A List of Calorie Dense Foods
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People have trouble hitting 1200 calories? LOL
Yes. Especially newer users who might not have a broad experience with foods or who might have subsisted on things like sugary drinks before coming here. It's fairly common for people to cut out everything that they consider "bad" and find that they're left with very few calories in the process.
The point of this post is just to give as broad a list as possible for those who need a little help. They can take what they want and leave the rest behind. As I said in the OP, I'm hopeful that others will add their own ideas to supplement my list. Do you have anything that you could add?
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This posting is perfect for me. I DO have a hard time hitting my daily goal. I am also starting to working out 3 times a week and know that I MUST keep up or go beyond my calorie goal. The best things that I have found are below. Some may already be on your list but I'm just giving my "go to" calories.
Greek yogurt ranch dip (powered ranch mixed with Greek yogurt.
Rice crackers or nut crackers (use for dipping)
Hummus
banana
avocado
tomato & basil salad with balsamic and olive oil
protein bars7 -
This is a good post to have! I think that a lot of these are good to use as a replacements or subs to a lot of the higher caloric things like a 6 cheese homemade mac and cheese bake.1
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Love the list! Thanks for posting.
To the poster who seemed skeptical that people have a hard time hitting 1200 it's a fairly easy problem to have.
I have a small appetite - I got fat from too many potato chips, too much drinking including a fairly heavy pepsi habit and not enough exercise. I have absolutely no problem struggling some days to get to 1200. If I get too busy at work that I can't get my planned snacks in, if I fill up on vegetables before I eat the higher calorie stuff I planned, etc. The first couple weeks were very hard until I learned that 35 calorie yogurt isn't my friend, and that cheese and a glass of milk can be the boost that I need to hit my goals, and that sometimes I have to change my supper plan so it is higher calorie because I'm really too low. I try to stay between 1200 and 1500 now and I'm much happier.
Thanks again @diannethegeek7 -
diannethegeek wrote: »I'm posting this list with the intention of creating something that people can link to when someone is having a hard time reaching their calorie goal. I hope that other users will add more ideas in the comments.
Calorie dense foods can be your best friend when you're trying to eat more. These are foods that pack a lot of calories into just a small amount, so they boost your calories quickly without putting a lot of extra food in your stomach. This is a generic list and it's definitely not comprehensive, but anything here can be included in a balanced diet (as long as there are no allergies, medical conditions, obviously):
avocado
cheese
full fat dairy
Greek yogurt
ice cream
peanut butter (or other nut butters)
dark chocolate
less lean cuts of meat (including beef, pork, sausage, etc.)
seeds (chia, flax, sunflower, etc.)
nuts
olive oil
coconut oil
butter
beans and lentils
protein shakes, bars, and smoothies
hummus
beef jerky
cornbread
tuna
full calorie condiments
full calorie sauces & dressings
sour cream
guacamole
whole grain pasta
rice
bacon
whole eggs
quinoa
fruit and fruit juices
pretzels
bananas
scones
muffins (bran, blueberry, banana nut, etc.)
potatoes (sweet, red, gold, purple, white, etc.)
dried fruit (raisins, apricots, plums, dates, etc.)
granola
coconut
salmon
edamame
olives
honey
molasses
Glad to see an overall healthy list, as most of these are fairly nutrient-dense as well.7 -
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Very need for this list. Thank you.5
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XOXOMiriam wrote: »This isn't a food but Green Tea speeds up metabolism and it only has 1-2 calories per bag! It's my new fave drink! leo switch out regular milk for almond milk!
Not sure why you posted this, as it's completely off-topic.
Thanks for a great list, OP!
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This i know will help me and my mom alot thank u !1
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kjdaniel06 wrote: »I'm new to the weight loss thing. So just know that I'm not saying anything to try to be rude or offensive. And I also don't have much time to read all of the comments to figure this out lol. But why do you want to have more calories? I thought you were supposed to intake less calories and exercise to burn them off?
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I'm a big fan of figs, dates, feta, olives - everything spread on a cracker tastes fabulous....sometimes raisins...3
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I appreciate the nutrient dense list. some days I am always hungry and this will help me stay full longer and less likely to graze0
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I appreciate the nutrient dense list. some days I am always hungry and this will help me stay full longer and less likely to graze1
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Oh I am so happy for this list because this is actually my problem. I have been struggling with this for a week. Thanks so much.0
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I appreciate the nutrient dense list. some days I am always hungry and this will help me stay full longer and less likely to graze
I think this list was meant as the complete oposit for people who are trying to gain weight and need extra calories without feeling full.
Op, thanks for this list!1 -
I appreciate the nutrient dense list. some days I am always hungry and this will help me stay full longer and less likely to graze
I think this list was meant as the complete oposit for people who are trying to gain weight and need extra calories without feeling full.
Op, thanks for this list!
doesn't matter, nutrient dense foods will still keep you full longer in general.-there are always exceptions0 -
Thank you for taking the time to do this! It's really helpful!0
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Bumping this thread and trying to add some fresh ideas to it. I hope that others will add any ideas they have.
- whole wheat toast with peanut butter, sliced bananas, and maybe some chocolate or honey drizzled over it
- baked sweet potato with black beans, cheese, sour cream, salsa, guacamole etc.
- pita bread drizzled with olive oil and hummus on the side for dipping
- unsalted popcorn drizzled with dark chocolate peanut butter
- tortillas rolled up with lunch meat, cream cheese, regular cheese, or your favorite toppings
- Greek yogurt (go for the higher cal. versions) with chocolate chips, granola, nuts, fruit, and maybe some whipped cream on top
- milkshakes
- bagel with cream cheese and lox, or peanut butter and fruit, or an egg and bacon, or whatever your favorite toppings are
- pancakes or waffles (replace the syrup with Greek yogurt, honey, or fruit if you're worried about it)
- chicken salad or egg salad sandwiches
If you're really struggling to eat enough, look for weight gain recipes online. Don't worry about the label if you're trying to lose. These are just recipes with higher calorie counts and usually a high amount of protein. They won't make you gain weight unless you go over the calories you'd need for maintenance. Adding some of them in your weekly routine can help give you that calorie boost you need.
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Ooh, if we're doing more recipe type stuff:
- baked brie with brown sugar, brandy, and walnuts spread on bread or crackers
- A good, crusty bread dipped in olive oil, garlic, and italian spices
- dates stuffed with goat cheese or chorizo, wrapped in bacon, and brushed with maple syrup
- your favorite cereal with half and half or cream instead of milk (this is amazingly addictive)
- banana or pumpkin bread
- Meatballs with high fat ground meat and cranberry sauce
- buffalo chicken dip with crackers
- risotto
- deviled eggs
- sausage jalapeno poppers
- stuffed mushrooms
- hummus pizza (your favorite pizza but replace the tomato sauce with hummus; so good!)
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Fruit is misleading. There are a lot of non-calorie dense fruit. Think blueberries, strawberries, etc...
Beef Jerky isn't calorie dense. 1 oz. is generally 80 calories. 2 oz can be a very healthy snack that will last a while and a great replacement for chips.0
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