High Calorie Foods for Elderly Adults

Maintaining a healthy weight is important at every age, but this is especially true for seniors.

Because many older adults struggle to get enough calories or protein in their diet, they often find themselves at risk of having low body weight, which can lead to health issues like weakness and low energy.

That’s why seniors who are struggling to keep on weight need to build their diet around nutrient-rich, calorie dense healthy foods. In this guide, we’ll help you identify calorie rich food for seniors and guide you on preparing high calorie meals for the elderly.

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Choosing Calorie Dense Healthy Foods

When you think about foods that are high in calories your mind likely immediately jumps to “junk foods” like sugary sweets, processed snacks, and fast food. However, there are a number of healthy foods that can help you gain weight.

Consider these calorie dense healthy foods when building a meal plan for your senior:

• Avocado – about ¾ of the calories in an avocado come from heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, and they’re packed with vital vitamins and nutrients like folate, vitamin K, and fiber.
• Cottage Cheese – cottage cheese is a versatile ingredient that is known for being high in protein and calcium.
• Eggs – eggs are an excellent source of protein and a variety of other valuable nutrients. However, an excess of egg yolks in your diet can raise your “bad” cholesterol levels, whereas egg whites are always safe to eat. If you have cardiovascular disease or high cholesterol, egg yolks should be limited to four per week.
• Greek Yogurt – greek yogurt has about twice as much protein as regular yogurt, and is much more calorically dense. It’s also notable for being a great source of calcium and probiotics.
• Hard Cheeses – while too much cheese can lead to problems like high cholesterol, it’s also a good source of calcium and protein, as well as omega-3 fatty acids in some cheeses. Hard cheeses tend to be best, because they offer the same health benefits, but have less saturated fat than soft, creamy, or spreadable cheeses.
• Nuts & Nut Butters – nuts and nut butters are known for being high in protein, acting as a good source of fiber, and for containing vitamins and minerals like vitamin E, folic acid, niacin, magnesium, vitamin B6, zinc, copper, and potassium. They’re also notable for containing both the nonessential amino acid l-arginine, as well as phytochemicals, both of which are linked to prevention of heart disease.

How to Create High Calorie Recipes for the Elderly

Finding the right calorie dense foods for seniors will likely require some trial and error, but with a few small changes older adults can find ways to add valuable calories to nearly any diet. If you’re dealing with a picky eater, or the high calorie foods for seniors on our list above still just aren’t enough to reach a healthy weight consider these strategies to help increase calorie intake:

• Add calorie-rich extras to foods that your senior already enjoys. For example, adding nuts, grated cheese, or dried fruits to a salad or adding a fruit topping to your full-fat yogurt.
• Choose Full-Fat Dairy Products. Instead of nonfat or low-fat milk, use whole milk or cream when cooking, and opt for full-fat greek yogurt.
• Choose Higher Fat Meats. Eating fattier cuts of meat like beef, pork, and dark poultry meat is an easy way to add vital calories to your diet while also feeling like a treat. Similar to egg yolks, these foods should be eaten in moderation as overconsumption of fatty meats is strongly linked with an increased risk of other chronic health issues like cardiovascular disease.
• Drink High Calorie Beverages. Drinking high calorie beverages like 100% juice, high-protein smoothies, or whole milk is another easy way to incorporate extra calories into your diet. By drinking one 8 oz glass of milk with each meal can add a whopping 438 calories per day. These can be especially useful if you are trying to build a diet made up of high calorie soft foods for an elderly patient struggling with gastrointestinal issues.
• Take advantage of protein powders and supplements. If all else fails, protein powder can be used as a source of extra protein and calories. While protein powder is a great way to add a little extra value to a smoothie or your morning coffee, it’s worth noting that overrelying on it will lead to you missing out on the full nutritional value of the other options on this list.

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