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, I tell you.
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 over 63 high-calorie foods for weight gain.
Top 10 high-calorie snacks for bulking up
After finishing our research we ended up with 60 high-calorie snacks that you can find in this article.
Here are the top 10 healthy high-calorie snacks with the most calories:
And there are plenty more snacks that will help you bulk up.
Find below a list of 60 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.
High-protein bulking snacks
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.
High-calorie shakes
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.
Macronutrients: 101 g of protein, 217 g of carbs, and 82 g of fat
Weight gain smoothies
2. High-protein smoothies
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.
Macronutrients: 64 g of protein, 135 g of carbs, and 28 g of fat.
Meat snacks
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.
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.
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.
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.
Nutrition bars
6. Protein bars
Snacking on protein bars is one of the easiest ways to fill up with energy before or after workouts. Besides, this high-protein snack has plenty of calcium, iron, and a bit of 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.
Eggs
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.
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.
Dairy snacks
8. Greek yogurt
Greek yogurt is a handy source of protein and calcium that will help you fill up your daily calorie needs.
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.
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.
High-carb bulking snacks
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.
High-calorie shakes
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.
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.
Chocolate
12. Dark chocolate
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sugary snacks
25. Honey
Honey is a carb-filled snack that you can easily use to boost your daily calorie intake.
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.
Dried fruits
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Fruits
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.
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.
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.
High-fat bulking snacks
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 only 4 calories. 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.
High-calorie shakes
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.
Macronutrients: 41 g of protein, 81 g of carbs, and 70 g of fat.
Dairy snacks
36. Butter
If you're looking for a snack to help you easily meet your daily fat intake, you can't go wrong with butter. Almost 80% of this dairy product's composition is fat.
How to add more calories to this snack? It's a great idea to spread butter on a slice of whole-wheat bread and add some slices of smoked pork tenderloin to make a nutritious high-calorie snack.
37. Cheddar cheese
Besides the fact it has plenty of fats, Cheddar cheese is also a source of protein, calcium, and vitamin A. The downside is that this type of cheese has pretty much sodium as well, so consume it responsibly.
How to add more calories to this snack? Cheddar cheese goes well with dried or fresh fruits, whole wheat bread or crackers, honey, and jams.
38. String cheese
String cheese is a very handy high-calorie snack because it can be consumed one stick at a time. Moreover, string cheese is rich in both fats and proteins while having solid amounts of calcium, sodium, and vitamin A.
How to add more calories to this snack? String cheese tastes great alongside crackers or in a salad. You can also have the strings with some tortilla chips on the side.
39. Ice cream
Ice cream doesn't have to be your enemy. This sweet high-calorie snack has plenty of fats and carbs that will energize you while delighting your taste buds.
How to add more calories to this snack? Try eating ice cream along with bananas or whole-wheat pretzels to get a higher calorie boost. Alternatively, you can sprinkle some nuts or dried fruits over the top of your ice cream.
40. Whole milk
When you're not in the mood to fill up your stomach with solid bulking snacks, pour yourself a large glass of whole milk and boost your calorie intake.
Macronutrients: 3 g of protein, 5 g of carbs, and 3 g of fats
Micronutrients (% daily value): 9% calcium
How to add more calories to this snack? You can successfully combine whole milk with whole-grain snacks, or you can make yourself a healthy high-calorie milkshake by adding a banana and some peanut butter.
Nuts
41. Macadamia nuts
Macadamia nuts are as nutritious as fancy their name sounds. Featuring plenty of fats and iron, roasted macadamias make for a calorie-filled snack that is going to be extremely handy during the days you're far away from your necessary daily calorie intake.
How to add more calories to this snack? Sprinkle some macadamia nuts over your ice cream and treat your taste buds with a delightful high-calorie snack.
42. Pecans
Roasted pecans are loaded with fats while featuring some protein and carbs as well. Besides, they contain healthy minerals like iron, potassium, and calcium.
How to add more calories to this snack? You can pair pine nuts with raisins to obtain a more nutritious bulking snack. Another good idea is to try having some kind of cheese along pine nuts.
44. Brazil nuts
Brazil nuts make for a high-calorie snack that is rich in fats and offers a decent amount of protein as well. Moreover, Brazil nuts are a good source of potassium, iron, and calcium.
How to add more calories to this snack? Melt some dark chocolate and then dip Brazil nuts in it to savor a delicious high-calorie snack that will help you make your bulking phase a breeze.
45. Walnuts
Besides them having plenty of healthy fats, walnuts are one of the high-calorie snacks with the most proteins. Also, walnuts are loaded with iron, potassium, and calcium.
How to add more calories to this snack? Combine walnuts with bananas to get a healthy bulking snack. Alternatively, you can get a calorie surplus by grinding walnuts and adding them to pancakes.
46. Hazelnuts
Roasted hazelnuts are a high-fat and high-protein snack that is chockful of calories. Moreover, hazelnuts are rich in minerals, featuring solid amounts of potassium and iron.
Macronutrients: 15 g of protein, 18 g of carbs, and 62 g of fats
Micronutrients (% daily value): 25% iron, 22% potassium, 10% calcium, and 6% vitamin C
How to add more calories to this snack? Hazelnuts go well with dried or fresh fruits, like prunes or bananas, and make for an excellent combo alongside dark chocolate.
47. Peanuts
As roasted peanuts are rich in fats and proteins, they make for a nutritious high-calorie snack that will not only help you meet your daily calorie goals but also help you build muscle. Moreover, peanuts contain good amounts of potassium, sodium, and some iron.
Macronutrients: 25 g of protein, 21.3 g of carbs, and 50 g of fats
Micronutrients (% daily value): 18% potassium, 17% sodium, and 9% iron
How to add more calories to this snack? Sprinkle some peanuts over your favorite ice cream or add them to a bowl of whole-grain cereals for a calorie boost.
48. Almonds
Almonds are a favorite snack among fitness enthusiasts because they are rich in proteins, carbs, and especially fats while featuring a wide variety of minerals.
How to add more calories to this snack? It's a good idea to eat almonds alongside cheddar cheese, dark chocolate, or some dried fruits to reap the benefits of a more nutritious high-calorie snack.
49. Cashew nuts
Roasted cashew nuts are an energizing high-calorie snack that has plenty of iron, sodium, and potassium.
How to add more calories to this snack? Cashew nuts pair well with dark chocolate or dried fruits, like dates and raisins.
50. Pistachios
Roasted pistachios are a high-calorie snack that is rich in protein, carbs, and fats while being a treasure of vitamins and minerals, including potassium, iron, sodium, calcium, vitamin A, and vitamin C.
Macronutrients: 21 g of protein, 28 g of carbs, and 46 g of fats
Micronutrients (% daily value): 29% potassium, 23% iron, 18% sodium, 9% calcium, 6% vitamin A, 6% vitamin C
How to add more calories to this snack? Pistachios taste great in combination with dark chocolate, dried fruits, like apricots or dates, or sprinkled over a scoop of ice cream.
51. Peanut butter
Although peanut butter is not a nut but a derivative, it is still a high-calorie snack that's included in the diets of many bodybuilders and hardgainers who aim to bulk up.
Peanut butter is rich in fats while also offering a lot of proteins and carbs.
Macronutrients: 23 g of protein, 22 g of carbs, and 51 g of fats
Micronutrients (% daily value): 20% sodium, 17% potassium, 12% iron
How to add more calories to this snack? Peanut butter goes well with whole-grain cereals, granola bars, pretzels, Greek yogurt, bananas, pancakes, or some melted dark chocolate.
Shopping tip: try to buy as pure peanut butter as possible, not varieties that are made with controversial oils, like palm oil.
52. Trail mix
Usually found as a combination of nuts and dried fruits, the trail mix is a strong source of short-term and long-term energy due to the high amount of carbs and fats found in it.
How to add more calories to this snack? Include some cheese, like the Cheddar one, alongside your trail mix to boost the calories and obtain a bulking snack that's richer in nutrients.
Seeds
53. 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.
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.
54. 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.
How to add more calories to this snack? Eat pumpkin seeds alongside a protein bar or add them to a vitamin-filled salad.
55. 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.
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.
56. 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.
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.
57. 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.
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.
58. 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.
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.
Fruits
59. 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.
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:
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:
Sunflower seeds;
Granola;
Flax seeds;
Crackers;
Trail mix;
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.
Meal plan with high-calorie snacks
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
What is a high-calorie snack
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.
What is a low-fat high-calorie snack
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."
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.
Claudiu Pop is the founder of Unfold Today and an awarded journalist with expertise in numerous fields such as health, nutrition, fitness, mental health, productivity, healthy habits, and other domains related to personal growth.
He has a BA in Journalism from Babeș-Bolyai University and was trained by professionals coming from the most authoritative news organizations, like CNN, The New York Times, and Reuters. Claudiu's work, published in various national and international outlets has been read by over 1 million people before he was even 21 years old.
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