High Calorie Pureed Foods

“High Calorie Pureed Foods” was written by Shannon O’Rourke & edited by Ashlee Mikles, RD, CD, CLS. Final review/edit completed by Aly Bouzek, MS, RDN. Shannon is a dietetic intern at the University of Northern Colorado. 

What are High Calorie Pureed Foods? 

Pureed foods are foods blended, mashed, or whipped into a smooth “pudding-like” texture. These foods are not so thick that they require chewing, but also aren’t so thin that they can’t be eaten with a spoon. 

High calorie pureed foods are, simply, pureed foods that are high in calories. Pureed foods are typically eaten when a person can only consume foods that don’t need to be chewed. 

The highest calorie foods are usually those that are considered a fat (vs a protein or a carbohydrate). Fats provide the most calories per gram, so you’ll be eating more calories with less volume. 

Examples of high fat foods are:

• Avocado
• Butter, heavy cream, and half-and-half
• Olives and olive oil
• Nut butters
• Eggs
• Nutrition supplements (those with a focus on high calorie nutrition)

Who Needs High Calorie Pureed Foods?

People may need to eat pureed foods if they have oral or dental issues, such as missing teeth, mouth pain, or ill-fitting dentures (making it painful to chew foods).

Other needs for pureed foods include those who have difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) or following a dental or oral surgery/procedure. 

High calorie pureed foods are a supportive form of nutrition that can help you avoid unintended weight loss, muscle loss, and malnutrition. 

Difficulty Chewing

If you have difficulty chewing, then you may have mouth pain, missing teeth, or ill-fitting dentures. You may also experience a difficulty in chewing following dental surgery or an oral procedure. 

Remember when we learned that pureed foods don’t require chewing? Exactly! Pureed foods are necessary so that you get the proper nutrition and hydration. 

An added advantage of choosing high calorie pureed foods is that you’ll be sure to get enough calories. If you’d like more resources, then check out our 15 Best Foods You Can Eat Without Chewing or 75 Soft Foods to Eat When Chewing Hurts. 

Difficulty Swallowing

Consistency of pureed foods is so important for the safety of those who have difficulty swallowing. If pureed foods aren’t the right consistency, it could lead to choking and food entering the airway. 

If someone has difficulty clearing their throat, then the food can stay in the airway and may get into the lungs. This food that is now in the lungs can grow harmful bacteria that may lead to aspiration pneumonia (lung infection). 

A speech language pathologist can help make texture recommendations on an individual basis, and they can adapt the consistency of your diet based on your swallowing abilities. 

Difficulty swallowing high calorie pureed foods may happen if you have mouth pain or following a dental surgery. 

Meals with High Calorie Pureed Foods

High-calorie pureed foods can mimic breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and dessert. Let’s look at some examples below. 

Breakfast

Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day, especially if you need a high calorie diet. Choosing the right foods at breakfast can set you up to meet your calorie goals and can help you gain weight. 

Some high calorie pureed foods for breakfast include:

• Pureed yogurt with berries and powdered peanut butter
• Pureed oatmeal with brown sugar and butter
• Pureed cottage cheese with fruit
• Pureed eggs and pureed fruit
• Pureed Cream of Wheat

Lunch and Dinner

Lunch and dinner are the kinds of meals that leftovers are made for! If you enjoyed your lunch the day before, then try it for dinner the next night. Or if your dinner was delicious, finish the rest of it for lunch the next day. 

High calorie pureed foods for lunch and dinner include: 

• Pureed casseroles 
• Pureed meatloaf with gravy
• Pureed soups and stews
• Pureed meat, fish, poultry
• Pureed chicken salad 
• Pureed mashed potatoes with gravy
• Pureed pasta with chicken and spaghetti sauce 

Snacks

If you are following a high calorie diet, then you’ll want to include at least 2–3 snacks every day. By breaking your meals apart and adding snacks, you’ll be able to spread out your calorie intake throughout the day. 

This means that one meal won’t leave you so full that you can’t eat the next meal/snack. 

Here are some high calorie pureed foods for snacks to get you started: 

• Pureed vegetables with avocado dip 
• High Calorie Drinks 
• Nutrition Supplement Drinks 
• Pureed egg salad 
• Protein shakes 

Dessert

We can’t forget about dessert! If you love dessert, then you’ll want to make sure that it’s both high in calories and pureed or soft enough that you don’t have to chew it. 

We’ve included some high calorie dessert ideas below. You’ll find options that don’t need any preparing, and some that will need to be pureed before being enjoyed. 

Ideas of high calorie pureed foods for dessert: 

• Pureed cobbler
• Pureed cheesecake
• Frozen yogurt
• Pudding
• Custard
• Mousse

How to Make High Calorie Pureed Foods

To make a high calorie pureed food, you will need food, a cutting board, sharp knife, a blender or food processor, and a type of liquid. 

Choose the foods you want, making sure to wash any produce, and remove the skins, seeds, pits, bones, etc. 

After that, cut the food into small pieces and cook them until they are soft.

Add the food and liquid to your blender or food processor and puree! Watch the consistency and add more liquid as needed. 

High calorie liquids include: 

• Whole milk
• Weight Gain Milk
• Ice cream (considered a liquid because it turns into a liquid when it melts)
• Juice (fruit or vegetable)
• Gravy or sauce
• Yogurt
• Heavy cream or half-and-half
• Ensure

When cooking a vegetable, make sure you are cooking the vegetable until it is tender, usually for a longer amount of time than normal cooking, so that the blending process is quicker and more efficient.

If you are looking to increase the amount of calories in a high calorie pureed food, you can add things like butter, pureed meats, poultry, and eggs.

These foods are higher in calories and protein and can help to increase the calories in your meal!

For even more information on this topic, don’t miss Pureed Food for Adults [Homemade & Premade] – it’s filled with amazing tips and tricks! 

Benefits of High Calorie Pureed Foods

High calorie pureed foods can offer a wide range of benefits. This is especially important for older adults who have difficulty chewing and swallowing. 

Some benefits include a reduced risk of: choking, digestive issues, malnutrition, dehydration, unintended weight loss, etc. Additional benefits are improved nutrient and calorie intake. 

Join along as we dive a little deeper into the benefits of high calorie pureed foods. 

Reduced Risk of Choking and Digestive Issues

Pureed foods can help reduced the risk of choking by taking consistency and ease of swallowing into consideration. As we learned above, pureed foods require no chewing. But, no chewing doesn’t equal no choking. 

If foods are too difficult to eat and swallow, then choking can happen immediately. Pureeing foods to the consistency that you need them can help reduce your risk of choking and can also help prevent any digestive issues. 

Pureed foods are easy for the body to digest – they are already broken down before they get to your mouth. This makes it easier for your digestive system to absorb the nutrients that your body needs.  

Reduced Risk of Malnutrition, Dehydration, and Unintended Weight Loss

When we get enough food, drinks, and calories every day, we are avoiding malnutrition, unintended weight loss, and dehydration. If you are eating food in a consistency that isn’t right for you, you could be avoiding food altogether. 

If it hurts to chew, hurts to swallow, or you’re anxious about choking, then a pureed diet could be helpful. Again, speak with a speech language pathologist to get your questions answered.

Eating a high calorie pureed foods diet can help you get enough calories and liquids throughout the day. And, you guessed it, it can help you avoid dehydration, malnutrition, and unintended weight loss. 

Improved Nutrient and Calorie Intake

Consuming food in a way that you are best able to can help boost your nutrient and calorie intake.

If you’re following a pureed diet and enjoy the foods that you are eating, then there’s a good chance that you are meeting your calorie and nutrient needs.

Are you meeting your calorie goals, but you’re unsure about your nutrient needs?

A helpful tip is to make sure you are including foods from as many food groups as possible throughout the day. This means pureed veggies, fruits, whole grains, healthy fats, and protein. 

If you have more questions, be sure to find a registered dietitian virtually or in your area.

A dietitian can help determine your nutrient and calorie needs, and they can also help you find foods that fit your health goals. 

High Calorie Pureed Foods Conclusion

High calorie pureed foods are needed for those who have difficulty chewing or difficulty swallowing. A formal evaluation by a speech language pathologist may be required to determine your ability to safely consume foods. 

To get the most out of your high calorie pureed foods, don’t forget to add in those healthy fat options like butter, avocado, egg, olive oil, etc. These foods can increase your calories without increasing the amount of food that you need to eat. 

Choosing foods like those listed above can help prevent malnutrition, help prevent unintended weight loss, and reducing your risk of choking. 

We wish you luck as you prepare your high calorie pureed foods!