Adding energy and protein to everyday foods

Fortified milk

You can make fortified milk by adding 2–4 tablespoons of dried milk powder to a pint (450mls) of full cream milk. Keep it in the fridge and use in drinks and cooking. Use fortified milk, Fortisip Bottle Neutral, Fresubin Energy or Ensure Plus Neutral instead of water to make up soups, jellies, custard and puddings. Many of the makers of nutritional supplements| can give you recipes that use their products.

Most supermarkets sell dried milk powder, and it is usually on shelves close to the coffee and tea section, or near the milk.

Breakfast cereals

Use fortified milk, Fortisip Bottle Neutral, Fresubin Energy or Ensure Plus Neutral. Add syrup or honey to porridge or use 2–3 teaspoons of a high-energy supplement eg Polycal powder, Vitajoule, Maxijul powder or Polycose powder instead of sugar. Make porridge with all milk or cream.

Casseroles and soups

Add lentils, beans and noodles. Stir a tablespoon of cream into canned soups or add energy and protein supplements. Make up packet soups with fortified milk or a milk-tasting supplement such as Fortisip Bottle Neutral, or Fresubin Energy or Ensure Plus Neutral.

Nibbles

Keep snacks like nuts, pasteurised cheese, fresh and dried fruit, biscuits, crackers, yoghurts or fromage frais handy to nibble if you feel hungry between meals.

Puddings

Add ice cream, cream or evaporated milk to cold puddings, and custard made with fortified milk to hot puddings. Make up instant desserts with fortified milk. Try adding sugar or syrup to puddings. You could also try some pudding recipes for use with Fortisip Bottle, Scandishake Mix, Calshake, Enshake, or Fresubin Energy. The manufacturers of nutritional products| often have recipe booklets.

Mashed potato

Mashed potato can be enriched by adding a dessertspoon of butter or cream, or a supplement such as Polycal powder, Calogen Unflavoured, Caloreen, Vitajoule, Maxijul powder or Polycose powder, and by sprinkling grated cheese on top. High-energy and protein supplements can be added.

Vegetables

Melt butter on top of hot vegetables or garnish them with grated cheese or chopped hard-boiled egg. Alternatively, serve them with a sauce made with fortified milk.

Sandwiches

Always use plenty of butter or margarine. Spread fillings thickly. Add a dessert spoon of mayonnaise to sandwich fillings like hard-boiled egg or tuna fish.

Drinks

Use fortified milk, or half milk instead of water, when making coffee and bedtime drinks. Add 3 teaspoons of a high-energy supplement to hot or cold drinks. Commercial drinks can be drunk straight from the pack, gently heated or incorporated into recipes.