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 As Registered Dietitians we often have patients drinking nutritional supplements like Ensure, Boost, Carnation Instant Beverage, Muscle Milk, etc…. because they think they have to or someone told them they should. Nutritional supplements are great for certain people and there is definitely a place for them in certain populations of patients; but that doesn’t mean everyone needs them. At their core, nutritional supplements provide calories and protein in a convenient on-the-go bottle. For some patients who are too fatigued to cook or have other limiting factors preventing them from stepping in the kitchen, supplements are a quick and easy source of nutrition. For others, who perhaps are suffering from nausea and taste changes, nutritional supplements are not a “fix-all” to these common issues. It’s important to make an appointment with a Registered Dietitian to learn more about how to manage these symptoms. At the end of the day, nutritional supplements provide calories and protein. There are plenty of “real foods” that can rack up the calories that you may enjoy even more!

You don’t have to drink nutrition supplements to add up calories, there are plenty of real foods that can give you the same calorie boosting power!

Food Calories

1 Cinnamon Raisin English Muffin with 2 Tbs Peanut Butter 330 calories

1 cup (2%) Plain Greek Yogurt with ½ cup Granola 350 calories

¾ cup Guacamole with 24 Corn Chips 340 calories

2 oz Pretzels with 1 cup 100% fruit Juice 340 calories

2 oz Almonds 344 calories

Milkshake (1 cup Vanilla Ice Cream+1 Cup Whole Milk) 350 calories

PB&J Sandwich (2 Whole Wheat Bread+2Tbs PB+1TB Jelly) 360 calories

15 Potato Chips with ½ cup Chip Dip 360 calories

3 double stuffed Oreos with 1 cup Whole Milk 360 calories

½ cup Trail Mix 360 calories

10 Ritz Crackers with 2 oz Cheddar Cheese 370 calories

2 Waffles with 2 Tbs Peanut Butter 380 calories

Cottage Cheese & Fruit (1 cup 2% cottage cheese+1 banana+1 Peach) 384 calories

3 Choc Graham Cracker Sheets with 2 Tbs Peanut Butter 385 calories

1 (5 oz) Blueberry Muffin 385 calories

1 Plain Bagel with 2 Tbs Cream Cheese 389 calories

2 cups Vanilla Ice Cream 400 calories

½ cup Hummus with 10 pita chips 410 calories

2 cups Orange Sherbet 426 calories