Healthy, High Calorie Snacks | Health and Nutrition Facts for You | Patients & Families | UW Health
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
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(1 cup high calorie cereal with 1/2 cup whole milk)
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Ezekiel® cereal = 435-475 calories
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Post Blueberry Morning®= 250 calories
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Frosted Wheat Cereal = 275 calories
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Raisin Bran = 275 calories
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General Mills Honey Nut Clusters®= 285 calories
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Post Banana Nut Crunch®= 315 calories
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Kellogg’s Cracklin’ Oat Bran®= 340 calories
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Granola = 570 calories
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1 packet instant oatmeal made with ½ cup heavy cream = 510 calories
Dairy
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Yoplait® thick and creamy yogurt (any flavor): 6 ounces = 170-190 calories
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Stonyfield Farms® organic whole milk yogurt: 6 ounces = 170 – 210 calories
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½ cup cheese curds = 220 calories
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1 cup 4% fat cottage cheese = 240 calories
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Instant pudding made with heavy cream: ½ cup = 300 calories
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Smoothie made with 1 carton vanilla Greek yogurt, 1 Tbsp honey, 1 banana, and ¼ cup half and half = 360 calories
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Flavored milk made with ¾ cup whole milk, ¼ cup cream, and 2 Tbsp chocolate or strawberry syrup = 415 calories
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Milkshake with 1 cup ice cream, ½ cup 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
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¼ cup chocolate covered raisins = 190 calories
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¼ cup chocolate covered peanuts = 200 calories
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Dried fruit: ½ cup = 200 calories
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2 Tbsp of nut butter* = 200 calories
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1 apple with 2 Tbsp of nut butter* = 270 calories
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Celery with 2 Tbsp of nut butter* and 2 Tbsp of raisins = 285 calories
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Trail mix (nuts, seeds, dried fruit, pretzels, chocolate chips – buy or make your own): ½ cup= 350 calories
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Sandwich made with 2 slices bread, 1 Tbsp nut butter, and 1 Tbsp Nutella®= 350 calories
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Sunflower seeds: ½ cup = 375 calories
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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
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Power Bar® or Clif Bar®= average 220-260 calories
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KIND® Bars = 190-210 calories
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Lara Bars® = 190-220 calories
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15 Tortilla chips with ¼ cup guacamole = 230 calories (add ¼ cup cheese to take calories up to 350!)
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Marathon Protein Bar = 150-290 calories
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5 Akmak® crackers with 2 Tablespoons nut butter = 310 calories
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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
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Sour cream: 2 Tbsp=50-60 calories
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Put on baked potato
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Put on burritos or tacos
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Stir into cream soups
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Hummus: 2 Tbsp=50 calories
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Spread on pita bread
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Use as a dip with raw vegetables
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Wheat germ: 2 Tbsp=50 calories
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Sprinkle on yogurt, ice cream, or pudding
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Stir into oatmeal or cream of wheat.
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Add to casseroles
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Chia seeds: 1 Tbsp=60 calories
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Sprinkle on yogurt or parfaits
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Stir into oatmeal or cream of wheat
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Add to smoothies
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Add to baked goods
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Large black or green olives: 5 olives=50 calories
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Add to salads, tacos, nachos, or pastas
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Layer on sandwiches
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Coconut (shredded): 3 Tbsp=55 calories
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Add to trail mix, homemade granola, cookies, or cakes
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Sprinkle over cereal or oatmeal
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Sprinkle over ice cream or yogurt
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Guacamole or avocado: 2 Tbsp=60 calories
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Serve with tortilla chips, tacos, or burritos
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Add to salads
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Serve with raw vegetables
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Cheese dip: 2 Tbsp=60 calories
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Use as a dip for pretzels
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Spread on apples or celery
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Melt over broccoli or cauliflower
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Mayonnaise: 1 Tbsp=60 calories
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Spread on sandwiches and burgers
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Add to fruit and vegetable salads
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Salad dressing: 2 Tbsp = 145 calories
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Serve with salads
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Use as a dip for vegetables
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Use as a spread with sandwiches
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Flaxseed meal (ground flax): 2 Tbsp=60 calories
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(same uses as chia seeds)
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Honey (not for children under 1 year old): 1 Tbsp=65 calories
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Serve on bagels and toast
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Mix with peanut butter and spread on sandwich
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Use as a dip for fruit
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Add to whole milk yogurt with fruit
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Add as sweetener to plain oatmeal.
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Scandical® 2 Tbsp=70 calories. Tasteless and mixes into anything:
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Drinks
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Cottage cheese or yogurt
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Hot cereals
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Casseroles
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Ideas for 100-145 Calories
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Heavy cream: 2 Tbsp=100 calories
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Add to mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese
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Use in cream soups
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Use to make oatmeal
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Add to eggs
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Add to coffee
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Add to whole milk
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Use in a smoothie or milkshake
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Peanut butter or Nutella®: 1 Tbsp=100 calories
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Spread on breads, crackers, apples, bananas, and celery
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Add to smoothies or milkshakes
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Cream cheese: 2 Tbsp=100 calories
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Spread on bagels
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Use flavored cream cheese as a dip for fruit
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Butter or margarine: 1 Tbsp=100 calories
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Add to vegetables, mashed potatoes, breads, muffins, pastas, casseroles, hot cereals, and eggs
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Bake fish in butter
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Nuts or seeds: 2 Tbsp=100 calories
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Add to trail mix, salads, cereal, ice cream, and yogurt
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Vegetable oil (olive, canola, sunflower, etc.): 1 Tbsp = 120 calories
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Drizzle over noodles and vegetables
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Use to make scrambled eggs
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Teach Back
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What is the most important thing you learned from this handout?
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What changes will you make in your diet/lifestyle, based on what you learned today?
If you are a UW Health patient and have more questions please contact UW Health at one of the phone numbers 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.
Nutrition clinics for UW Medical Foundation (UWMF) can be reached at: (608) 287-2770.