Fortified Diet Plan

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The following dietary changes can be tried to help prevent weight loss and encourage weight re-gain. If you have diabetes, raised cholesterol or lipids, please speak to your GP/Health Care Professional before starting.

Food fortification means adding household ingredients to food/drinks to increase the nutritional content, without significantly increasing the portion size, taste or texture.

Here are some examples to show how easy it is to fortify your diet:
please note tsp = teaspoon / tbsp = tablespoon

1 tbsp dried skimmed milk powder (15g) = 50kcal and 5.2g of protein
1tbsp soy protein powder (15g) = 54kcal and 13.5g protein
1 tsp sugar (5g) = 20kcal and 0g of protein
1 heaped tsp honey (17g) = 50kcal and 0g of protein
1 tsp butter (5g) = 37kcal and 0g of protein
1 tsp double cream (10g) = 50kcal and 0.2g of protein
2 large dates (40g) = 108kcal and 1.3g of protein
1 tbsp tahini (15g) = 94kcal and 3.5g protein
1 tbsp peanut butter (15g) = 95kcal and 3.7g protein

Scrambled egg with whole milk (120g) Add 1 tsp butter, 2 tsp dried skimmed milk powder and 45g cream cheese Before fortification: 308kcal,13.1g of protein After fortification: 603kcal, 15.8g of protein	Hummus (100g) Add 1 tbsp Greek yoghurt, 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp Tahini Before fortification: 226kcal, 7.3g of protein After fortification: 453kcal, 11.9g of protein
Porridge with whole milk (150g) Add 2 tsp dried skimmed milk powder, 1 tsp double cream, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp peanut butter and 2 chopped dates Before fortification: 170kcal, 7.2g of protein After fortification: 463kcal,14.6g of protein	Homemade Mango Lassi recipe* (serves 2) Add 135g Greek yoghurt, 100ml full fat milk, 1 tbsp skimmed milk powder, 1 tbsp double cream, 1 mango or 230g tinned or frozen mango, 1 tbsp sugar and sprinkle of nutmeg One serving (250ml): 263kcal,11g of protein
Mashed potato (120g) Add 1 tsp butter, 2 tsp dried skimmed milk powder and 1 tsp double cream Before fortification: 122kcal, 2.2g of protein After fortification: 293kcal, 8.6g protein	Rice pudding pot (125g) Add 1 heaped tsp honey, 2 tsp dried skimmed milk powder and 1 tsp double cream Before fortification: 118kcal, 3.9g protein After fortification: 238kcal , 6.1g protein

You could also:

• Add grated cheese to soups, stews, mashed potato, jacket potato, scrambled eggs, pasta etc
• Add cream or evaporated milk to soups and to puddings e.g. stewed, canned or fresh fruits, custard, angel delight etc and add sugar* to cereals, drinks and desserts.
• Serve jam, honey, peanut butter or syrup on bread and milk puddings etc
• Add knobs of butter/ghee to vegetables, curries, daal, jacket potato etc, and serve salads with olive oil or full fat dressing
• Cook rice or couscous with coconut milk

Helpful tips to remember

• Eat ‘little and often’: try small nourishing meals, snacks and drinks every 2-3 hours throughout the day
• Have nutrient dense snacks between meals and at bedtime. Such as toast with butter and jam, creamy or Greek yoghurt, cake, chocolate, cereal with milk, full fat mousse, cheese sandwich, cream cheese and crackers, fruit juice and nuts, biscuits, or try a
  nourishing drink
• Serve main meals with a creamy sauce e.g. cheese sauce, curry sauce, parsley sauce
• Choose full fat and full sugar* products rather than ‘diet’ ‘reduced/low fat’
• Fortify whole milk and aim for 1 pint / 568mls per day. Add 4 heaped tablespoons of dried skimmed milk powder into 1 pint / 568mls of whole milk and stir until dissolved. Chill in the fridge and then use on cereals, porridge, sauces, soups, desserts, jellies, milky drinks etc.
• Have plenty of nourishing fluids: aim for 8 glasses (2 litres) a day. Try sweetened fruit juice*, chilled or warm fortified milk, coffee, hot chocolate, milkshakes, or malted drinks made with all milk (fortified). Choose drinks with high sugar content e.g. fruit juice, full-sugar squash, smoothies, full-sugar lemonade, cola.
• A little alcohol before a meal can stimulate appetite, but check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medications
• For a balanced diet choose a wide variety of foods. At each meal try to have a protein food (meat, fish, egg, cheese, milk, vegetarian alternative i.e Quorn, soya) and a starchy food (bread, cereals, potato, rice, pasta). Eat fruit and vegetables every day – puree or take as juice if easier
• Consider an over-the-counter A-Z multivitamin and mineral supplement if you are only eating a small amount or a limited variety of foods. Avoid these however if you are taking 2 or more nutritional supplement drinks daily (such as Complan, Meritene or Foodlink Complete)

* If you have diabetes, continue to choose sugar-free drinks. You can have a moderate amount of sugar containing foods. Contact your Nurse or GP if you have concerns such as continued weight loss, difficulty taking solids, worsening appetite, limited food variety, or if you have diabetes and are experiencing high blood glucose levels.