaits

  • Stir into oatmeal or cream of wheat

  • Add to smoothies

  • Add to baked goods

• Honey (not for children under 1 year old): 1 Tbsp = 65 calories

  • Serve on bagels and toast

  • Mix with peanut butter and spread on sandwich

  • Use as a dip for fruit

  • Add to whole milk yogurt with fruit

  • Add as sweetener to plain oatmeal
    

Ideas for 100-145 Calories

• Heavy cream: 2 Tbsp = 100 calories

  • Add to mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese

  • Use in cream soups

  • Use to make oatmeal

  • Add to eggs

  • Add to coffee

  • Add to whole milk

  • Use in a smoothie or milkshake

• Peanut butter, nut butters, or Nutella®: 1 Tbsp = 100 calories

  • Spread on breads, crackers, apples, bananas, and celery

  • Add to smoothies or milkshakes

• Cream cheese: 2 Tbsp = 100 calories

  • Spread on bagels

  • Use flavored cream cheese as a dip for fruits

• Butter or margarine: 1 Tbsp = 100 calories

  • Add to vegetables, mashed potatoes, breads, muffins, pastas, casseroles, hot cereals, and eggs

  • Bake fish in butter

• Nuts or seeds: 2 Tbsp=100 calories

  • Add to trail mix, salads, cereal, ice cream, and yogurt

  • Use as snacks between meals

• Vegetable oil (olive, canola, sunflower, etc.): 1 Tbsp = 120 calories

  • Drizzle over noodles and vegetables

  • Use to make scrambled eggs
    

Who to Call

If you are a UW Health patient and have more questions, please contact UW Health at the phone number listed below. You can also visit our website at www.uwhealth.org/nutrition.

Nutrition clinics for UW Hospital and Clinics (UWHC) and American Family Children’s
Hospital (AFCH) can be reached at: (608) 890-5500.