71 High-Calorie Snacks for Healthy Weight Gain (Bulking)

In this article: Top 10 healthy high-calorie snacks  |  High-protein snacks  |  High-carb snacks  |  High-fat snacks  |  Bulking snacks on a budget  |  Meal plan  |  What is a high-calorie snack  |  Conclusion

As a hardgainer, I know from experience how difficult it can be to gain weight the healthy way, but high-calorie snacks will make your bulking phase so much easier.

Even if you already know a few bulking snacks, it can be hard to find alternatives because you want to bulk up consuming snacks that help you keep a balanced diet instead of loading your stomach with empty fast-food calories.

That is why this list of high-calorie snacks is a must-have while bulking up for everyone trying to gain weight on a healthy diet, from hardgainers and skinny people to bodybuilding experts and fitness pros struggling to build more muscle mass.

Helpful tip: if you struggle to gain weight after you add high-calorie snacks to your diet, you likely need to start eating other types of nutrient-dense foods as well. Get ideas from our list of high-calorie foods for weight gain.

After finishing our research we ended up with 71 high-calorie snacks that you can find in this article.

Here are the top 10 healthy high-calorie snacks with the most calories:

1. High-calorie shakes - 476-1830 calories/shake;
2. Weight gain smoothies - 400-1254 calories/smoothie;
3. High-calorie nuts and nut butters - 509-719 calories/100 g (3.5 oz);
4. Butter - 717 calories/100 g (3.5 oz);
5. Seeds - 486-657 calories/100 g (3.5 oz) ;
6. Dark chocolate - 598 calories/100 g (3.5 oz);
7. Tortilla chips - 497 calories/100 g (3.5 oz);
8. Granola bars - 471 calories/100 g (3.5 oz);
9. Trail mix - 462 calories/100 g (3.5 oz);
10. Whole wheat crackers - 427 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz).

And there are plenty more snacks that will help you bulk up.

Find below a list of 71 high-calorie snacks organized by their predominant macronutrient. This way, if you need, for example, more proteins, you will know exactly which bulking snacks have the highest protein content. The same goes for carbs and fats.

Since proteins are fundamental nutrients for building muscle, feeding your body with them by eating high-protein snacks across the day is essential when following a bulking diet, especially for hardgainers.

High-protein snacks, especially the ones with low-fat contents, are great for athletes doing clean bulking. Clean bulking is a practice followed by individuals who want to gain weight without adding too much fat.

Generally, you can find the most proteins in meat snacks, nutrition bars, eggs, and dairy snacks.

1. High-protein shakes

As slurpable snacks, weight gain shakes earned their title of the highest calorie snack. And the best thing? Many shakes are high in protein.

You can find protein shake recipes for weight gain ranging from 476 calories to almost 1830 on our list of high-calorie shakes.

• Calories: 1830 calories / 1 Banana Peanut Butter shake
• Macronutrients: 101 g of protein, 217 g of carbs, and 82 g of fat

If you also consider smoothies as being slurpable snacks, weight gain smoothies are the runner-up in this high-calorie snacks ranking. In addition, many of them are rich in protein.

You can find protein smoothie recipes that are high-calorie on our list of weight gain smoothies.

• Calories: 862 calories / 1 Muscle-Building smoothie
• Macronutrients: 64 g of protein, 135 g of carbs, and 28 g of fat.

3. Jerky

Jerky is one of the high-protein snacks with the most calories, mainly because it has plenty of fats as well.

However, be careful that jerky has a lot of sodium, so you don’t want to eat 100 g (3.5 oz) of it a day, even if that amount has a good share of iron as well.

• Calories: 410 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz)
• Macronutrients: 33 g of proteins, 11 g of carbs, and 26 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value): 92% sodium, 30% iron
• How to add more calories to this snack? As jerky is a high-calorie snack that’s rich in proteins and fats, you want to complete your snack with more carbs, so have a slice of whole wheat bread or an English muffin alongside your meat.

4. Fillet smoked pork tenderloin

A few slices of smoked pork tenderloin come in handy when you need to prepare a high-protein snack that also has plenty of calories.

• Calories: 134 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz)
• Macronutrients: 25 g of proteins and 2 g of fats
• How to add more calories to this snack? Combine your fillet pork tenderloin with butter and whole wheat bread to prepare a high-calorie sandwich that makes for a protein-filled snack.

5. Canned tuna

Canned tuna doesn’t have over 100 calories but it is a protein-packed snack that helps you build muscle, so it’s definitely a useful and healthy food to add to your diet.

• Calories: 85 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz)
• Macronutrients: 19 g of protein and 1 g of fats.
• Micronutrients (% daily value): 16% sodium, 7% potassium, 5.4% iron
• How to add more calories to this snack? Make a tuna and avocado salad to bring some healthy fats to your snack. Add some whole wheat bread, crackers, or pretzels into the mix to maximize your calorie intake.

Tuna is also good if you have an upset stomach, as it counts among the 50 most easily digestible foods you can include in your diet.

6. Protein bars

Snacking on protein bars is one of the easiest ways to fill up with energy before or after workouts.

Also, high-calorie bars count among the most effective weight gain foods for females. About 2 in 10 women who successfully gain weight consume high-calorie protein bars regularly. 

Besides, this high-protein snack has plenty of calcium, iron, and a bit of vitamin D.

• Calories: 82 calories / 1 bar (53 g or 1.9 oz)
• Macronutrients: 20 g of protein, 21 g of carbs, and 5.2 g of fat
• Micronutrients (% daily value): 24% calcium, 23% iron, 8% vitamin D
• How to add more calories to this snack? For a greater protein and calorie intake, having Greek yogurt or some cottage cheese alongside your bar is a very nutritious idea.

If you want to gain weight and increase your muscle size, make sure to choose your favorite protein bar from our list of 25 best high-calorie bars.

7. Hard-boiled eggs

Eggs are one of the most nutritious foods, and thus they make for a healthy snack packed with proteins and fats.

Besides, eggs can be cooked in various ways. For example, hard-boiled eggs have a decent amount of vitamin A, iron, potassium, and sodium.

• Calories: 155 calories / 2 large eggs (100 g or 3.5 oz)
• Macronutrients: 13 g of protein, 1 g of carbs, and 11 g of fat
• Micronutrients (% daily value): 10.4% vitamin A, 6.6% iron, 5% sodium, and 4% potassium
• How to add more calories to this snack? Hard-boiled eggs go well with a few slices of whole wheat bread or an English muffin. Alternatively, you can add boiled eggs to a salad along with some vegetables, croutons, and olive oil for a calorie boost.

Greek yogurt is a handy source of protein and calcium that will help you fill up your daily calorie needs.

• Calories: 97 calories / 100 g (1/4 cup) of full-fat Greek yogurt
• Macronutrients: 9 g of protein, 4 g of carbs, and 5 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value): 8% calcium, 4% potassium
• How to add more calories to this snack? It’s a good idea to combine Greek yogurt with high-carb bulking snacks, such as a slice of whole-grain bread, dried fruits, or a touch of honey.

Important tip: make sure to pay attention to the amount of fat that different Greek yogurts have. In stores, you will usually find zero fat, low fat, and full-fat variants. Choose according to your caloric needs and diet plan.

For example, if you want to gain weight and you generally struggle to eat enough fats during the day, you should go for the full-fat yogurt option. On the other hand, if you wish to lose weight, you will find that the zero fat or low-fat variant will make it easier for you to stay in a caloric deficit.

9. Cottage cheese

Even though cottage cheese doesn’t offer as much energy as other healthy high-calorie snacks on this list, it is a useful snack for bulking up because of its high protein content and affordable price.

• Calories: 82 calories / 100 g (1/2 cup)
• Macronutrients: 11 g of protein, 4 g of carbs, and 2 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value): 6.4% calcium, 15% sodium
• How to add more calories to this snack? Cottage cheese tastes delicious with some grapes, apples, or canned fruits on the side. Also, try mixing cottage cheese with one or two tablespoons of honey to get a calorie surplus on this snack.

Consuming high-carb bulking snacks throughout the day can help you keep your energy levels high, feel better during your workouts, and repair your muscles faster after training sessions, according to scientific research.

Usually,  you can find the most carbs in smoothies, chocolate, whole-grain snacks, sugary snacks, dried fruits, and some fresh fruits.

10. High-carb shakes

Most weight gain shakes are high both in calories and carbs, which means they'll not only help you put on pounds but also energize yourself.

You can find high-carb shake recipes for weight gain on our list of high-calorie shakes.

• Calories: 1542 calories / 1 Almond Dark Chocolate shake
• Macronutrients: 54 g of protein, 168 g of carbs, and 79 g of fat.

11. High-carb smoothies

Since weight gain smoothies have fruits and vegetables at their core, most of them are high-carb snacks.

You can find smoothie recipes for weight gain ranging from 400 calories to almost 1300 on our list of high-calorie smoothies.

• Calories: 1254 calories / 1 Green Seed Mix smoothie
• Macronutrients: 35 g of protein, 147 g of carbs, and 73 g of fat
• How to add more calories to this snack? It is unlikely that you will want to add more calories to a slurpable snack consisting of almost 1300 calories, but if you do, you can dip a protein bar in the smoothie for an increased protein intake.

Tip: since smoothies are oftentimes made with vegetables, make sure to use high-calorie vegetables when preparing one to obtain a slurpable snack with as many as possible calories.

Dark chocolate is hands down one of the most energizing carbs in our list of healthy high-calorie snacks. Chocolate with 70-85% cacao has plenty of carbs but also a lot of fats while featuring a decent amount of protein as well.

• Calories: 598 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz)
• Macronutrients: 8 g of protein, 46 g of carbs, and 43 g of fat
• Micronutrients (% daily value): 46% iron, 12% potassium
• How to add more calories to this snack? Dark chocolate goes well with other bulking snacks such as dried apricots, nuts, or cheese.

Also, did you know that eating dark chocolate is one of the quickest ways to improve your mood?

13. Tortilla chips

Tortilla chips are a high-calorie snack that’s rich in carbs and fats, so you don’t want to eat too many of them.

Also, as tortilla chips are usually salted, they may put you in danger of exceeding the daily limit for sodium. Eat responsibly is the keyword phrase here.

• Calories: 497 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz)
• Macronutrients: 7 g of protein, 67 g of carbs, and 22 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value): 8% iron, 8% calcium, 14% sodium, 5% potassium
• How to add more calories to this snack? A great idea for a bulking snack with even more calories is to dip tortilla chips in some avocado spread. As an alternative, you can dip the chips in peanut butter or Greek yogurt.

14. Granola bars

Granola bars are some of the most nutritious and easy to consume high-calorie snacks but they also have plenty of fats. Keep an eye on them if you include granola bars in your meal plans.

• Calories: 471 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz)
• Macronutrients: 10 g of protein, 64 g of carbs, and 20 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value): 12% iron, 10% sodium, 7% potassium
• How to add more calories to this snack? As granola bars can sometimes be hard to chew, eat this snack alongside a glass of whole milk or a cup of Greek yogurt. You can also spread some peanut butter over the granola for more calories.

15. Whole wheat crackers

Whole wheat crackers are some of the most nutritious high-calorie snacks because of their rich macronutrient profile. Crackers help you build muscle by releasing proteins inside your body and give you energy from their carbs and fats.

Additionally, whole wheat crackers feature solid quantities of iron and potassium.

Warning: don't overeat crackers as they oftentimes contain a lot of sodium.

• Calories: 427 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz)
• Macronutrients: 11 g of protein, 70 g of carbs, and 14 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value): 29% sodium, 18.5% iron, 10% potassium
• How to add more calories to this snack? For a better bulking snack, combine whole wheat crackers with some high-protein canned tuna. Alternatively, mix crackers with some Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, whole milk, butter, or healthy nuts.

16. Popcorn

If you want to get the healthiest version of this high-calorie snack called popcorn, air-pop it using a non-stick pot. You’ll end up with an energy-filling snack with plenty of carbs, a decent number of proteins, some iron, and potassium.

• Calories: 387 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz)
• Macronutrients: 13 g of protein, 78 g of carbs, and 5 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value): 15% iron, 9% potassium
• How to add more calories to this snack? Use olive oil while preparing your popcorn or add some butter over them when you’re done air-popping to get a calorie surplus. Enjoy this bulking snack in front of your favorite movie or latest streaming series.

17. Brown rice cakes

Brown rice cakes are better than the ones made from white rice because they contain complex carbs that release energy over an extended period of time.

Nutrient-wise, brown rice cakes are rich in carbs and offer a decent amount of protein as well. Moreover, they also have iron and potassium.

• Calories: 387 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 11 cakes
• Macronutrients: 8 g of protein, 82 g of carbs, and 3 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  13% sodium, 8% iron, 8% potassium
• How to add more calories to this snack? Rice cakes go well with other healthy spreadable high-calorie snacks, like peanut butter, Greek yogurt, or even some avocado spread.

18. Whole grain cereals

Whole grain cereals are some of the healthiest high-calorie snacks you can consume across your day, not only for breakfast. For example, Honey Nut Cheerios made from whole grain oats are a treasure of iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and potassium.

• Calories: 376 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 4 cups
• Macronutrients: 9 g of protein, 80 g of carbs, and 5 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  116% iron, 56.8% vitamin A, 35.2% vitamin C, 32.5% calcium, 24% sodium, 12% potassium
• How to add more calories to this snack? You have plenty of ways to leverage the number of calories in cereals. You can soak them in whole milk, mix them with Greek yogurt, or sprinkle them over some healthy nuts.

19. Whole wheat pretzels

Whole wheat pretzels are a great way to leverage your calorie intake for the day as this bulking snack has over 80 grams of carbs and a decent number of proteins. Besides, pretzels are a good source of iron and potassium.

• Calories: 362 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz)
• Macronutrients: 11 g of protein, 81 g of carbs, and 3 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value): 25.7% iron, 9% potassium
• How to add more calories to this snack? Have some full-fat Greek yogurt or a glass of whole milk to boost the calories in this snack. Alternatively, you can sprinkle some seeds, from sunflower to poppy ones, on top of the pretzels.

20. Gingerbread

Gingerbread makes for a handy high-calorie snack for when you’re bulking, as it’s rich in carbs and fats but also in minerals like potassium, iron, and calcium.

• Calories: 356 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz)
• Macronutrients: 4 g of protein, 49 g of carbs, and 16 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  15% potassium, 13% sodium, 11% calcium, 6% calcium
• How to add more calories to this snack? You can spread some peanut butter over your gingerbread or combine it with dried fruits.

21. Muesli

Even though muesli is more like a breakfast meal, it can be eaten as a snack too. As a combination of oats, dried fruits, nuts, and other cereals, muesli will give you plenty of carbs and some protein alongside iron, potassium, vitamin C, and calcium.

• Calories: 355 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 1 and 1/5 cups
• Macronutrients: 9 g of protein, 75 g of carbs, and 5 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  16% iron, 15% vitamin C, 12% potassium, 11% calcium
• How to add more calories to this snack? You can pour whole milk or Greek yogurt over muesli and obtain an even more nutritious high-calorie snack.

22. Whole wheat bread

Whole wheat bread is a staple high-carb food that works best in combination with other bulking snacks. Besides carbs, whole bread is a decent source of protein, iron, calcium, and potassium.

• Calories: 254 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 2.3 slices
• Macronutrients: 12 g of protein, 43 g of carbs, and 4 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value): 14% iron, 13% calcium, 7% potassium
• How to add more calories to this snack? Whole wheat bread goes well with olive oil for a boost of calories and healthy fats. Also, bread always goes hand in hand with Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, peanut butter, and other healthy high-calorie snacks.

23. English muffin

As they are rich in carbs and offer some protein as well, whole wheat English muffins are a good high-calorie alternative to bread. Also, English muffins have calcium, iron, and potassium in their content.

However, be careful that English muffins also have a higher amount of sodium than bread.

• Calories: 203 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 1.7 muffins
• Macronutrients: 9 g of protein, 40 g of carbs, and 2 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  20% calcium, 15% sodium, 14% iron, 6% potassium
• How to add more calories to this snack? For a boost of calories and beneficial fats, pair whole wheat English muffins with olive oil. Muffins also go well with high-calorie foods such as Greek yogurt, nuts, butter, and other healthy bulking snacks.

24. Pancakes

Besides being a breakfast classic, pancakes make for a tasty high-calorie snack that can fit almost any bulking diet. Even Hollywood actor Dwayne Johnson is known for frequently having a large plate of pancakes every now and then.

• Calories: 227 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 2.5 pancakes (4" dia)
• Macronutrients: 6 g of protein, 28 g of carbs, and 10 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  18% sodium, 17% calcium, 10% iron
• How to add more calories to this snack? Pancakes are some of the most versatile high-calorie snacks as you can have them with bananas, peanut butter, jam, honey and nuts, Greek yogurt, and more healthy alternatives.

25. Honey

Honey is a carb-filled snack that you can easily use to boost your daily calorie intake.

• Calories: 304 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 5 tbsp
• Macronutrients: 82 g of carbs
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  2.3% iron
• How to add more calories to this snack? Honey is delicious in combination with other healthy high-calorie snacks, like cottage cheese or Greek yogurt.

26. Jam

Consuming jam alone may be too sweet for most of us, so adding it to other high-calorie snacks is a great idea to get more calories effortlessly.

• Calories: 280 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 5 tbsp
• Macronutrients: 69 g of carbs
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  14.5% vitamin C
• How to add more calories to this snack? Spread some jam over a slice of whole wheat bread, crackers, or pretzels to get a carb-filled snack. Alternatively, you can mix jam with some Greek yogurt to get a calorie-dense snack that will definitely help with your bulking efforts.

27. Raisins

Raisins are a high-calorie snack packed with carbs that will load up your energy tank. Also, raisins have plenty of potassium, iron, and a bit of vitamin C.

• Calories: 301 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 3/4 cup
• Macronutrients: 3 g of protein and 80 g of carbs
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  21% potassium, 10% iron, 5% vitamin C
• How to add more calories to this snack? You can sprinkle raisins over some high-calorie dairy products, like cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, or even ice cream, to obtain a bulking snack with even more calories.

28. Medjool dates

Medjool dates are dried fruits that make for a nutritious high-calorie snack due to their carb-filled content. Moreover, dates feature high levels of potassium, iron, and calcium.

• Calories: 277 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 4 dates
• Macronutrients: 2 g of protein and 75 g of carbs
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  20% potassium, 5% iron, 5% calcium
• How to add more calories to this snack? Combine dates with a high-protein or high-fat snack to level the macronutrients when you want to have a bite of this type of dried fruit. For example, try mixing dates with Greek yogurt or some Cheddar cheese.

29. Dried figs

Figs can be eaten fresh or dried, but for a higher calorie density, you want to go for the dried option. Dried figs are a high-calorie snack that features plenty of carbs, potassium, iron, and calcium.

• Calories: 277 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 12 figs
• Macronutrients: 3 g of protein, 64 g of carbs, and 1 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  19% potassium, 11% iron, 12% calcium
• How to add more calories to this snack? Figs usually go well with nuts, like almonds or walnuts. Alternatively, you can combine dried figs with some Cheddar cheese or cottage cheese.

30. Dried apricots

Besides them being a treasure of vitamin A, potassium, and iron, dried apricots are a high-calorie snack that will energize yourself due to the many carbs in its composition.

• Calories: 241 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 29 halves
• Macronutrients: 3 g of protein, 63 g of carbs, and 1 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  72% vitamin A, 34% potassium, 15% iron
• How to add more calories to this snack? You can easily sprinkle a few dried apricots on a slice of whole-wheat bread, combine them with a high-fat snack like cashew nuts or pistachios, or you can boost calories by dipping them in Greek yogurt.

31. Prunes

Prunes, also known as dried plums, are a high-carb snack that is rich in potassium and vitamin A while featuring a small quantity of iron.

• Calories: 240 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 10 prunes
• Macronutrients: 2 g of protein and 64 g of carbs
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  21% potassium, 16% vitamin A, 5% iron
• How to add more calories to this snack? You can find that combining prunes with jerky makes for a surprisingly tasty bulking snack. Besides, you’ll see that eating prunes alongside protein-dense dairy products is both a nutritious and delicious idea for a high-calorie snack.

32. Dried peaches

Like other dehydrated fruits, dried peaches are a high-carb snack, which additionally features plenty of calories along with solid quantities of vitamin A, potassium, iron, and vitamin C.

• Calories: 239 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 8 halves
• Macronutrients: 4 g of protein and 61 g of carbs
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  43% vitamin A, 28% potassium, 23% iron, 8% vitamin C
• How to add more calories to this snack? You can obtain a calorie surplus by adding dried peaches over some ice cream or combining them with yogurt or cottage cheese.

33. Bananas

Bananas make for a healthy high-calorie snack that is great for anyone looking to bulk up on a budget. Actually, bananas are some of the most nutritious fruits as they contain vitamin C, potassium, and plenty of energy due to their high-carb content.

• Calories: 105 calories / medium banana (118 g)
• Macronutrients: 1 g of protein and 27 g of carbs
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  17% vitamin C, 12% potassium
• How to add more calories to this snack? To obtain a bulking snack with even more calories, you can mix bananas with some high-fat snacks, like whole milk, walnuts, or ice cream, or you can mix them with a protein bar or some low-fat Greek yogurt for some additional muscle-building benefits.

34. Fruit juice

Fruit juice doesn’t have as many calories per 100 g as other bulking snacks but it makes up for it by being very easy to consume and affordable at the same time.

Therefore, fruit juice makes for a handy high-calorie drink to include as a standalone liquid snack or in combination with other foods. For example, half a liter of 100% apple juice will load you up with 230 calories and fill up your necessary daily vitamin C intake.

• Calories: 46 calories / 100 ml (3.4 fl oz) of apple juice
• Macronutrients: 11 g of carbs
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  64% vitamin C
• How to add more calories to this snack? Whether you prefer apple, orange, or grape juice, consider combining them with other healthy high-calorie snacks, preferably with the ones rich in protein or fats, to maximize your energy intake.

Check out our list of high-calorie fruits for weight gain, which features the fruits with the highest number of calories, whether you're looking for fresh or dried fruits or even fruit juices.

Consuming high-fat bulking snacks is the easiest way to boost your calorie intake because every 1 g of fat has 9 calories, while 1 g of protein or carbs has 4 calories.

Since they have more calories per gram, most high-fat foods, like seeds, nuts, and butter, are low-volume high-calorie foods that won't make you feel full.

However, you can't rely just on fatty foods if you want to gain weight and build muscle at the same time.

But still, including a few healthy high-fat snacks in your nutrition plan is going to make your bulking efforts way easier.

Usually,  you can find the most fats in weight gain shakes, dairy snacks, nuts, seeds, and some fruits.

35. High-fat shakes

Because weight gain shakes often contain ingredients rich in healthy fats, such as nuts and dairy, many of these nutritious drinks are high in fat besides being rich in calories.

Find high-fat shake recipes in our comprehensive article about high-calorie shakes for weight gain.

• Calories: 1075 calories / 1 Chocolate Walnut shake
• Macronutrients: 41 g of protein, 81 g of carbs, and 70 g of fat.

36-48. High-calorie nuts

High-calorie nuts are convenient energy-dense snacks that will help you gain weight, especially due to the healthy fats in their composition.

The nuts with the highest calories are:

• Pili nuts - 719 calories/100 g (3.5 oz)
• Macadamia nuts  - 718 calories/100 g (3.5 oz)
• Pecans - 691 calories/100 g (3.5 oz)

Yet there are many more nutty snacks that will help you gain weight.

Learn more about all the 13 high-calorie nuts.

48-58. High-calorie nut butters

High-calorie nut butters make for tasty weight gain snacks and have a similar number of calories to the nuts they are made of.

The nut butters with the highest calories are:

• Macadamia nut butter - 696 calories/100 g (6 tbsp);
• Pine nut butter - 688 calories/100 g (6 tbsp);
• Hazelnut butter - 656 calories/100 g (6 tbsp).

However, there are many more tasty high-calorie nut butters that may help you achieve your goals.

Learn more about all the 10 high-calorie nut butters.

64. Sunflower seeds

Roasted sunflower seeds are some of the most affordable high-calorie snacks on the market. In addition, these seeds are rich in fats, proteins, and carbs, while having plenty of iron and potassium.

• Calories: 657 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 4/5 cup
• Macronutrients: 21 g of protein, 17 g of carbs, and 56 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  50% iron, 25% potassium
• How to add more calories to this snack? Sunflower seeds pair well with honey, whole-grain cereals, and dried fruits, like raisins, but that's not all, so go on and test different flavor combinations.

65. Pumpkin seeds

Munching on a pack of roasted pumpkin seeds is an excellent way to boost up your calorie intake. Pumpkin seeds are rich in proteins, fats, iron, and potassium.

• Calories: 574 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 4/5 cup
• Macronutrients: 30 g of protein, 15 g of carbs, and 49 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  46% iron, 23% potassium
• How to add more calories to this snack? Eat pumpkin seeds alongside a protein bar or add them to a vitamin-filled salad.

66. Sesame seeds

The toasted kernels of sesame seeds make for a healthy and energizing high-calorie snack. Sesame seeds are filled with fats, feature solid quantities of carbs and protein, and offer a treasure of minerals, including iron, calcium, and potassium.

• Calories: 567 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 4/5 cup
• Macronutrients: 17 g of protein, 26 g of carbs, and 48 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  82% iron, 79% calcium, 14% potassium
• How to add more calories to this snack? You can sprinkle sesame seeds over a slice of whole wheat bread, have them along with canned tuna, or dip them in honey to obtain more nutritious bulking snacks.

67. Ground flax seeds

Ground flax seeds are a high-calorie snack that works best in combination with other foods. Nevertheless, flax seeds are loaded with fats, proteins, carbs, and minerals, such as iron, potassium, and calcium.

• Calories: 531 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 15 tbsp
• Macronutrients: 19 g of protein, 29 g of carbs, and 42 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  32% iron, 23% potassium, 20% calcium
• How to add more calories to this snack? Blend ground flax seeds into a banana and peanut butter smoothie or sprinkle them in a bowl of whole-grain cereals soaked in whole milk to get a calorie surplus.

68. Poppy seeds

Besides being loaded with fats, proteins, and carbs, poppy seeds are packed with calcium, iron, and potassium. 100 g of poppy seeds offer you more than the necessary daily calcium intake, so there's no reason to eat so much poppy.

• Calories: 525 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 11 tbsp
• Macronutrients: 18 g of protein, 28 g of carbs, and 42 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  111% calcium, 54% iron, 20% potassium
• How to add more calories to this snack? Sprinkle poppy seeds over your whole-grain bread or English muffin, and pair the combo with a glass of whole milk to round up a high-calorie snack.

69. Chia seeds

Chia seeds are one of the least fatty seeds in our list of healthy high-calorie snacks, but they compensate with their high-carb content. Other than that, chia seeds are loaded with calcium, iron, and potassium.

• Calories: 486 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz)
• Macronutrients: 17 g of protein, 42 g of carbs, and 31 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  48% calcium, 43% iron, 12% potassium
• How to add more calories to this snack? An easy way to consume chia seeds is to add them in smoothies along with other high-calorie snacks, like dark chocolate, bananas, or peanut butter.

70. Coconut meat

Coconut meat is a high-calorie snack mainly due to its high-fat content. Mineral-wise, coconut meat has iron, potassium, and some vitamin C.

• Calories: 354 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) 1.25 cup of shredded coconut
• Macronutrients: 3 g of protein, 15 g of carbs, and 34 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value): 14% iron, 10% potassium, 6% vitamin C
• How to add more calories to this snack? Combine coconut meat with bananas or ice cream to craft a delicious high-calorie snack.

71. Avocados

The avocado is a bulking snack that's rich in healthy fats. Moreover, avocados are loaded with vitamin C and potassium.

• Calories: 160 calories / 100 g (3.5 oz) or 2/3 cup of cubes
• Macronutrients: 2 g of protein, 9 g of carbs, and 15 g of fats
• Micronutrients (% daily value):  17% vitamin C, 14% potassium
• How to add more calories to this snack? Avocados are versatile fruits. You can add avocados in a smoothie alongside Greek yogurt, bananas, and dark chocolate, as a topping over tortilla chips, or spread them over some pancakes.

You can find two smoothie recipes containing avocado, the Green Seed Mix Smoothie and the Green Protein Smoothie, in our list of weight gain smoothie recipes.

Alternatively, here is a short tutorial on how to prepare an avocado and banana smoothie:

For more fruit snacks, head over to our list of high-calorie fruits for weight gain.

Some of the high-calorie snacks can get pretty expensive, so if you're on a tight budget you might have a hard time picking the right foods to include in your bulking diet.

But don't fret, because we have already done the hard work and researched the food market to obtain a list of 45 cheap high-calorie foods, on which you can not only find affordable bulking snacks but also meal ideas that will help you gain weight easier than ever.

The cheapest high-calorie snacks are:

1. Sunflower seeds;
2. Granola;
3. Flax seeds;
4. Crackers;
5. Trail mix;
6. Tortilla chips.

Besides buying cheap high-calorie snacks for your bulk, one other very effective way to save money on food is to meal prep.

Meal prepping essentially means preparing your meals and snacks ahead of time. This way you will know what you'll eat every day and what you need to buy from the grocery store, without wasting unnecessary money.

If you are on a low-carb diet, you should focus on high-calorie low-carb foods, including snacks.

Here are the high-calorie snacks that are low in carbs:

• Nuts and nut butters
• Seeds
• Dark chocolate

You cannot do meal prepping without meal planning. Therefore, we crafted a meal plan that includes healthy high-calorie snacks to serve you as an example.

Feel free to follow the meal plan by the book or tweak it with your favorite meals, snacks, or some high-calorie drinks, but remember to eat with your fitness goal in mind.

2300 calories meal plan

Pre-workout breakfast snack: 502 calories

• Cottage cheese - 164 calories
  
  • Amount: 200 g (1 cup)
  • Protein: 22 g
  • Carbs: 8 g
  • Fats: 4 g
• Honey - 91 calories 
  • Amount: 30 g (1 2/3 tablespoons)
  • Carbs: 25 g
• Banana - 105 calories
  • Amount: 118 g (1 medium banana)
  • Protein: 1 g
  • Carbs: 27 g
• Whole wheat bread - 142 calories 
  • Amount: 2 slices (56 g)
  • Protein: 7 g
  • Carbs: 24 g
  • Fats: 2 g

Post-workout snack: 619 calories

• Hard-boiled eggs - 233 calories
  • Amount: 3 large eggs (150 g)
  • Protein: 20 g
  • Carbs: 2 g
  • Fats: 17 g
• English muffin - 203 calories 
  • Amount: 100 g (1.7 muffins)
  • Protein: 9 g
  • Carbs: 40 g
  • Fats: 2 g
• Whole milk - 183 calories
  • Amount: 300 ml (10 fl oz)
  • Protein: 9 g
  • Carbs: 15 g
  • Fats: 9 g

Lunch: 424 calories

• Pork meatballs - 260 calories
  • Amount: 5 meatballs (150 g)
  • Protein: 22 g
  • Carbs: 5 g
  • Fats: 17 g
• Whole wheat bread - 142 calories 
  • Amount: 2 slices (56 g)
  • Protein: 7 g
  • Carbs: 24 g
  • Fats: 2 g
• Ketchup - 22 calories
  • Amount: 20 g (1 tbsp)
  • Carbs: 5 g

Dinner: 467 calories

• Roasted turkey breast - 202 calories
  • Amount: 150 g (5.3 oz)
  • Protein: 45 g
  • Fats: 1 g
• Cooked brown rice - 222 calories 
  • Amount: 200 g (7 oz)
  • Protein: 5 g
  • Carbs: 47 g
  • Fats: 2 g
• Cucumber salad - 43 calories
  • Amount: 150 g (2/3 cup)
  • Protein: 1 g
  • Carbs: 10 g

Pre-bed snack - 332 calories

• Full-fat Greek yogurt - 194 calories
  • Amount: 200 g (1/2 cup)
  • Protein: 18 g
  • Carbs: 8 g
  • Fats: 10 g
• Apple juice - 138 calories
  • Amount: 300 ml (10 fl oz)
  • Carbs: 33 g

Daily total:

• Calories: 2344 calories
• Protein: 166 g
• Carbs: 273 g
• Fats: 66 g

Find other meal plans made with high-calorie snacks by checking the weight gain meal plans for females.

Packaged foods having over 400 calories per serving are considered high calorie, according to FDA. As a consequence:

Since serving sizes can differ greatly from snack to snack, high-calorie snacks have at least 400 calories per 100 g.

However, we considered being high-calorie a few other snacks under 400 calories that are especially rich in one macronutrient, thus helping you complete your daily calorie goals without risking eating too many other macronutrients.

Note: snacks especially rich in one macronutrient are those whose protein, carbs, or fat content take up at least 66% of the snack’s total calories.

For example, when you miss 20 grams of protein but you already met your carbs and fat goals for a certain day, all you want is a snack whose content is composed mainly of proteins.

Moreover, among all the high-calorie snacks in this article, we have added a few fruits that have under 400 calories per 100 g, but which qualified on our list of high-calorie fruits.

Last but not the least, we added a few popular snacks with fewer calories than the 400-calorie mark, like ice cream or pancakes due to their widespread consumption.

Low-fat high-calorie snacks are snacks that have less than 30% of their calories coming from fat.

According to the American Cancer Society's definition of low-fat foods, "for every 100 calories, if the product has 3 grams of fat or less, it’s a low-fat product. This means 30% or less of the calories come from fat."

You can find low-fat calorie-dense snacks in our full article about high-calorie low-fat foods.

If you struggled to gain weight, build muscle or meet your daily calories, you should now be able to do them all easily by adding various high-calorie snacks, from those rich in proteins to those high in carbs and fats, into your bulking meal plans.

Congratulations, you're one step closer to achieving your ideal weight and body shape.