High calorie shakes are some of the easiest tools to use when looking to gain weight. You can drink easily drink 600 to 1,200kcal in one go with high-calorie drinks; which anyone putting on weight knows it’s no easy task.

After the summer, I regularly put on 5kg of mass (autumn-winter period). I could not do this without using high calorie drinks to supplement my food intake.

In fact, I use two types of high calorie drinks for weight gain:

• High calorie meal replacement shakes. Shakes that contain all the nutrients you need (fats, protein, carbs, vitamins and minerals). Slightly more balanced and more healthy long-term. Jump to the best meal replacement shakes for weight gain.
• Weight gainers or high calorie protein shakes (mass gainers and protein drinks). A mix of carbohydrates and protein powder. Usually cheaper per calorie. Jump to the best high-calorie drinks.

Alternatively, you can DIY your own drinks that are high in calories. A mix of carbs (oats or maltodextrin), healthy fats (with some peanut butter), fruits (banana), and full-fat milk (protein). Doing these every day can be a chore, so that’s why I tend to prefer to use the ones above.

Here, I compile the best drinks to gain weight; including meal replacement shakes for weight gain and traditional weight gainers.

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Top High-Calorie Drinks at a Glance

Here is a summary of the best high calorie drinks in the market, and why you should buy them. By no means, these are the only options and you might find some other brands that fit you better.

	Naked Mass	Transparent Labs	Total Extreme	HLTH Code
	Best Weight Gain Shake	Healthy Weight Gainer	Best High-Calorie Shake EU	Best Meal Replacement Shake for Weight Gain
Serving (kcal)	1,360kcal	790kcal	1,000kcal	400kcal
Protein (g)	50g	60g	60g	27g
Protein Source	Pea + Rice Protein	Whey Concentrate	Whey Concentrate	Whey + Eggs
Highlight	Clean, tasty, and good quality	Balanced, high-protein	Good price and taste	Healthy, easy to digest
	CHECK PRICE	CHECK PRICE	LATESTFUELS12	LATESTFUELS

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5 Tips to Gain Mass with High Calorie Shakes

The best way to gain lean mass is by adding quality calories to your diet together with regular resistance training. Of course, if you struggle eating due to time constraints or simply because you cannot eat that much food, high calorie drinks will offer you the boost required.

Here are 5 tips on how to incorporate high calorie shakes to your diet:

1. Prepare them the day before. This is not a must, but if you are one of those people who are in a hurry in the morning, having them ready in the fridge will help you. It will also smoothen the shakes making them more palatable.
2. Make sure they have enough protein. One of my issues with most common mass gainers is that they rely too heavily on carbs. However, you need to make sure you consume enough protein to gain lean mass (0.8g/lb of bodyweight). You can add extra protein, or use one of the meal replacements with higher protein ratio.
3. Needs to be tasty. At the end of the day, if you are going to be consuming high calorie shakes for a while, you need to make sure you don’t hate it. Choose a good tasting high protein drink, or add cinnamon, peanut butter, or other ingredients to make it taste nice.
4. Use a blender. Particularly important if you are doing DIY high calorie shakes. It improves the texture and the taste drastically. In summer, you can add some ice cubes to refresh your shakes.
5. Morning, Lunch, and around the workout. These are the best times to consume your high calorie shakes. Have them at the same time every day to make sure you don’t skip them.

Best High Calorie Meal Replacement Shakes and Protein Powders for Weight Gain

Best Weight Gainers & Calorie Drinks for Men

Before diving any deeper, I wanted a short foreword on the top weight gainers for men.

Generally speaking, men will require more calories than women (even more if you live an active lifestyle). Thus, I would recommend you choose a higher calorie drink like Naked Mass to put some extra lean mass on.

Similarly, adding milk, peanut butter, bananas, honey or cocoa powder to your protein shakes can be an easy way to add up calories. In fact, having a couple of protein shakes can help you boost your calorie intake by 300 to 600kcal without much effort.

For instance, you can take one with whole-fat milk in the morning, and another before you go to bed (or around work-outs).

Some might even look for testosterone boosters, but I don’t think they are necessary. If you choose to do so to help you in your journey, make sure to use one of the best.

Weight Gainers for Women

Unfortunately, this industry is not very developed. Most products are oriented to men (visually and nutritionally). Furthermore, it’s worth considering that the nutritional needs of women are different. Most noticeably, women will require fewer calories to put on weight.

As such, I would recommend starting with smaller servings of the recommended products here or having a look at meal replacements.

Something like HLTH will provide you with 400kcal that are easy to consume, 27g of protein, all the necessary nutrients, and even extra ingredients to take care of your gut. This is important considering that you will be eating more than normal. Plus, the sweet flavors are really enjoyable.

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Best Weight Gain Powders

It’s about time that I discuss a vegan high-calorie drink. Naked Nutrition’s Weight Gainer is just the ideal choice if you are looking for a vegan nutritional drink for weight gain.

Each serving of this high calorie protein shake includes 1,230kcal, 50g of soy-free protein, and 10.3g of BCAAs. Instead, they use a rice and protein blend to deliver a complete amino acid profile. Perfect for those who are looking to put some muscle on.

Nutritionally, it’s very simple since it only includes 3 ingredients: organic maltodextrin and the two protein sources mentioned above. This simplicity is what will bring you the gains that you are looking for. There’s 0 crap on this weight gain drink.

You can also enjoy Chocolate and Vanilla flavors, which contain organic coconut sugar. Simple, great, and filled with calories.

This is also available in whey-version.

Nutrition

• Energy (kcal): 1,230kcal per serving
• Protein (g): 50g from pea and rice protein
• Carbs (g): 252g
• Fats (g): 2.5g
• Sugars (g): 21g
• Best Flavour: Chocolate

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While most mass gainers for men try to pack as many calories as possible, Transparent Labs prefers to offer you a more balanced high protein high-calorie shake.

In fact, they do not solely rely on cheap carbs (oats or maltodextrin) but they add essential fats and medium chain triglycerides to support your weight gain. Fats are essential for micronutrient absorption, and hormonal production to support muscle growth.

As such, they offer more balanced macros and an even higher ratio of protein per calorie. Each 800kcal serving has 60g of grass-fed whey protein concentrate. The mix also adds some creatine (3g) that will provide you with extra energy and help you acquire volume.

Sadly, they only offer whey-based versions and just 2 flavors. The Donut Chocolate is amazing but can get tiring when used regularly.

Nutrition

• Energy (kcal): 800kcal per serving
• Protein (g): 60g from whey protein concentrate
• Carbs (g): 114g
• Fats (g): 14g
• Sugars (g): 17g
• Best Flavour: Donut Chocolate

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Serious Mass by Optimum Nutrition best drink to gain weight with. A namesake that most avid gym-goers recognize. Serious Mass is a high calorie powder that will provide you with up to 1,250kcal per serving!

I would recommend this high calorie for weight gain to those who are extremely active or desperate to put on mass; due to the sheer amount of calories that this drink provides. I’ve used it multiple times in the past and it’s the perfect solution to put on weight (I went from 80kg to 90kg in 4months).

It comes mostly from high-quality carbohydrates and 50g of premium protein. On top of that, it includes 25 vitamins and minerals that will boost your daily nutrient intake.

Plus, I can personally say that it tastes fantastic. I was an avid Chocolate Serious Mass user in the past; however, you can also get other flavours like, Banana, Chocolate Peanut Butter or Strawberry.

Nutrition

• Energy (kcal): 1,230kcal per serving
• Protein (g): 50g from whey protein concentrate
• Carbs (g): 252g
• Fats (g): 2.5g
• Sugars (g): 18g
• Best Flavour: Chocolate

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Total Mass Matrix Extreme is one of the best drinks to gain weight for men: 1,000kcal per serving, 60g of protein and a mix of vitamins and minerals. Thus, this is a meal replacement shake that you can enjoy when trying to gain those extra pounds.

Nutritionally, it has a great balance of macros and a premium blend of protein to help you put on muscle. It also includes some MCTs, multiple sources of carbs (for more nutrients), and some creatine.

Unlike other meal replacements, Total Mass is quite thin and mixes very well with water; which makes it easier to drink. Plus, it is available in 10 flavours, so you don’t get bored easily. I would recommend starting with Smooth Chocolate or Chocolate Hazelnut heaven. Also, get a big bag or you will run out very fast.

Three are always discounts running, like Latestfuels12 for an extra 12% OFF.

Nutrition

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Muscle Milk Gainer is a more affordable high calorie drink. While it is not at the same premium level as other choices, it still offers 650kcal per serving and 32g of protein from milk.

In fact, milk is a complete source of protein and efficient in promoting muscle growth. It is also low in sugars, with only 6g per serving, and rich in dietary fiber.

Out of the three flavors they offer (Vanilla, Cookies’N Creme, and Chocolate), I think Chocolate is the best. However, it is not as good as the ready-to-drink bottles you might find on 7-Eleven and other retailers.

Nutrition

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Best Meal Replacement Shakes for Weight Gain

If for some reason you are looking for a low-carb mix to use as a high-calorie meal replacement; then HLTH Complete Meal will be the ideal choice. It has only 4g of net carbs, and a whopping 27g of protein.

Furthermore, even if the recommended serving is just 400kcal; you can easily up to 600 or even 800kcal by adding one or two more scoops. Because the shakes are so thin and tasty; you will drink them fairly easily.

On top of that, due to the digestive enzymes, apple cider vinegar and prebiotics, you won’t have any stomach issues; unlike with other keto shakes. In my experience, this is one of the most pleasant low-carb shakes to drink.

Finally, because it’s loaded with 50% of your daily values for all vitamins and minerals; you can make sure that you are getting all the quality nutrients that you need. The higher micronutrient content is ideal for those who need more calories, thus making this the best meal replacement shake for weight gain for men.

Nutrition

• Energy (kcal): 400kcal per serving
• Protein (g): 27g from whey protein isolate, grass-fed collagen, egg whites
• Carbs (g): 13g
• Fats (g): 27g
• Sugars (g): 2g
• Best Flavour: Chocolate Macadamia

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Huel Black is a meal replacement shake packed with protein and low in carbs. It has quickly become one of the most popular drinks among those who are trying to put on weight and muscle mass.

In fact, there are very few vegan shakes out there that will provide you as much protein as Huel Black at this value. Plus, it’s not only about protein, but also healthy carbohydrates, essential fats (like omega-3s), and vitamins and minerals. This ensures that you are gaining weight without sacrificing health (eating low-nutrition foods). This makes it one of the best vegan meal replacement shakes for weight gain.

My favorite flavor from Black is Salted Caramel, and in fact, I would stay away from some of the others like Chocolate. I would stick to Vanilla and Caramel mostly.

The one downside of Huel Black is that the shakes are thicker than some of its competitors, and does keep you full for a while. I would recommend using a blender and making a big (double serving) portion in order to avoid this.

Nutrition

• Energy (kcal): 400kcal per serving
• Protein (g): 40g from pea and rice protein
• Carbs (g): 17g
• Fats (g): 17g
• Sugars (g): 4g
• Best Flavour: Salted Caramel

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Weight Gain

Putting on weight can be a struggle for those who have a high metabolic rate, are very active during the day, or wrestle to eat tons of food. In fact, it is usually a chore to think and cook to get to 3,000kcal or more. Even more in a world where the most popular choices are low fat and low calorie.

For those, the highest calorie weight gain shakes can be really helpful. Each shake can pack up to 1,250kcal, and be much easier to prepare and drink than a meal that size. However, not all very high-calorie drinks for weight gain are that large.

Nevertheless, if your aim is to put on weight you should be looking for caloric surplus. This is, consuming more calories from food than what you burn during the day.

Healthy Weight Gain

In order to do so, the easiest way is to start with a calorie tracker or a calorie calculator (like Myfitnesspal). These will give you an estimate of the number of calories you need per day, and how many over that you need to put weight.

A popular method of adding weight is the “dirty bulk” or basically eating as much as you want of whatever you desire. Nonetheless, I think that meal replacements can be healthy high-calorie drinks that can help you achieve the same goal in a more sustainable manner. They contain higher quality ingredients, more macronutrient balance, and include micronutrients. You could also look at green powders to ensure that you are getting enough nutrients from vegetables and fruits.

Using The Best Meal Replacements For Weight Gain

There are many factors that make meal replacements so great to gain weight with and add muscle mass:

• Meal replacements make drinking calories easy.
• They are healthier and more balanced than standard weight gainers.
• The best meal replacements include vitamins and minerals, plus essential fatty acids.
• You can have vegan, gluten-free, soy-free or dairy-free shakes.
• Convenient. You can have them on the go and make sure you don’t skip any meals.
• Tasty. In general, meal replacements have better consistency, texture and taste when compared to protein powders.

What High Calorie Drinks are Best?

When it comes to deciding the best meal replacements for weight gain or the best high calorie protein powders; it depends a lot on the preference.

Meal replacements are going to be usually more balanced and might contain less protein than traditional weight gainers. They might even be smaller in size with about 600kcal per drink; but also easier to use in the long run. Thus, more sustainable.

High-calorie protein powders on the other hand are usually made with more processed ingredients and aim to boost your calorie intake and protein intake mainly. Hence, they do not look at essential fats or micronutrients. Nonetheless, they can be a great high calorie supplement to help you reach your goals.

Other Tips and Tricks

I’m not going to share any major tricks here, but just a couple of ways you can easily and healthily increase your calorie count.

• Drink milk. Ideally, you would drink full-fat milk, since it’s the most calorie-rich option. Nonetheless, adding milk to your high calorie nutrition drink will add another 200-400kcal easily.
• Peanut butter, banana, and honey. Particularly if you are using drinks, blending these into your favorite meal shake can add a few extra calories that you won’t notice while drinking.
• Eat green powders. When you are looking to add calories, you tend to ignore vegetables in favor of more calorie-rich not nutrient-dense alternatives. Green powders can be a great way to ensure you get your nutrients. You could also look at multivitamins.
• Eat often. Another trick is to get used to eating every 3h. That’s where the high calorie drinks will come in handy, too.

Do Your Own High Calorie Shake

So let’s say you want to save some money. You could do your own weight gainer drink at home without the need for any of the abovementioned shakes.

Key ingredients that you will need:

• Full fat milk or plant-based alternative. Cost: $1/L or $3.77/gallon
• Protein powder of your choice. I personally like Impact Whey: $0.75 per serving (1 scoop). A good plant-based alternative would be:
• Oats. Cheap and good quality source of carbs. Cost: $0.13/ounce. Alternatively, you can use maltodextrin, which makes shakes smoother.

Some good fillers include:

• Bananas. Great source of potassium and key vitamins and minerals. Good amount of calories for a fruit.
• Peanut butter. A superb source of healthy fats and protein, plus it tastes great.
• Honey or maple syrup. Adds sweetness and some extra calories.
• Cacao powder. For those who like to make it chocolate flavored.

Here are some ideas for high calorie drink recipes:

Simple Weight Gain Drink

Extravaganza Weight Gain Drink

Berry Blast

More High Calorie Meal Replacement Shakes for Weight Gain

Besides the ones mentioned above, there are more meal replacement shakes that can help you support your active lifestyle. Some of these are could easily be among the best meal replacements for weight gain.

	Kcal/serving	Ships to
Queal Athletic	766	World*
Jake Sports	743	World*
Jake Original	670	World*
Feed. Sports	500	EU
SBF Athlete Fuel	650	World*
Runtime	600	EU, US

You might have heard of others like Ensure high calorie or Boost high calorie drinks; but in reality, those tend to have less than 350kcal per serving.

Conclusion: High Calorie Shakes

… can be great for gaining weight or fueling your active lifestyle. While some of them are for more extreme cases, like Serious Mass, many high calorie drinks can be used regularly as part of a healthy diet.

In fact, the best high calorie meal replacements can help you sustain your caloric needs in a balanced manner. Look for quality ingredients and complete nutritional profiles to ensure you eating good nutrients.

No matter what you choose, though, make sure you never feel bloated, sick or have unwanted secondary effects. Because there’s something out there that will suit you better if that’s the case.

Sources

1.US Dietary Guidelines 2015-20.

2. FDA Daily Values.

3. Ultimate Meal Replacement List.

4. Latestfuel’s Best Meal Replacement Shakes.