Best Healthy Foods to Gain Weight Fast

Homemade Protein Smoothies

Drinking homemade protein smoothies can be a highly nutritious and quick way to gain weight.
Making your own smoothies is the best way since commercial versions are often full of sugar and lack nutrients. It also gives you full control over the flavor and nutrient content.

• 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 natural yogurt and 1 scoop of vanilla whey protein.
• Chocolate hazelnut shake: Combine 15 ounces (444 ml) of chocolate milk with 1 scoop of chocolate whey protein, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of hazelnut butter and 1 avocado.
• Caramel apple shake: Combine 1 sliced apple, 1 cup (237 ml) of natural yogurt, 1 scoop of caramel- or vanilla-flavored whey protein and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of sugar-free caramel sauce or flavoring.
• Vanilla blueberry shake: Combine 1 cup (237 ml) of fresh or frozen blueberries, 1 scoop of vanilla whey protein, 1 cup (237 ml) of vanilla yogurt and sweetener if needed.

  Rice

  
  Rice is a convenient, low-cost carb source to help you gain weight. Just 1 cup (165 grams) of cooked rice provides 190 calories, 43 grams of carbs and very little fat (6).
  It is also fairly calorie-dense, meaning you can easily obtain a high amount of carbs and calories from a single serving. This helps you eat more food, especially if you have a poor appetite or get full quickly.
  When you’re on the go or in a rush, two-minute packs of microwavable rice can be easily added to other protein sources and pre-made meals.
  

  Nuts and Nut Butters

  
  Nuts and nut butters are a perfect choice if you're looking to gain weight.
  Just one small handful of almonds contains over 7 grams of protein and 18 grams of healthy fats (8).
  Since they’re very calorie-dense, just two handfuls per day with a meal or as a snack can quickly add hundreds of calories.
  Nut butters can also be added to a variety of snacks or dishes, such as smoothies, yogurts and much more.
  

  Dried Fruit

  
  Dried fruit is a high-calorie snack that also provides antioxidants and micronutrients.
  You can get many different types of dried fruit.
  However, they have a very high sugar content and are not ideal for weight loss diets.
  On the other hand, this makes them great for gaining weight, especially since they’re convenient to eat and taste great.
  While many people think fruits lose most of their nutrients when dried, this isn't the case. Dried fruits contain lots of fiber and most of their vitamins and minerals remain intact.
  
  

  Whole-Grain Bread

  
  Whole-grain breads are another good carb source to help you gain weight.
  You can make some very simple, high-calorie and well-balanced meals by combining bread with protein sources such as eggs, meat and cheese.
  

  Dark Chocolate

  
  High-quality dark chocolate provides a ton of antioxidants and health benefits.
  Most people recommend getting dark chocolate with a cocoa content of at least 70%.
  Like other high-fat foods, dark chocolate has a very high calorie density, meaning it's very easy to get many calories from it.
  Each 100-gram (3.5-ounce) bar has around 600 calories and is packed with micronutrients and health-promoting compounds, including fiber, magnesium and antioxidants (30Trusted Source).
  
  

  Cheese

  
  Cheese has been a staple food for centuries.
  Like dark chocolate, it’s high in calories and fats. If you eat it in larger quantities, it’s also a very good source of protein (31).
  Since cheese is incredibly tasty, you can incorporate it into most dishes and easily add several hundred extra calories.
  

  Whole Eggs

  
  Eggs are one of the healthiest muscle-building foods on the planet. They provide a great combination of high-quality proteins and healthy fats.
  It's also very important to eat the whole egg. In fact, almost all of the beneficial nutrients in eggs are found in the yolk.
  As long as you don’t have an intolerance to eggs, there is no need to limit your egg consumption — you can easily eat three eggs per day if you want.
  In fact, many athletes or bodybuilders will eat six or more daily.
  

  Potatoes and Starches

  Potatoes and other starchy foods are a very easy and cost-effective way to add in extra calories.
  Try to choose one of these healthy sources of starchy carbs:
• Oats
• Corn
• Potatoes and sweet potatoes
• Winter root vegetables
• Beans and legumes

Many of these carb sources also provide important nutrients and fiber, as well as resistant starch, which can help nourish your gut bacteria

• Full-Fat Yogurt

  

  Full-fat yogurt is another healthy and convenient snack. It has a great nutritional profile, including a well-balanced mix of protein, carbs and fat.
  There are numerous snacks and healthy weight-gain recipes based on yogurt. Here are a few:
• Yogurt and fruit: Combine 1–2 cups of yogurt with fresh or dried fruit. You can also add nuts, seeds, honey, granola or coconut flakes.
• Chocolate peanut butter pudding: Mix 1–2 cups of yogurt with 100% cocoa powder, peanut or any nut butter and a sweetener such as stevia. You can also add a scoop of whey for more protein.
• Yogurt parfait: Combine 1–2 cups of yogurt with granola and mixed berries in layers to create a tasty and well-balanced breakfast or healthy snack.
• Smoothies: Yogurt is an excellent addition to virtually any smoothie to increase the protein content and give it a more creamy, milkshake-like thickness.