HELP! Need recommendations for FATTENING foods

drmerc

If he is able to take in tablespoons of coconut oil it's pure energy.

crimsoncat

Nevermind, finished reading the first post again.

nxd10

Sorry to hear this about your dad.

I take it he's had a stroke? (Not read the replies yet.)

You can add something like Thick And Easy - it's a powder thickener that makes it easier to swallow (rather than my ideal girlfriend material budum tsss).



You can add this to the usual Scandishakes, Complans, Fortisips, etc. It can go from very thin (souplike) to thick dessert depending on how many spoons you mix in. (1/2 a spoon is really liquid, 4 spoons and you can turn the cup of water upside down without a mess!)

Yes, he uses products like that all the time. That's why he can drink tea.

He hasn't had a stroke - several years ago he had a breathing tube from a horrible serious pneumonia. It damaged his throat, leading to a stomach tube, which has since been removed.

He is old and has poor muscle tone in his throat, compounded by that damage. When he swallows, his trachea doesn't close properly and food drizzles into his lungs which leads to infection and - once more - pneumonia.

He does swallowing exercises to strengthen his muscles, but when he's not eating enough he gets weak and can't swallow. You see the cycle.

And when he doesn't eat enough he gets sleepy, weak, and it exacerbates cognitive problems. Food is important to us all.

Keiko385

There is a thickener you can add to water or any drink so he could swallow them more easily. My father in law needed that and it worked great. Good luck.

^ This, it can be purchased at any pharmacy without a presciption

lewcompton

Surprized that the doctor hasn't suggested ensure... My first son now 13 was a two pound preemie and he was on pediasure the infant version of ensure and I added MCT (medium chain triglyceride) oil (refined coconut oil). Really easy to swallow and good for weight gain.

erd1954

Maybe cream based soups made with heavy cream. Also, speech therapist could give you ideas for using thickening agents that make foods and liquids easier to swallow.

spiregrain

Pureed soups!

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/soups/?cm_type=lnav

has some free recipes and they are foodie-yummy.

Leek & Potato
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/leek-and-potato-soup.html

Potato Cheddar
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/potato-cheddar-soup.html

Split Pea
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/slow-cooker-split-pea-soup.html

Summer Squash and Leek
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/summer-squash-and-leek-puree.html

to name a few.

If he can eat cheeses and meats, try adding stuff like shredded cheddar or cooked bacon to the soup before you puree. Adds a lot of yummy flavor.

Pacific, which is a boxed soup available in the health food section of a lot of stores, makes a creamy tomato soup that is pretty good.

Any kind of bisque will also be pretty smooth and creamy. And anything with bechamel.

Akimajuktuq

What about a smoothies made with whole milk, regular creamy peanut butter, and some strawberries? Any combination really but a nut butter tends to have high healthy fats and calories. Whole grain pastas are a good way to get some fat in, especially if you use white sauces (cream based, cheesy sauces). Gravies tend to be higher in fat and calories as well. So maybe some smooth mashed potatoes with country gravy, some scrambled eggs, maybe some soft bread as well.

edit: also, making a smoothie with the peanut butter dilutes it down so it isn't thick of sticky anymore- it fixes your problem and lets him get those nut butters in. Also, coconut spread/butter is what has been recommended to me to up my saturated/fats when necessary.

Please, when talking about "nut butters" remember that peanuts are actually legumes. Whole grain pastas are a good way to get fat in? Not really, pasta is pretty bulky.

Nut butters (my fave is macadamia-from the highest fat nut), coconut oil, nut oils, cocoa butter, avocados, eggs, whey protein powder (best quality!) and all kinds of fruits, vegetables would make great smoothies. I would think there would be millions of combinations that could be tried.

nxd10

Surprized that the doctor hasn't suggested ensure... My first son now 13 was a two pound preemie and he was on pediasure the infant version of ensure and I added MCT (medium chain triglyceride) oil (refined coconut oil). Really easy to swallow and good for weight gain.

He does use it. But he cannot take in enough calories with Ensure alone by mouth to sustain a 6'4" adult male. That's what kept him alive when he had a stomach tube.

nxd10

What about a smoothies made with whole milk, regular creamy peanut butter, and some strawberries? Any combination really but a nut butter tends to have high healthy fats and calories. Whole grain pastas are a good way to get some fat in, especially if you use white sauces (cream based, cheesy sauces). Gravies tend to be higher in fat and calories as well. So maybe some smooth mashed potatoes with country gravy, some scrambled eggs, maybe some soft bread as well.

edit: also, making a smoothie with the peanut butter dilutes it down so it isn't thick of sticky anymore- it fixes your problem and lets him get those nut butters in. Also, coconut spread/butter is what has been recommended to me to up my saturated/fats when necessary.

Please, when talking about "nut butters" remember that peanuts are actually legumes. Whole grain pastas are a good way to get fat in? Not really, pasta is pretty bulky.

Nut butters (my fave is macadamia-from the highest fat nut), coconut oil, nut oils, cocoa butter, avocados, eggs, whey protein powder (best quality!) and all kinds of fruits, vegetables would make great smoothies. I would think there would be millions of combinations that could be tried.

I have done that for myself and my super skinny kids. But he chokes on smoothies - he doesn't drink except warm liquids like teas. It sucks to be old.

nxd10

contrary to popular belief, MFP forums are not a good place for medical advice

trust him, he's a Dr.

I'm not looking for medical advice and we have many, many guidelines on the kinds of food to prepare. Many of the guidelines are general and we are looking for things that are concrete. Or his doctors/therapists provide terrific one or two suggestions but we would like more.

I'm looking for suggestions of recipes for palatable real food to add interest to his diet to keep him interested enough to eat.

People have made some excellent, helpful suggestions to broaden the menu from which we're drawing.

nxd10

Okay, so I work at a State medical center with a lot of people with the same issues. First off, talk to a professional. Sounds like he needs a swallow study. In the mean time get yourself a good food processor and make everything blended strained (Very very smooth) . Get some Thicket and some good milk and add to make your desired consistancy. You can do this with ANY food! It's a little more work, but it's worth it! P.s. I have tried the food, and blended is actually more flavorful! Good luck!

Yes, he has had many swallow studies. Did all those things. Excellent suggestions. But -as you know having worked in a medical center - over time people lose appetite when only eating purreed food. Hence the post.

kmjacobs93

Okay, so I work at a State medical center with a lot of people with the same issues. First off, talk to a professional. Sounds like he needs a swallow study. In the mean time get yourself a good food processor and make everything blended strained (Very very smooth) . Get some Thicket and some good milk and add to make your desired consistancy. You can do this with ANY food! It's a little more work, but it's worth it! P.s. I have tried the food, and blended is actually more flavorful! Good luck!

Yes, he has had many swallow studies. Did all those things. Excellent suggestions. But -as you know having worked in a medical center - over time people lose appetite when only eating purreed food. Hence the post.

Most of the people I work with have been eating like this for over 10 years....Always hungry. So just make him what you make yourself! Add bread crumbs and things like that for texture.

cfregon

What about a smoothies made with whole milk, regular creamy peanut butter, and some strawberries? Any combination really but a nut butter tends to have high healthy fats and calories. Whole grain pastas are a good way to get some fat in, especially if you use white sauces (cream based, cheesy sauces). Gravies tend to be higher in fat and calories as well. So maybe some smooth mashed potatoes with country gravy, some scrambled eggs, maybe some soft bread as well.

edit: also, making a smoothie with the peanut butter dilutes it down so it isn't thick of sticky anymore- it fixes your problem and lets him get those nut butters in. Also, coconut spread/butter is what has been recommended to me to up my saturated/fats when necessary.

Please, when talking about "nut butters" remember that peanuts are actually legumes. Whole grain pastas are a good way to get fat in? Not really, pasta is pretty bulky.

Nut butters (my fave is macadamia-from the highest fat nut), coconut oil, nut oils, cocoa butter, avocados, eggs, whey protein powder (best quality!) and all kinds of fruits, vegetables would make great smoothies. I would think there would be millions of combinations that could be tried.

Nit-picky aren't we? I was just making suggestions. I should have been clear that I was referring to peanut butter and other spreads (mostly nut butters) but it doesn't matter as long as the message comes across. Likewise, I intended to note that pasta dishes with sauces and cooked with oils would be helpful .I didn't realize this was a 'pick posts apart' thread. I thought we were just helping the OP. My bad.

Hey__Im__Krista

As a dietary aid in a nursing home, if your father has difficulty swallowing, then may i suggest resource 2.0? Its got all he needs to live if he has that 5 times a day, he wont even need food, and it has double the calories to help him gain weight.

wheels48

May I suggest things like smoothies, JELLO, pudding, Boost or ensure, mashed potatos, oatmeal or use a bleander to make smoothies of things he likes. Hope this helped some :happy:

nxd10

As a dietary aid in a nursing home, if your father has difficulty swallowing, then may i suggest resource 2.0? Its got all he needs to live if he has that 5 times a day, he wont even need food, and it has double the calories to help him gain weight.

Thank you. I will look for it.

nxd10

Most of the people I work with have been eating like this for over 10 years....Always hungry. So just make him what you make yourself! Add bread crumbs and things like that for texture.

Bread crumbs! Wonderful idea.

Elphaba91

I think it would be a good idea to go to the pharmacy and pick up a supplement powder - Sustagen and Ensure are 2 that we stock at work, but speak to the pharmacist about your options. They general come in chocolate or vanilla but there is a new neutral flavour Sustagen out that you could add to things like smoothies.

princessthecat22

I am a nursing student and if your father has a problem with thin liquids that cause him to choke then purchase some thicken liquid. You can make ANY drink ( but carbonated ) a necter, honey, or even pudding consitancy. Your doctor should have gone over all of this wth him???? Instead of asking people online find out from a professional because he could asperate things into his lungs then he's in big trouble.