Food fortification

What is food fortification?

Food fortification is when you add extra energy (calories) and protein to your food and drink using everyday foods. This can help you gain weight without having to eat lots more.

Another way to increase energy intake is to eat small amounts (little and often) throughout the day, energy dense puddings after main meals and nourishing drinks, such as milk, smoothies, pure fruit juice.

The diet sheet below shows you easy ways to fortify foods and drinks, as well as information on high calorie snack ideas.

What foods can I use for fortification?

Dried milk powder

You can add 1 to 2 tablespoons of dried milk powder (either cow’s milk or oat milk) to foods and drinks such as:

• porridge
• custard
• yoghurt
• rice pudding
• white sauce
• cheese sauce
• milk
• hot chocolate
• milkshake
• smoothies
• malt drinks (like Horlicks or Ovaltine)

This can include plant based alternatives.

Nut butters and alternatives

There are a few varieties of smooth or crunchy nut butters, such as:

• peanut
• almond
• cashew
• WOWbutter

You can spread on or have with:

• toast
• bread
• crackers
• crumpet
• fruit toast
• bagel
• breadsticks
• celery sticks
• apple
• smoothies
• porridge
• milkshake

Hummus

There are different varieties of hummus, including:

• plain
• roasted red pepper
• caramelised onion
• sweet chilli
• Moroccan

You can spread it on or dip in:

• toast
• bread
• crackers
• jacket potato
• crumpet
• tortilla wraps
• bagel
• breadsticks
• tortilla chips
• celery sticks
• apple
• carrot sticks
• pepper sticks
• cucumber sticks

Cheese

Hard cheeses (such as cheddar, red Leicester, Edam), full fat cream cheese (such as Philadelphia), and soft cheese (such as Dairylea, Primula, Boursin) can be added to:

• crackers
• bread
• crumpets
• toast
• pasta
• jacket potato
• tortilla wrap
• fajitas
• baked beans
• tinned spaghetti
• white sauce
• breadsticks
• pepper sticks
• carrot sticks
• cucumber sticks
• celery sticks
• tortilla chips

Cream

There are many types of cream, including:

• single
• double
• whipping
• squirty
• clotted
• soured

There are also dairy free alternatives such as oat cream and coconut cream.

You can add these to:

• hot chocolate
• milkshakes
• fruit
• scones
• cakes
• fruit pies
• porridge
• custard
• milk
• hot chocolate
• milkshakes
• smoothie
• yoghurt
• rice pudding
• white sauce
• cheese sauce
• soup
• mashed potato
• pasta sauce

For soured cream, you can add to:

• tortilla chips
• breadsticks
• pepper sticks
• carrot sticks
• cucumber sticks
• celery sticks

Butter and margarine

A tip is to add butter or margarine while your food is still hot so it can absorb more.

• toast
• crumpets
• bread
• bagels
• crackers
• vegetables
• pasta
• rice
• jacket potato
• mashed potato
• curry

Oil

Add more oil than you would normally use in cooking, including when frying or roasting meat and vegetables.

You can drizzle it over pasta and rice before serving.

If you are having crusty bread or breadsticks, add some oil to balsamic vinegar to make a dipping sauce.

Chocolate spread

Add chocolate spread to:

• toast
• bread
• crumpets
• tortilla wraps
• malt loaf
• fruit bread
• bagel
• porridge
• hot chocolate
• milkshakes
• rice pudding
• strawberries
• grapes
• raspberries

 Avocado

Avocado is a savoury fruit, so it also adds to your ‘5 a day’. You can add it to:

• toast
• crumpets
• crackers
• fajitas
• mashed potato

Mash it into guacamole and use as a dip for tortilla chips and breadsticks.

Tinned coconut milk

You can add tinned coconut milk to:

• curries
• smoothies
• soups
• porridge
• rice pudding

You can check the label for the percentage of coconut extract, to see if it is light or heavy coconut milk.

Snack ideas

 Savoury

• Crackers, oatcakes, rice cakes, potato cakes with cheese, avocado, nut butters, hummus
• Breadsticks with dips, hummus, cream cheese
• Crisps, tortilla chips with dips
• Picnic type foods, such as sausage roll, cheese and onion roll, mini savoury eggs, cocktail sausages, mini pork pie, mini pasty, scotch egg, onion bhaji, samosa, falafel, breaded or flavoured chicken, salami sticks, olives, slice of pizza (hot or cold), slice of quiche (hot or cold)
• Cheese based foods, such as Dairylea Dunkers, Babybel, Cheestring
• Nuts (for children under 5 years old, make sure these are chopped)
• Cheese scone with butter, cream cheese, soft cheese, nut butters

Sweet

• Dairy or dairy alternative items such as mousse, full fat or thick and creamy yoghurt, fromage frais, ice-cream, custard, rice pudding, Angel delight made with full fat milk and cream
• Bread based items such as toasted teacake, crumpet, Scotch pancake, croissant, hot cross bun, toasting waffle, fruit bread, malt loaf or brioche, spread with butter, syrup, jam, honey, chocolate spread, nut butters
• Dessert based items such as mini cheesecake, mini trifle, 1 pot sponge pudding, 1 pot crumble
• Pastry items such as mini fruit pie, pain au chocolate, egg custard tart, jam tart, Bakewell tart
• Dried fruit such as chocolate covered raisins, yoghurt coated strawberries, cranberries, apricots, banana chips
• Cereal or nut bars
• Breakfast biscuits
• Flapjack
• Fruit scone with butter, jam, cream
• Chocolate filled crêpes
• Mini cake bars

Example of a fortified meal plan

The below meal plan changes would provide an additional 1900kcal and 60g of protein.