Question

A readers asks: How can I gain weight safely? Best snacks for gaining weight?

Answer

I encourage individuals to gain weight slowly by using healthy foods, rather than trying to bulk up on empty calories from too much candy, or foods that could be high in saturated fat, such as high fat ice creams or milk shakes. Often adding 2-3 snacks in between meals is a great way to help with weight gain if someone finds they only eat small amounts at a time. Specific food recommendations to gain weight depend on the needs of the person, so the following are just examples of foods that may work well but are not appropriate for someone who may have allergies to these foods or other medical conditions. One of my favorite snacks to encourage weight gain is the wide assortment of nuts and nut butters. Nuts are convenient, can be found in small individual packages and make a nourishing snack. It is also great fun to mix the nuts with dried fruit and cereal to create a crunchy mix. Crackers or fruit with peanut butter or peanut butter sandwiches also make easy snacks. I also like foods made with low fat dairy products for calcium, such as skim milk/frozen yogurt milkshakes, regular containers of low fat yogurts or puddings, and lowfat cheese. The most important thing is to remember to have the snack. Often problems gaining weight stem from becoming too busy to eat. Adding calories through cooking methods can also help with weight gain. Certain types of healthy oils, such as olive oil, can be added to all cooked foods to help encourage weight gain. For example, stir-frying vegetables in olive oil can boost calories. You can also increase calories by using salad dressing. For example, marinating chicken breasts in regular Italian dressing boosts both flavor and calories. Dr. Irene