Author: themanrux

Homemade protein smoothies can be a highly nutritious and effective way to gain weight.

Making your own smoothies gives you full control over the ingredients and can help you boost calories.

Here are a few tasty variations you can try. You can combine each with 2 cups or 470 milliliters (mL) of dairy milk or soy milk if you have lactose intolerance. Both have more nutrients and calories than other milk alternatives.

• Chocolate banana nut shake: Combine 1 banana, 1 scoop of chocolate whey protein, and 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of peanut or another nut butter.
• Vanilla berry shake: Combine 1 cup (237 mL) of fresh or frozen mixed berries, ice, 1 cup (237 mL) of high protein, whole milk Greek yogurt, and 1 scoop of vanilla whey protein.
• Super green shake: Combine 1 cup (237 mL) of spinach, 1 avocado, 1 banana, 1 cup (237 mL) of pineapple, and 1 scoop of unflavored or vanilla whey protein.

All of these smoothies provide around 400–600 calories, along with a high amount of protein, and other important vitamins and minerals.

Summary

A protein smoothie offers a great way to increase your daily calories in a portable way that meets your taste preferences.

Dairy milk has been used as a weight gainer or muscle builder for decades (1Trusted Source).

It provides a balance of proteins, carbs, and fats and is a good source of calcium, as well as other vitamins and minerals (2Trusted Source).

If you’re trying to build muscle, milk is an excellent protein source that provides both casein and whey proteins. A 2018 review of research has shown cow’s milk can help you add muscle when combined with weightlifting (3).

Additionally, studies have found that milk, or whey and casein protein combined, can lead to greater mass gain than other protein sources (4).

Try drinking 1 cup of whole milk (237 mL) as a snack, with a meal, or before and after a workout if you’re training for a quick 149 calories and 8 grams (g) of protein per serving (2Trusted Source).

Summary

Drinking milk is a great way to add protein to your diet. It contains both casein and whey proteins that are linked with supporting muscle growth.

Rice is a convenient, low cost carb source that can be part of a weight gain eating plan. Just 1 cup (158 g) of cooked white rice provides 204 calories, 44 g of carbs, and very little fat (5Trusted Source).

Rice is also fairly calorie-dense, meaning you can obtain a high amount of carbs and calories from a single serving. This helps you eat more food, especially if you don’t feel that hungry or get full quickly.

When you’re on the go or in a rush, you can add 2-minute packs of microwavable rice to other protein sources.

Another popular method is to prepare a large pot of rice, refrigerate it or freeze individual portions, and then combine it with different proteins and fats for varied meals throughout the week. Rice can be a staple food for supporting frequent, smaller meals throughout the day.

The easiest way to add taste, calories, and a protein boost is to stir some of these ingredients into cooked rice:

• 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

A rice dish can easily become a whole meal. Try this wild rice and chicken kale for a balanced lunch (400 calories per serving).

Summary

Rice is a source of calories and carbs that can be part of many frequent, smaller meals throughout the day.

Nuts and nut butter can support an eating plan focused on weight gain.

Just one small handful of raw almonds (1/4 cup or about 32 g) contains 170 calories, 6 g of protein, and 15 g of fats (6Trusted Source).

Since nuts are calorie-dense, just two handfuls per day with a meal or as a snack can quickly add hundreds of calories.

You can add nut butter to a variety of snacks or dishes, such as smoothies, yogurts, and crackers, to turn them into a high calorie snack in no time.

For a quick pick-me-up, try this peanut butter banana smoothie, with only three ingredients (270 calories, using whole milk). If you have a peanut or other nut allergy, substitute another well-tolerated, safe nut or seed butter.

However, make sure you pick 100% nut butter with no added sugar or extra oils. Or better yet, make your own from this homemade almond butter recipe. It’s easy to make and easy on your wallet, too.

Summary

Nuts and nut butter are delicious, high calorie foods. They’re nutrient-dense, full of fats, and easy to add to many different snacks or recipes.

Red meats, including beef or pork, are probably one of the most effective muscle-building foods available.

For example, 3 oz (85 g) of steak contains 228 calories, 24 g of protein, and around 2.5 g of leucine (7Trusted Source).

Leucine is the key amino acid your body needs to stimulate muscle protein synthesis and add new muscle tissue (8Trusted Source).

In addition to this, red meats are a natural source of dietary creatine, which is a critical compound for supporting overall muscle growth, size, strength, and health (9Trusted Source).

While lean cuts, like pork tenderloin, can be a nutrient-dense and protein-rich part of a balanced eating plan, consider choosing fattier cuts, which provide more calories than leaner meats to help you take in extra calories.

One 2022 research review found that eating meat, specifically red meat, plays a major role in improving muscle mass when paired with strength training and can prevent muscle loss linked with aging (10Trusted Source).

The same review also highlights the link between eating large amounts of red meat and colorectal cancer. The authors note the current guidance to eat no more than 50 g of red meat per day.