Nourishing Drinks

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If you have lost weight, have a small appetite or need extra nourishment, e.g. to help heal a wound, you may find nourishing drinks useful.

They are packed with calories and protein, and provide a range of vitamins and minerals.

Top Tips!

  • Nourishing drinks do not replace meals – enjoy them between meals to boost your nutritional intake
  • If you do not like / tolerate dairy products, try calcium-enriched soya or oat milk products instead. Growing Up or Barista milk replacement products are often the most nutritious alternative milks
  • Try a range of these recipes to find your favourite, you can choose from: Hot and cold varieties, milk and juice-based, dairy-free and savoury

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

Fortified milk

We recommend you replace your normal milk with fortified milk: use this in cereals, sauces, custards, soups and drinks. Fortified milk can also be enjoyed as a drink on its own.

A 200ml glass provides 200kcals and 14g protein – double the goodness of semi-skimmed milk.

To make fortified milk:

  • Add 4 tablespoons of skimmed milk powder (or 57g) (e.g. Marvel, or supermarket own brand) to 1 pint (or 568ml) of full-cream milk and mix well.
  • Once made, keep refrigerated like regular milk.
  • Aim to drink or use 1 pint each day (this can be used in cereal, cooking, milky drinks etc)

Hot milky drinks

Fortified malted milk

(serves 1) – this provides 421 calories, 16.7g protein

  • 200ml fortified milk
  • 25g Horlicks/Ovaltine
  • 2 tablespoons double cream

To make:
Warm the milk. Mix all the ingredients together until the Horlicks / Ovaltine has dissolved.

Note: For new flavours you can switch up Horlicks or Ovaltine, or hot chocolate powder; add Maple syrup, condensed milk or cinnamon. Calories may vary, but it will always contain minimum of 200kcal and 14g if using 200ml of fortified milk.

Fortified masala chai or chai latte

(serves 1) – this provides a minimum of 200 calories, 14g protein

  • 200ml fortified milk
  • preferred spices or 3 teaspoons of chai spiced latte powder
  • sugar to taste

To make:
Make masala chai as preferred and make up with fortified warm milk and spices. To make chai latte, mix 3 teaspoons (15g) of chai latte powder into warm fortified milk.

Fortified milky coffee

(serves 1) – this provides 201kcal, 14g protein

  • 200ml fortified milk
  • 1-2 teaspoons (5-10g) instant coffee
  • add sugar/flavoured syrup to taste

To make:
Heat the milk until hot (over a hob or in the microwave). Stir in the instant coffee and skimmed milk powder.

Top tip: to increase calorie intake, add 2 tablespoons of double cream – this provides an additional 148 calories

Cold milky drinks

Simple milkshake

(serves 1) – this provides 360 calories, 14.9g protein

  • 200ml fortified milk
  • 1 heaped tablespoon milkshake powder(Nesquik/supermarket own brand)
  • 2 tablespoons double cream

To make:
Put all the ingredients together in a glass and mix well.

Variations and mix–ins:
This recipe is versatile depending on everyone’s favourite flavours. Add different toppings for new flavours, extra calories and nutrition. If a blender is available add crushed biscuits, chocolate, strawberries, banana or other fruits.

If you don’t have a blender, simple and nourishing milkshake can be whisked in a bowl, only using fortified milk and ice cream.

For extra flavour you can still add sauces, syrups, chocolate spread and lots of other options from below:

  • 2 tablespoons of peanut butter – 191kcal, 7.2g protein
  • 1 tablespoon of honey – 64kcal, 0.1g protein
  • 2 tablespoons of chocolate sauce – 100kcal, 0g protein
  • 4 tablespoons of whipped cream – 34kcal, 0.3g protein
  • Each scoop of ice cream can vary between 100kcal to 250kcal, 3-5g protein
  • 20g (1 full tablespoon) of chocolate spread – 08kcal, 1.2g protein
  • 200g of strawberries – 64kcal, 1.3g protein
  • 1 medium banana – 105kcal, 1.3g protein
  • 2 tablespoons double cream -148kcal 0.4g protein
  • 2 tablespoons of condensed milk – 90kcal, 2g protein

High calorie chocolate milkshake

(serves 1) – this provides 706 calories, 15g protein

  • 1 tablespoon of chocolate hazelnut spread (optional)
  • 250ml full fat milk
  • 2 scoops chocolate ice cream
  • 5 marshmallows (optional)
  • 30ml double cream, whipped
  • 1tsp toasted hazelnuts, chopped (optional)

To make:
Put all the ingredients into a blender and whizz everything up until smooth then pour into a glass. Top with whipped cream, marshmallows, toasted hazelnuts.

Fortified iced coffee

(serves 1) – this provides 330kcal and 11g protein

  • 200ml fortified milk
  • 2 teaspoons of instant coffee
  • 2 tablespoons of sugar

To make:
Mix the coffee with 2 tablespoons of hot water, stir in the sugar and then the fortified milk. Add ice to serve.

Savoury options

Fortified homemade or tinned soup

(serves 1) – this provides and additional 252 calories, 11g protein to your soup

  • Bowl of homemade or tinned soup
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) double cream
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) of skimmed milk powder

To make:
Stir in the double cream and milk powder to a bowl of homemade soup.

Juice/smoothie drinks

Strawberry & orange juice drink

(serves 1) – this provides 170calories, 3g protein

  • 10 strawberries, hulled (approximately 175g)
  • 1 small banana, sliced
  • 100ml orange juice, chilled

To make:
Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth and serve.

Top tip: For extra protein add 10g (2x5g) egg white powder sachets or 3 tablespoons egg white liquid*. Put egg white powder/egg white liquid in glass and add juice, mix together.

*Egg white powder can be found in the baking area of most supermarkets, or bought in bulk online. Egg white liquid can be found in the fridge in most supermarkets.

Blackberry & raspberry smoothie

(serves 1) – this provides 450calories, 13g protein

  • 140g blackberries (frozen)
  • 70g raspberries (frozen)
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 125g Greek yogurt
  • 200mls oat milk
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract (optional)

To make:
Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth and serve.

Fortified mango lassi

(recipe makes 2 servings) – this provides 263 calories, 11g protein (per serving)

Fortified Lassi base:

  • 135g of Greek Yoghurt
  • 100ml full fat milk
  • 1 tablespoon (12g) of skimmed milk powder
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) of double cream

Mango Lassi:

  • 1 mango or 230g of tinned or frozen mango
  • 1 tablespoon (13g) of sugar
  • Sprinkle of spice such as nutmeg

To make:
Mix ingredients for Lassi base, combine together with mango and sugar using a blender and add a sprinkle of spice for your Mango Lassi

Dairy-free drinks

Dairy-free chocolate peanut butter & banana smoothie

(serves 1) – this provides 402calories, 16.6g protein

  • 1 banana
  • 200mls cup soya milk (or milk of choice)
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons peanut/almond butter
  • 4 ice cubes

To make:
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and serve.

Dairy-free blackberry smoothie

(serves 1) – this provides 308calories, 15.3g protein

  • 250mls cup soya milk (or milk of choice)
  • 80g blackberries (preferably frozen)
  • ½ mango (diced)
  • 2 tablespoons oats
  • 1 tablespoon peanut/almond butter
  • 1-2 ice cubes

To make:
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and serve.

Note: most drinks can be made to be dairy-free by using a milk alternative and dairy-free double cream. The most nutrient dense alternative milks are calcium-enriched soy milk, oat milk and coconut milk. Growing Up or Barista milk replacement products are often the most nutritious alternative milks.

Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes (BLMK) Integrated Care System
Made in partnership with Bedfordshire Hospitals, Bedfordshire Community Health Services, and Milton Keynes University Hospital.

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