High Calorie Keto Foods for Weight Gain

“High Calorie Keto Foods for Weight Gain” was written by Kate Mcfee & edited/reviewed by Aly Bouzek, MS, RDN. Kate is a dietetic intern at Oregon Health & Science University.

There are a ton of reasons someone might want or need to gain weight. Whether it’s to build muscle and add to their frame, combat muscle loss due to age or health condition, or to improve overall health.

Gaining weight can be an imperative component in one’s health status. Many have found success in gaining weight and treating disease with a high calorie keto-style diet.

The ketogenic diet (or keto diet as we’ll refer to in this article) has been used therapeutically to treat neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and ALS.

In addition to chronic disease treatments, the keto diet has also shown some success as a quick weight gain tool. The hard part is balancing high calorie keto while eating healthy and not getting bored with the same foods.

In this article, we will learn about the keto diet, how to gain weight on a keto diet, and meal plan tips with excellent keto foods for healthy weight gain.

To help you through your high calorie keto diet journey, we’ll look at some great high calorie keto foods and snacks, and point out delicious shake ideas.

We’ll also talk about how to incorporate healthy fats as your primary fat sources while keeping valuable fiber in your diet. As always, contact and/or notify your health care team before trying a high calorie keto diet.

What is the Keto Diet?

In recent decades, the keto diet has grown in popularity. Not only has it grown through social media influencers and fad diet coaches, but it has also gained notoriety because of the health benefits that have been exhibited in a number of diseases.

A keto diet may provide health benefits for these diseases:

Neurological disorders (1)
Type 2 diabetes (2)
Cancer (3)
Obesity (4)
Intestinal disorders (5)

High calorie keto can be extremely difficult to plan for and adhere to because of its restrictive nature. With the keto diet, there is a severe carbohydrate restriction, with keeping carbs at or below 50 grams per day.

That means cereals, bread, grains, starchy vegetables and most fruits and other vegetables are limited because of their carbohydrate amounts.

Types of Keto Diets

There are many keto diets circling these days. The four types are pretty much broken down into levels of carbohydrate restriction and types of foods to target. (6)

Classic Keto Diet (Classic KD): goals are strict with intakes at 90% fat, 6% protein, and 4% carbs.
Modified Atkins Diet (MAD): allows for less strict intakes of 65% fat, 30% protein, and 5% carbs.
Very Low Calorie Keto Diet (VLCKD): a fasting-style version that aims for fat intake at around 44%, about 43% protein, and 13% carbs per day.

This low energy diet consists of <800 calories per day and should be monitored carefully.

Modified Mediterranean Keto Diet (MMKD): highlights healthy omega-3s and consists of 45-50% fat, 30-35% protein, and 15-25% carbs.

Diet emphasis includes fatty fish, olive oil, and walnuts. Lean meats, night shades, and leafy greens also make the list.

The percentages are understood as the percent of total calories in a day.

Keto Diet	Fat	Protein	Carbs
Classic Keto Diet (Classic KD)	90%	6%	4%
Modified Atkins Diet (MAD)	65%	30%	5%
Very Low Calorie Keto Diet (VLCKD)	44%	43%	13%
Modified Mediterranean Keto Diet (MMKD)	45-50%	30-35%	15-25%

If you are interested in learning more about the nuances of the Keto Diet from a healthcare provider perspective, check out The Keto Conversation: A Guide for Dietitians and Healthcare Providers by Rochelle K. Inwood.

This recently published, unbiased book provides incredible scientific information about the keto diet (without any product marketing or diet pushing).

High Calorie Keto Diet

A high calorie keto diet consists of a daily calorie intake of roughly, 3500 calories. This breaks down to:

70-85% calories from fat sources
15-20% calories from protein sources
5-10% calories from carbohydrate sources

The high calorie keto diet incorporates foods high in calories and fat, with moderate protein, and very low carbohydrates.

The goal is to shift your main energy source from glucose (carbohydrate metabolism) to ketones (fat metabolism).

Fat as an Energy Source

Let’s keep it simple, when we switch to a keto-style diet, we are shifting our primary energy source from glucose to fat (ketones). When we severely limit carb intake (glucose), the body shifts to breaking down fat into ketones.

These ketones can now thrive as the new source of fuel for the body. Like glucose, ketones can provide energy to the brain, heart, kidneys and other muscles in the body.

There are numerous factors that regulate how long and how many ketones are produced. This process differs in each person.

Risks

This eating style is not safe for everyone. (7) Speak with your health care team to find out if the keto diet (or a modification of it) is the right choice for you and your health concerns.

You may need to avoid the keto diet if you have experienced: kidney disease, pancreatic disease, liver conditions, thyroid problems, eating disorders or a history of eating disorders, or gallbladder removal or disease.

If you are pregnant, please consult with your doctor or health care team. Regarding the keto diet, some nutrient deficiencies, kidney stones and liver disease risks have been reported.

The Power of Protein

Besides carbohydrate limitations, a keto diet can also limits protein intake to less than 1 gram per pound of body weight. (8)

This helps prevent your body from making its own glucose (gluconeogenesis).

This can happen if you consume more protein than your body truly needs.

If this occurs, then your body can break down amino acids (protein) into glucose.

(Remember, we learned that with the keto diet we are trying to limit glucose so that your body uses ketones for energy instead of glucose).

Many people who decide to try a high calorie keto diet know to limit their carbs, but many unguided dieters don’t realize that too much protein intake can impact the state of ketosis.

In other words, protein can knock your body out of ketosis since protein has the ability to be broken down into glucose. Unfortunately, the body’s protein needs increase after age 65, which is why muscle loss and weight loss can become an issue.

It’s important to work with your dietitian to balance a high calorie, high fat, and quality lean protein with meals and snacks as this can help with muscle maintenance and weight gain.

If this option isn’t available, then make sure to accurately count your grams of protein intake to stay within your recommended keto protein levels.

Macronutrient Adjustments for High Calorie Keto Diet

Macronutrients are the three main building blocks of what we eat. Yes folks, we’re talking about protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Macronutrients are necessary for our body to function, and, when utilized effectively, they can provide numerous health benefits.

Protein

First is protein. This macronutrient breaks down into amino acids and are used as building blocks for our skin, muscles, hair, and more.

Keto friendly protein sources include plant and animal products like nuts, oils, eggs, fish, meat and dairy products.

In a high calorie keto diet, protein should be somewhere between 15-20%, but this really depends on your lifestyle and the type of keto diet that best works for you.

Carbohydrates

Next up, carbohydrates – our primary energy source. Carbs are found in fruits and vegetables, grains, and starches. Some carbs digest faster than others, depending on the amount of fiber and protein.

Shifting away from carbohydrates can be the hardest part of a high calorie keto diet. While normally somewhere over 50% of our daily intake, a carbohydrate intake goal of 5-10% is necessary to reap the full benefits this diet.

Fat

Finally, the fat. Fat is a necessary dietary component for health. We need fat for a healthy brain and nervous system.

Fat, or adipose tissue, also protects bodily organs, stores energy for the body to use, and helps release hormones that control many functions in the body. At around 75%, fat also makes up the largest macronutrient percentage in the high calorie keto diet.

It’s important to target high quality unsaturated fats such as omega-3’s in salmon and walnuts. Additional healthy fats include avocado, seeds, olives, cooking oils, and eggs.

By all means, don’t avoid saturated fat found in red meats, just make moderation your goal! The idea is to limit the carbs and liberalize the fats in your diet to burn fat as your primary fuel source.

Fad Dieting: What’s Your Why?

Most dietitians don’t like to recommend fad diets. Most fad diets are unsustainable, expensive, and restrictive.

While keto isn’t a new therapeutic diet, it has gained popularity after originally being used as nutrition therapy treatment for conditions like epilepsy.

It may sound easy, but it can be pretty difficult. Cutting carbs out of your diet is extremely hard. The amount of fat you eat is a heck of a lot. And calorie counting and tracking are helpful when starting out.

In addition to all of this, and because of its popularity, there is a ton of misinformation and unverified claims on results expected from the keto diet.

It’s important to verify information. Look into current research and know that potential conflicts of interest are possible.

This diet may be a good option for you if you have:

Trouble gaining weight on a traditional high calorie diet
Cancer or chronic disease related anorexia, or little desire to eat
A neurological disorder

So, ask yourself a few questions:

Does this diet require that I invest money specifically for these diet creators?
Why am I using this diet? What am I hoping to gain from it?
Will this diet work for my lifestyle (and my family’s)?

Gaining Weight with High Calorie Keto Foods

There are a few things to keep in mind when trying to gain weight with high calorie keto foods.

Caloric surplus is the key to weight gain. While the principle may seem simple, eat more than the calories you burn, some people aren’t able to build the surplus they need to gain weight.

Keep in mind that there are many options to get your daily fat calories. Nuts, cheeses, milks, vegetable oils (olive, avocado, coconut, etc.) and other foods are all wonderful sources of the fatty acids your body needs.

Let’s Talk About Fiber

When shifting your diet to a high calorie keto-style diet, it’s important to incorporate fiber into your diet as well. Fiber is important because it is a carbohydrate that we don’t actually digest (it passes through our digestive system, undigested).

Fiber helps regulate body functions like digestion and blood sugar levels.

It’s easy to add fiber to shakes and most meals. However, adding too much fiber (carbs) while following a keto diet can be an issue. Try to be conscious of your daily fiber intake with thought and planning.

Let’s Talk About MCT’s

First, what are MCTs? This acronym stands for medium-chain triglycerides, aka fatty acids. These fatty acids are found naturally in only a few foods: cow’s milk, breast milk, coconut oil, and palm kernel oil.

MCT oil can be marketed toward keto diet consumers. This is because MCT oil has been said to help induce the body’s ability to shift into ketosis. (9) Because MCT oil has a very mild flavor, it can be added to almost any food to increase fat and calories.

Talk to your doctor to see if adding MCT oil to your diet is right for you. If you use MCT oil during your high calorie keto foods journey, then start with low doses while slowly increasing to the recommended amount. Listen to your body!

Calorie Surplus and Macronutrient Breakdown

It takes an extra 3,500 calories per week to gain 1 pound in a week. This means that if we eat 500-1,000 more calories per day, then we should gain 1–2 pounds per week, right?

If the goal is to consume 3,500 calories in a day, then the macronutrient breakdown of 70% fat, 20% protein, and 10% carbohydrate would be:

Fat: 2,450 calories or 272 gm
Protein: 700 calories or 175 gm
Carbs: 350 calories or 87.5 gm

These amounts may vary depending on how your body responds. Some people have shown to be more sensitive to the ketosis shift, while others might need to further restrict carbs while increasing their fat intake.

Visit High Calorie Foods 101: A Comprehensive Guide to learn more about different kinds of high calorie foods and how they can assist you in your weight gain journey.

Tips for Successful High Calorie Keto Meal Planning

High calorie, low carb, healthy high fat foods can be easy to find.

Once you know your macronutrient goals, you can examine foods like nuts, seeds, and high calorie trail mix.

Pre-proportioning your keto snacks while knowing how many calories, carbs, fat, and protein you’re packing is very helpful and can save you time.

It’s easy to find the bulk foods at your grocery store with nuts, seeds, coconut, and dark chocolate.

Mixing up a bag to have on hand as a snack is a wonderful idea, and it adds more calories to your day.

Look for macadamia nuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and pepita seeds. Most bulk foods will have nutrition facts with macronutrient amounts.

Weekly meal prep may feel daunting, but it gets easy when you figure out your go-to foods. Here are a few tips on how to prepare for the week!

Meal Prep Tips and Ideas

Play around with meal planning on the app of your choice. MyFitnessPal has a large data base, and you can plan ahead or add meals from previous days. It is fairly reliable, but some nutrient counts can be incorrect.

Making meals ahead of time like shakes, trail mix, other snacks, soups, stews, and keto veggies are great ways to fill your fridge with foods to grab-and-go. Try to pick a day and make that a fun meal prep day.

Prepping veggies like peppers, broccoli, and cauliflower means that you can have low carb snacks around and approved foods that can be added to any dish. Toss low calorie keto approved veggies in oil for a calorie, fat, and flavor boost.

Navigating the High Calorie Keto Meal Plan

A high calorie keto diet requires meal planning, especially when wanting to gain weight. Making a daily, weekly, or monthly meal plan can help with macronutrient planning.

Dining out at a restaurant can be difficult to navigate at first. Use online menus and ask as many questions at the restaurant as you need to feel comfortable about the food you are served.

Don’t give up if you slip eating out with friends or family, it’s ok. Every minor setback is a learning opportunity.

In order to meet your goals, planning meals in advance using a calorie counting app (software that can be downloaded to your phone, computer, tablet, etc.) can also help identify high fat foods.

Helpful Keto Apps

The apps mentioned below can all be downloaded to Apple products and Android products, and they are all free apps with optional in-app purchases.

Carb Manager: great overall keto app. Has tracking for keto metrics (so you can follow how your body is doing on the diet), has barcode scanning, and can log food entries via photos.
Total Keto Diet: great app for finding keto recipes and has a macronutrient tracker.
Senza: best keto app for beginners, tracks keto metrics, and can help you find keto restaurants while traveling.
MyFitnessPal: great for tracking food intake, with the ability to adjust macronutrient goals to reach your keto ratios. More intuitive for calorie tracking than macro tracking.

High Calorie Low Carb Meals

Frittatas are another tasty and easy meal. A little heavy whipping cream or milk will add some fluff to this dish. Cook your ingredients in the pan before adding the whipped eggs.

If adding broccoli or cauliflower, add those first. We like to add our leafy greens last and let them cook until just slightly wilted. If adding animal protein, cook in a separate pan to avoid contamination, and cook to a safe temperature.

The meal below is around: 970 calories, 42 grams protein, 78 grams fat, 37 grams carbohydrates, and 12 grams fiber.

1 cup chopped leafy greens (kale, spinach, collard greens)
½ cup broccoli or cauliflower
3 oz Roasted or Pan-Fried Chicken Thighs
¼ cup olives
¼ avocado
1–2 oz keto approved cheese
3–4 eggs
1–2 Tbsp oil (olive oil, avocado oil, etc.)
1 garlic clove
1 shallot clove
Salt & pepper to taste

Oven baked fresh salmon is a wonderful way to incorporate healthy fat and protein. Combine this with sesame or olive oil, roasted cauliflower, and a fresh spinach salad with pecans or walnuts, strawberries, and goat cheese.

This nutrient-dense meal is easy to prepare and provides lots of healthy calories. This meal is around: 944 calories, 46 grams protein, 79 grams fat, 18 grams carbohydrates, and 6 grams fiber.

6 oz fresh salmon (fatty cut)
1.5 Tbsp sesame oil (for salmon and cauliflower)
1.5 Tbsp olive oil (for salmon and cauliflower)
3 Tbsp curry powder (for salmon and cauliflower)
1 Tbsp dill
Salt & pepper
1 cup baby spinach
3–4 medium strawberries
¼ cup chopped walnuts
1 oz Goat cheese
1 cup cauliflower
Olive oil & vinegar dressing

High Calorie Keto Foods: Tasty Shakes

Shakes are a great way to introduce high calorie keto foods while playing around with the desired macronutrient ratios that meet your needs.

Even if you’re not engaging in a true keto-style diet, but want the high calorie load, blending up healthy food options can help to diversify your diet.

Shakes are also an easy food to get creative! Don’t be afraid to add herbs and spices like cinnamon or mint to your smoothies.

Here are three delicious and adjustable shake recipes to start you on your high calorie keto foods journey. If you want to add more fat to your shake, try 1 Tbsp of MCT oil for another 115 calories and 14 grams of fat.

Avocado Chocolate Pecan Smoothie: 652 calories, 18 grams protein, 24 grams carbohydrates, 61 grams fat, and 13 grams fiber

2 Tbsp cocoa nibs
1 Tbsp cocoa powder
¼ avocado
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 Tbsp chia seeds
½ cup pecans

*Add cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to add a little warmth and flavor!

Blueberry Walnut Smoothie: 862 calories, 28 grams protein, 21 grams carbohydrates, 76 grams fat, and 9 grams fiber

1 cup macadamia nut milk
½ avocado
1 Tbsp chia seeds
¼ cup frozen blueberries
½ cup walnuts
½ cup full-fat cottage cheese

Strawberries and Cream Smoothie: 548 calories, 24 grams protein, 19 grams carbohydrates, 45 grams fat, and 7 grams fiber

2 Tbsp heavy cream
¼ avocado
2 Tbsp chia seeds
½ cup strawberries
½ cup full-fat cottage cheese
2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds

More High Calorie Keto Foods

That’s not all! Keep scrolling for even more high calorie keto foods that are sure to help you out in the kitchen.

Note that nutrient totals below may differ depending on brand, preparation for packaging, and preparation before eating.

Fatty Fish

These five high calorie keto fish options are low in mercury and incredibly calorie-dense.

Fatty fish are excellent sources of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

Salmon, 6 oz generic fillet: 242 calories, 34 grams protein, 0 grams carbohydrate, 11 grams fat
Mackerel, 6 oz generic fillet: 265 calories, 31 grams protein, 0 grams carbohydrate, 15 grams fat
Anchovy, 100 gram serving: 131 calories, 20 grams protein, 0 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams of fat
Sardine, 100 gram serving: 208 calories, 25 grams protein, 0 grams carbohydrate, 11 grams fat
Herring, 6 oz fillet: 294 calories, 24 grams protein, 9 grams carbohydrate, 17 grams fat

Nut Butters

Nut butters are also particularly nutrient-dense. They’re rich in vitamin E, magnesium, selenium, and a variety of other vitamins and minerals.

Almond butter, 2 Tbsp: 196 calories, 8 grams protein, 6 grams carbohydrate, 18 grams fat
Peanut butter, 2 Tbsp: 191 calories, 7 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrate, 16 grams fat
Pecan butter, 2 Tbsp: 200 calories, 2 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrate, 19 grams fat
Walnut Butter, 2 Tbsp: 200 calories, 5 grams protein, 5 grams carbohydrate, 19 grams fat

Seeds

Flax seed, ¼ cup: 224 calories, 8 grams of protein, 12 grams of carbohydrate, 18 grams of fat, 12 grams fiber
Hemp hearts, 3 Tbsp: 166 calories, 10 grams of protein, 3 grams of carbohydrate, 15 grams of fat, 1 gram fiber
Chia seeds, 1 oz: 138 calories, 5 grams of protein, 12 grams of carbohydrate, 9 grams of fat, 10 grams fiber

Protein

Eggs, 1 medium egg: 63 calories, 6 grams protein, 0 carbohydrate, 4 grams fat
Cottage Cheese, 1 cup: 185 calories, 25 grams protein, 10 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fat

Cacao

Dark chocolate, 70-85% cacao 1 oz: 170 calories, 2 grams of protein, 13 grams carbohydrate, 12 grams fat, 3 grams fiber
Cacao nibs, 3 Tbsp: 150 calories, 4 grams of protein, 16 grams carbohydrate, 8 grams fat, 9 grams fiber

Veggies

Don’t be afraid to add fresh keto-approved veggies to your high calorie diet. Just be sure to know carbohydrate amounts in each portion.

Mixing or cooking with different oils such as olive oil can add more calories and fat. Flavored oils are a wonderful way to add seasoning.

Leafy greens, 2 cups: 16 calories, 1 grams protein, 3 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fat, 2 grams fiber
Peppers, 100 grams: 26 calories, 1 gram protein, 6 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fat, 2 grams fiber
Broccoli, 100 grams: 34 calories, 3 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fat, 7 grams fiber
Cauliflower, 100 grams: 23 calories, 2 grams protein, 4 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fat, 2 grams fiber
Mushrooms (white), 100 grams: 22 calories, 3 grams protein, 3 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fat, 1 gram fiber
Asparagus, 100 grams: 20 calories, 2 grams protein, 4 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fat, 2 grams fiber
Green beans (snap), 100 grams: 31 calories, 1 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fat, 3 grams fiber

High Calorie Keto Foods: All-Stars

We saved the best for last! Avocados, full-fat yogurt, and healthy oils are all versatile foods that can be added for flavor, viscosity, and nutrients. Individually or collectively, they can be added to shakes, salads, soups, and so much more.

Avocado

100 grams of avocado: 160 calories, 2 grams protein, 9 grams carbohydrate, 15 grams fat, 7 grams fiber

Avocado is a nutrient-dense food high in fiber, antioxidants, and potassium.
Try adding it to your breakfast in place of butter or margarine on keto toast, with an omelet, or as avocado toast.
Add sliced avocado to things like smoothies, salads, eggs, keto tacos.

Full-fat Greek Yogurt

100 gram serving of full-fat Greek yogurt: 97 calories, 9 grams protein, 4 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fat

Yogurt is a quick and easy snack with the added benefit of probiotics. The lactose-free and nut milk Greek yogurts are wonderful dairy alternatives. Be sure to read labels for carb amounts and added sugars.
Try combining 1 cup 2% or full-fat Greek yogurt with ½–1 cup of frozen black berries or raspberries. Top with 1 Tbsp each of walnuts and pepita seeds to increase your calories with healthy fats.

Healthy Oils

Each teaspoon adds almost 150 calories.

Good keto oil choices are extra virgin olive, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, macadamia nut oil, sesame oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, and coconut oil.
Drizzle MCT oil or olive oil on salads or steamed/roasted veggies for a quick calorie boost.