HELP! Need recommendations for FATTENING foods
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Maybe get something like the magic bullet and you can blend fruits and veggies together with some avocado/banana for smoothness and peanut butter or protein powder to add calories. You add the amount of water to the desired consistency so it can be the appropriate thickness for him to easily drink. That with a small cup of water as a side drink then whatever meal... Porkchops and rice (porkchips have to be super done though), Pot roast.. anything cooked in a slow cooker should be 'mushy' and smooth enough to get down. (for example the pot roast with new potatos)
Also, IDK how high calorie is it but something smooth... Chicken and dumplings, southern style... Boil the chicken until it's literally falling off the bone, pull it out of the water on to a plate. Add some quartered biscuits(they get bigger so maybe play with a good size for your father), push into the boiling mixture slowly so they don't stick to each other (for a whole chicken between 2-4 cans usually works, we usually get the cheap 4 packs of buttermilk ones). If there isn't enough broth add store bought chicken broth... Once all the biscuits are added you can shred the chicken and add it back to the mixture. It's done about 5 minutes after all the biscuits are no longer sticking to each other... The biscutis are easy to mash up/cut up if you make too big and the chicken will be shredded so it will be easy to eat in the broth.. I don't like it but it's also an option to serve it all over mashed potatos with maybe some boiled squash..
Good luck finding stuff.0 -
If he is able to take in tablespoons of coconut oil it's pure energy. MCTs which the body is more likely to put towards energy rather than store. Or he could mix it in with some other liquid - it's solid at room temperature so he would have to blend it well.
Or canned full-fat coconut milk. One can is 600-700 calories of healthy, natural fats.
As far as nutrients - you can get liquid vitamin supplements (there is a brand called Liquid Vitamin - they're not cheap but it's a high quality supplement).
You can blend berries, greens - just about anything - into smoothies using coconut milk or whole milk - full fat dairy milk is more nutritious and the body needs fat to absorb vitamins A, D, and E (fortifying fat free milk with these is just stupid). A high-quality protein powder will ensure he's getting usable protein.
The body will absorb liquid calories and nutrients quicker than non-liquid since it's been "pre-digested" and the stomach doesn't have to break it down (our stomach acid completely breaks down animal foods and fat; grains, beans, and vegetables get digested in our gut/colon by our bacterial friends).0 -
Add a nutritionist to the list of other medical professionals he sees. Sounds like too many medical things going on to get advice from a forum like this.
^^^This0 -
My Dad is, literally, slowly starving to death because he has trouble swallowing without choking and has serious difficulty getting enough calories in to maintain his weight. (For important medical reasons, a feeding tube is not an option - he used to have one.) He is working with a speech therapist and other medical professionals, but my mom and I would like some help finding calorie dense foods that taste good, aren't spicy, and have a smooth texture. If you're always eating the same things, you lose your appetite. That is deadly.
Any suggestions? We have a few things but it gets very boring eating the same thing every meal. He can't drink beverages or eat cold things without choking (ice cream or shakes or smoothies don't work). Some days he can only eat one meal so we want every bite to be as fattening as possible. Most of what he eats are egg based. Other ideas would be really, really welcome.
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!)0 -
have you considered puree foods? i know sounds gross but i worked in a nursinghome for 12 yrs and alot of our residents ate pureed foods for the same reason of your father.0
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Smoothies don't have to be cold. They can be room temperature.0
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have you considered puree foods? i know sounds gross but i worked in a nursinghome for 12 yrs and alot of our residents ate pureed foods for the same reason of your father.
Tis a good idea - you can vary how much it's pureed to give it some consistency for him to swallow.0 -
Add coconut oil to his food whenever possible, great health benefits with coconut oil. Look into MCFA's (medium chain fatty acids), coconut oil is a greats supplement. Read The Coconut Oil Miracle.
My other suggestion would be to put some nuts in a food processor and add it to a blended soup, like lentil or bean soup. I do this to thicken up indian curries (which I know he can't eat because of the spice right?), but I don't see why it wouldn't work in a blended soup....maybe could also work in a butternut squash soup. Good luck with your Father, hope he gets well soon.0 -
Add coconut oil to his food whenever possible, great health benefits with coconut oil. Look into MCFA's (medium chain fatty acids), coconut oil is a greats supplement. Read The Coconut Oil Miracle.
My other suggestion would be to put some nuts in a food processor and add it to a blended soup, like lentil or bean soup. I do this to thicken up indian curries (which I know he can't eat because of the spice right?), but I don't see why it wouldn't work in a blended soup....maybe could also work in a butternut squash soup. Good luck with your Father, hope he gets well soon.
What a terrific idea. I never thought of adding blended nuts or nut butters to soup - even though I make peanut butter soups.
He can eat spices - he doesn't like hotter than a mild salsa.0 -
have you considered puree foods? i know sounds gross but i worked in a nursinghome for 12 yrs and alot of our residents ate pureed foods for the same reason of your father.
Tis a good idea - you can vary how much it's pureed to give it some consistency for him to swallow.
Absolutely. Turns out he loves pureed broccoli, but it does get very old quickly.0 -
If he is able to take in tablespoons of coconut oil it's pure energy.0
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Nevermind, finished reading the first post again.0
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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.0 -
^ This, it can be purchased at any pharmacy without a presciptionThere 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.0 -
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.0
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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.0
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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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0
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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:0
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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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0
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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.0
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