Overview

Increasing the calories in your diet

Important

This information is produced for adults under the care of Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals. We usually give you the information after an assessment or appointment. Your dietitian or other healthcare professional may give you different guidance, depending on your specific medical needs.

It is important to check with a healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet. Please contact your dietitian if you have any questions or concerns.

If you are not a patient at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals, please contact a GP or specialist healthcare professional.

You may need more calories in your diet to help you gain weight. This information suggests some easy ways to add calories throughout the day.

Butter (or plant-based spread), cheese (or plant-based cheese), double cream and dried milk powder are useful for adding calories to almost any meal. We have more information about fortifying your diet.

Easy ways to add calories

The following table suggests ways to add calories to standard foods and drinks:

Standard food or drink option

What to add for extra calories

Porridge with whole milk or plant-based milk*
  • 1 heaped tablespoon of dried milk powder
  • 1.5 tablespoons of double cream
  • A small handful of dried fruit
380kcal or 15g protein 630kcal or 21g protein

2 scrambled eggs with whole milk or plant-based milk*
  • 2 cubes of butter (15g)
  • 1 heaped tablespoon of dried milk powder
  • 2 tablespoons of cream cheese or plant-based soft cheese

210kcal or 16g protein

 440kcal or 23g protein

Vegetable soup served with bread
  • 1.5 tablespoons of double cream
  • 1 heaped tablespoon of dried milk powder
  • Thick spread of butter or plant-based spread on bread

190kcal or 9g protein

400kcal or 14g protein

Shepherd’s pie
  • 2 cubes of butter or plant-based spread (15g)
  • 1.5 tablespoons of double cream
  • 1 tablespoon of dried milk powder
420kcal or 23g protein 690kcal or 28g protein

Madeira cake served with custard
  • 1.5 tablespoons of double cream
  • 1 heaped tablespoon of dried milk powder added to whole milk or plant-based milk* and custard

270kcal or 6g protein

 410kcal or 9g protein

Cup of tea
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of dried milk powder
  • 1 shortbread biscuit
15kcal or 1g protein 155kcal or 3g protein

*Choose plant-based milk with at least 40kcal and 1g protein per 100ml. Suitable options include soya milk, Oatly Whole Oat Drink, Oatly Barista Edition Oat Drink, MIGHTY™ Oat-based Whole Not Milk and KoKo® Super Milk.

More information

You may find it helpful to watch the following video tutorials on how you can create nourishing meals, snacks and drinks using food fortification:

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Resource number: 4062/VER4
Last reviewed: February 2026
Next review: February 2029

Trusted Information Creator. Patient Information Forum

This webpage uses information originally produced by South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, adapted with their kind permission.

Contact us

If you have any questions or concerns about this information, please contact the adult integrated care dietetic team.

Phone: 020 7188 2010, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Medicines advice patient helpline

If you have any questions about medicines that you have received from us, please speak to the staff caring for you or contact our helpline.

Phone: 020 7188 8748, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Email: [email protected]

We aim to respond to emails within 2 working days.

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