How can you gain weight and get the nutrition you need?

There are things you can do to help gain back weight and get the nutrition you need.

• Add calories to your diet. Adults who need to gain weight should choose higher-calorie foods that are packed with nutrients, like the options below.
• If you struggle with your appetite, eat 5 or 6 smaller meals a day. Larger meals can cause nausea and make you feel not like eating.
• Get enough protein. Higher-protein meals can help maintain muscle mass. Drinking high-calorie, protein-rich drinks between meals can also boost calories.

Try these tips for choosing foods that support healthy weight gain.

• Eat meals and snacks that include higher-calorie foods like cheese, peanut butter, almond butter, nuts, or dried fruit. You can put cheese on crackers or sandwiches, or add it to soups and salads. Or try using peanut butter in sandwiches, or spread it on bread, bagels, bananas, or celery.
• Choose higher-fat dairy, 2% or higher.
• Try hard, full-fat cheese like cheddar, Colby, Swiss, and paneer, or soft cheese like brie, fontina, or mozzarella.
• Add healthy fats to salads by using nuts, seeds, avocados, and whole olives.
• Prepare hot cereals with milk rather than water.
• Use powdered milk or higher-fat milk to add calories to soups, stews, and casseroles.
• Add canned beans or lentils to soups and stews.
A nutrition supplement helps when you can’t meet your nutrient needs through food alone.