Patient Education

High Calorie, High Protien Guidelines

These guidelines will give examples of foods that are high in calories and protein. High calorie foods will provide you with more energy for your daily activities. Extra protein will provide you with energy and will help build, maintain and repair your body.

Why do you need this diet?

• To repair:

Radiation and/or chemotherapy destroy cancer cells but also damage healthy cells. Your body wants to repair these cells and it needs extra protein and calories to do this.

• To make each bite count:

If you are not eating a lot of food at one time, it is important that you choose high-calorie, high-protein foods.

• To gain weight:

These guidelines will provide you with ideas if you need to gain weight or to prevent further weight loss.

HOW TO INCREASE PROTEIN

Milk

• Enjoy milk with your meals rather than coffee or tea.
  
  Hint: You may want to consider using milk with a higher fat content for extra calories.
  
  
• Mix milk into soups, casseroles, sauces, gravies, egg dishes, puddings, milkshakes, fruit smoothies, custards, gelatin, mashed potato, or baked goods.
  
  Note: 1 cup whole milk = 8g protein, 160kcal

Soy Beverage

• Use as above instead of milk.
  
  Note: 1cup soy beverage contains about 8g protein or about 150kcal

Powdered Milk

• Use it like a protein powder and add it to cereals, potatoes, cream soups, sauces, casseroles or mashed potato.
  
  Note: 2 tablespoons skim milk powder = 3g protein, 32 kcal
  
  
• Make High Protein Milk by blending together 1/4cup skim milk powder with one cup of whole milk. Use instead of milk.
  
  Note: each serving contains 14 g protein, 210kcal

Evaporated Milk

• Use as milk as above.
  
  Note: ½ cup of evaporated milk contains 10g protein, 115kcal

Eggs

• Finely chop hard-boiled eggs and add to sauces and casseroles.
• Prepare entrees that contain eggs such as omelets, soufflé, quiche or french toast.
• Use in desserts such as soft or baked custard or puddings.
  
  Note: 1 egg = 6g protein, 75 kcal

Cheese

• Add grated cheese to sauces, vegetables, casseroles or egg dishes.
• Melt on meat loaf, scrambled eggs, soup, casseroles or mashed potatoes.
• Serve with pie or canned fruit
  
  Note: 2 oz of cheddar cheese = 13g protein, 210 kcal

Cottage Cheese

• Try blended cottage cheese mixed with fruit or blend with puddings or gelatin desserts.
• Use to stuff crepes, pasta, lasagna
  
  Note: ½ cup 2% cottage cheese = 16g protein, 120 kcal

Peanut Butter

• Use in sauces, soups or milkshakes.
  
  Note: 2 tablespoons of peanut butter = 8g protein, 195kcal

Legumes

• Cook dry peas or beans and add to pasta, soups, casseroles or use canned baked beans. These soups may be blended for a finer texture.
  
  Note: 1/2 cup = ~ 8g protein, ~ 125 kcal
  
  
• Add diced meats to soups, omelets or quiche.
• Try cooked shrimp, canned salmon or tuna in soups, omelets or quiche.
• Add any of the above to sauces and serve over rice or noodles.
  
  Note: 3 oz = about 21 g protein, about 200 kcal

Tofu

• Add to soups, entrees, shakes, smoothies or desserts.
  
  Note: 80g = 13g protein, 116 kcal

Yogurt

• Eat as a snack
• Use with cooked or canned fruit
• Add to soups, shakes, smoothies or desserts.
• Choose higher fat yogurts to make every bite count.
  
  Note: 175g of 4%m.f. yogurt = 7g protein, 180 kcal

HOW TO INCREASE CALORIES

Butter and Margarine

• Melt on hot food (e.g. vegetables, eggs, pancakes, waffles).
• Stir into soup, mashed potatoes, rice, noodles or hot cereal.
  
  Note: 1 tsp=45kcal

Mayonnaise and Salad Dressings

• Combine with meat, fish, vegetables or pasta.
• Use to make deviled eggs.
• Try to use higher calorie dressings.
  
  Note: 1 Tablespoon = 100kcal

Sour Cream

• Stir into soups, sauces or gravies.
• Serve over potatoes, rice, pasta or cooked fruits and vegetables
  
  Note: 1 Tablespoon 14% b.f. sour cream = 20kcal

Table Cream and Evaporated Milk

• Stir into cooked fruit, desserts
• Use in place of milk or water in soups, sauces, hot chocolate, custards, puddings, milkshakes, mashed potato, hot cereal
  
  Note: 1 Tbsp 18% cream = 30kcal
  ¼ cup 2% evaporated milk=60kcal

Cream Sauces or Canned Cream Soup

• Try adding to casseroles, vegetables, fish, meat, poultry, noodles, rice or potatoes.
  
  Note: ½ can cream of mushroom soup (undiluted)= 155kcal

Cream Cheese

• Spread on potato
• Blend with fruit
• Cook into scrambled eggs
  
  Note: 1 Tbsp = 50kcal

Gravy

• Use on potatoes, meat, vegetables, noodles or rice
  
  Note: ¼ cup 30kcal

Whipped Cream and Ice Cream

• Use as toppings for puddings, pies, waffles, pancakes, fruit jello, hot chocolate, milkshakes, ice cream
• Add to pancakes, waffles or french toast batter.
• Mix into cream soups, hot cereals, mashed potatoes, puddings or custards
  
  Note: 1 Tbsp 32%b.bf. whipping cream=45kcal
  ½ cup ice cream= 130kcal

Honey, Jelly, and Syrup

• Add to cereals, fruit, ice cream, shakes, smoothies or puddings.
• Spoon over pancakes.
  
  Note: 1 Tbsp Honey= 75kcal
  1 Tbsp Maple Syrup=50kcal
  1Tbsp Jelly= 50kcal