Written by Chad Birt on Wed Jun 18 2025.
When facing health challenges like cancer, malnutrition, or chronic illness, rapid weight loss and persistent fatigue can be incredibly difficult for your loved one – and for you as their caregiver. A strategic approach to diet, particularly focusing on a high-calorie intake, can play a crucial role in combating these symptoms, boosting energy levels, and facilitating healthy weight gain.
At Carewell, we understand the unique nutritional challenges many families face. That's why we offer a curated selection of healthy, high-calorie nutrition shakes and meals. These products are specifically designed with higher-than-average calorie counts to help meet your loved one's unique dietary needs and support their journey toward better health.
The term "calorie" refers to the unit of energy that food and drink provide to your body. Calories are derived from essential macronutrients – carbohydrates, protein, and fat – and are vital for every bodily process, from breathing to healing.
While general guidelines suggest adult females need around 2,000 calories and adult males about 2,500 calories per day, certain health conditions can drastically increase these requirements. When the body is fighting illness, recovering from surgery, or struggling with absorption issues, it burns through calories much faster, making concentrated nutrition essential.
High-calorie nutrition shakes and meals can be a game-changer for individuals experiencing unintended or rapid weight loss due to various medical conditions. Your loved one might benefit if they have:
Metabolic Conditions: Hyperthyroidism, Type 1 Diabetes
Chronic Diseases: Cancer, HIV/AIDS, Celiac Disease
Mental Health Conditions: Severe anxiety or depression that impacts appetite
Eating Disorders: Support for weight restoration and nutritional balance
Similarly, extra calories are often crucial during periods of intense physical stress or recovery, such as:
Post-Surgery Recovery: To fuel healing and regain strength.
Wound Healing: For individuals with open wounds like pressure sores, as the body requires significant energy to repair tissue.
Being underweight significantly increases the risk of serious complications, including anemia, profound fatigue, a weakened immune system, and nutrient deficiencies. Proactive nutritional support, like integrating high-calorie shakes and meals, is a vital step in preventing further weight loss and ensuring your loved one receives the critical nutrients they need to recover and thrive.
At Carewell, we're committed to providing you with the best. We've carefully selected the high-calorie nutrition shakes and meals on our list based on several factors, including:
Nutritional Content: Prioritizing products with a balanced profile of macronutrients and essential vitamins/minerals.
Effectiveness: Products known to support healthy weight gain and combat malnutrition.
Palatability: Ensuring options are tasty and enjoyable, as appetite can be a challenge.
Caregiver & User Feedback: Whenever possible, we've included real insights, highlighting practical experiences with these products.
Below, you'll find a shoppable list of our highest-rated and best-selling high-calorie products, designed to support your loved one's unique nutritional journey.
Boost high calorie nutritional drink is formulated specifically for people who need to gain or maintain weight because of illness or undernutrition. Each shake contains 530 calories for energy and 22 grams of protein to maintain lean muscle mass.
Key Benefits & Features
Gluten-free, Kosher, and suitable for lactose intolerance
Provides 26 vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C and D, zinc, and iron
Can be served as a meal replacement, meal enhancement, or snack
Customer Review of Boost Very High Calorie Nutritional Drink, Chocolate: “My nephew was drastically losing weight after being on antibiotics for over four months. He lost his appetite completely. After three weeks he has gained 6 lbs his body is starting to fill out again. And he loves the taste which is always a plus.” - Deborah D.
This high calorie oral supplement is specially formulated for children, but family caregivers tell us it benefits underweight adults, too. Duocal contains a special blend of carbohydrates and fat, without minerals, vitamins, or protein. The formula is flavorless and can be mixed into soft foods and drinks. Alternatively, it can be used for tube feeding.
Key Benefits & Features
Contains 492 calories per 100 grams of powder
Contains 22.3 grams of fat and 72.7 grams of carbohydrates per 100 gram serving
Dairy-free, protein-free, and Kosher
Customer Review of Duocal High Calorie Oral Supplement: “My child is having feeding issues and this is really helping get some calories and some of the carbs and fat she is missing out on while we are trying to figure out this problem. I’m so grateful for this product and I will be making more purchases in the future.” - Ronnie C.
Naturade Weight Gain Powder is formulated for underweight adults. It’s a calorically dense meal replacement that magnifies calorie intake so your loved one gains weight fast. The formula contains three enzymes –– papain, bromelain, and pancreatin, and doesn’t have any stimulants or steroids.
Key Benefits & Features
Enhances the body’s utilization of nutrients
Boosts calorie absorption
Adds up to 1600 calories daily, while safely supplementing your loved one’s diet
Customer Review of Naturade Weight Gain Powder: “[My loved one] needs to gain weight due to chemo/radiation [and] cannot eat solid food easily. This is an excellent alternative as it provides high caloric intake plus [the] vitamins & minerals needed.” - Danny W.
Ensure Plus is specially formulated to boost energy, increase strength, and support weight gain. It comes in three flavors –– vanilla, milk chocolate, and strawberry –– and contains 350 calories per serving. Family caregivers say it’s great to have on hand if your loved one needs to gain or maintain weight.
Key Benefits & Features
Each serving contains 16 grams of protein and 26 vitamins and minerals
Great tasting
Gluten-free and suitable for those with lactose-intolerance
Customer Review of Ensure Plus, Nutritional Shake: “I was an RN for 38 years. When my husband started losing weight, I turned to Ensure Plus. He really likes it and now looks forward to breakfast and his afternoon snack. Buying it by the case and having it delivered to our home is a lifesaver for me!”- Janet Y.
Hi-Cal is manufactured by Abbott Nutrition, a leader in innovative nutrition products. It has a mild vanilla flavor and provides 475 calories per 8-ounce serving. The formula isn’t suitable for tube feeding, but it can be used to supplement or replace your loved one’s meals and snacks.
Key Benefits & Features
Contains 18 essential vitamins and minerals
Kosher, halal, and gluten-free
Suitable for patients with lactose intolerance
Finding specialty nutrition products, like high-calorie shakes and meals can be challenging. To make the process easier and more affordable, we offer fast, free shipping on orders $49+. Signing up for Autoship makes it easy to ensure you have everything you need to help your loved one gain or maintain weight. Enjoy a discount off your first Autoship order, and an additional 5% off each order of qualifying products.
Seeing your loved one lose weight is stressful and heartbreaking. But high-calorie nutrition products can provide peace of mind and reduce the risk of potentially serious complications. Contact us if you need help choosing high-calorie nutrition products. Our friendly Care Team is here for you! Contact them by calling (800) 696-CARE or sending an email to support@carewell.com.
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Unexplained weight loss is one of the most common problems that family caregivers face. Even if you do all of the grocery shopping, food planning, and meal prep, there’s no guarantee that your loved one will eat.
Read More >Chad Birt is a freelance medical writer who resides in Astoria, Oregon. When he isn't behind a keyboard, you can find him hiking, camping, or birdwatching with his wife Ella and their two dogs, Diane and Thoreau.
