Weight Gain Shake Recipes

11 Easy Ideas From a Bodybuilding Nutrition Coach

By: Jeremy Fox, CNC, CPT – Published: April 8, 2021

For most people gaining weight happens all too easily. If you’re like me, though, getting bigger is a constant challenge.

The obvious solution is to increase your calorie intake. But it’s not always that simple if you don’t have the time or appetite for big meals. Fortunately, shakes make it easier to get the nutrients you need.

That’s why I’ve put together this list of 11 easy weight gain shake recipes. With these shakes, you’ll be able to fill out your frame and get the body you desire.

Weight Gain Shake Recipes

The weight gain shake recipes below are formulated to be calorie and nutrient-dense to help you gain weight. Each shake contains around 600 calories. But you can adjust the recipes up or down.

In addition, many of the shakes contain carbs and protein in about a 2:1 ratio. This is ideal for a fast and easy post-workout meal designed to increase lean mass and weight gain.

Finally, there are a couple of recipes with lower carbs and higher fat for meal replacement outside your workout window. As well as one vegan weight gain shake recipe.

Now let’s get to the recipes!

1. Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie Recipe

This recipe is great if you have a sweet tooth and you’re looking for a healthier alternative to fattening desserts. Plus the Greek yogurt gives it a nice creamy texture.

Ideal for: sweet tooth post-workout smoothie

Ingredient	Amount	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Calories
Strawberries	2 cups	26 g	0 g	2 g	112
Strawberry Greek Yogurt	9 oz	32 g	0 g	20 g	208
Protein Powder	1 scoop	3 g	1 g	23 g	122
Graham Crackers	3 crackers	33 g	5 g	3 g	180
Total		94 g	6 g	48 g	622

Note: On mobile, swipe left to view the entire table

Directions:

Add strawberries, yogurt, protein powder, and crackers to the blender
Fill with 1-2 cups of water depending on desired consistency
Blend for 30-60 seconds or until smooth

Tip: Use frozen berries for an iced smoothie with a creamier texture
Tip: Save half a graham cracker and sprinkle the crumbs on top for a cheesecake crust

Strawberry Cheesecake Weight Gain Shake Recipe

2. Chocolate Weight Gain Shake Recipe

For those chocolate lovers out there, this recipe can be really, really, really chocolatey! Double up with a chocolate-flavored protein powder. Or triple up with chocolate milk.

Ideal for: chocoholic post-workout shake

Ingredient	Amount	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Calories
Protein Powder	1 scoop	3 g	1 g	23 g	122
Whole Milk	16 oz	24 g	16 g	16 g	300
Chocolate Syrup	4 tbsp	46 g	0 g	2 g	200
Total		73 g	17 g	41 g	622

Directions:

Add protein powder, milk, and chocolate syrup to the blender
Blend for 30-60 seconds or until smooth

Tip: If you use chocolate milk, add another 26 grams of carbs and 115 calories

3. Honey Berry Weight Gain Smoothie Recipe

The honey berry smoothie combines natural ingredients for a sweet, yet healthy treat. Honey and blueberries are also some of the most potent antioxidants.

Ideal for: simple post-workout smoothie

Ingredient	Amount	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Calories
Honey	3 tbsp	51 g	0 g	0 g	210
Blueberries	2 cups	34 g	2 g	2 g	162
Protein Powder	2 scoops	6 g	2 g	46 g	244
Total		91 g	4 g	48 g	616

Directions:

Add berries, honey, and protein powder to the blender
Fill with 1-2 cups of water depending on desired consistency
Blend for 30-60 seconds or until smooth

Tip: Use frozen berries for an iced smoothie with a creamier texture

4. Peanut Butter Weight Gain Shake Recipe

The peanut butter shake has a more balanced macronutrient profile. That means similar amounts of carbs, fat, and protein.

Ideal for: meal replacement or pre-workout

Ingredient	Amount	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Calories
PBfit Powder	1 tbsp	6 g	1 g	4 g	50
Peanut Butter	2 tbsp	7 g	17 g	7 g	200
Whole Milk	16 oz	24 g	16 g	16 g	300
Protein Powder	1 scoop	3 g	1 g	23 g	122
Total		40 g	35 g	50 g	672

Directions:

Add PB2 powder, peanut butter, milk, and protein powder to the blender
Blend for 30-60 seconds or until smooth

Recommended for this recipe:

5. Blueberry Banana Weight Gain Smoothie Recipe

This recipe combines fresh fruits with protein and medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). MCT oil is an easily digested healthy fat. And it’s a great way to bump up your calorie intake and boost your energy.

Ideal for: pre-workout meal

Ingredient	Amount	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Calories
Blueberries	2 cups	34 g	2 g	2 g	162
Banana	1 banana	31 g	0 g	2 g	132
MCT Oil	1 tbsp	0 g	14 g	0 g	125
Protein Powder	2 scoops	6 g	4 g	46 g	244
Total		71 g	20 g	50 g	663

Directions:

Add berries, banana, MCT oil and protein powder to the blender
Fill with 1-2 cups of water depending on desired consistency
Blend for 30-60 seconds or until smooth

Tip: Chop up a banana and put it in a freezer bag the day before for a creamier smoothie

Recommended for this recipe: Viva Naturals Organic MCT Oil

6. Fruit Juice Weight Gain Shake Recipe

If you don’t have a blender, you can still get the benefits of fruit in your weight gain shakes. For this recipe, all you need is a shaker cup so you can make it at work, at school, or at the gym to take advantage of the anabolic window.

Ideal for: on the go or post-workout shake you can make at the gym

Ingredient	Amount	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Calories
Fruit Juice	20 oz	100 g	0 g	2 g	410
Unflavored Protein Powder	2 scoops	6 g	2 g	46 g	244
Total		106 g	2 g	48 g	654

Directions:

Add fruit juice and protein powder to a shaker cup
Shake well

Tip: I recommend juices “not from concentrate” in order to avoid unwanted fillers. My favorites are grape, apple, and orange juice.

Here’s my comparison of apple juice vs orange juice nutrition.

7. Mass Gainer Shake

Mass gainers are supplements targeted at people trying to gain weight. I confess I used a weight gainer called Serious Mass when I was in my 20s because I needed a super-easy way to get more calories. And I did gain weight, but a good portion of it was fat.

The reason is that mass gainer supplements contain way too many carbs. Usually, the carb to protein ratio is 5:1. And that excessive amount of carbs can lead to excess fat gain.

That being said, if you’re a young hardgainer like I was and you want an all-in-one powder, then you could consider a mass gainer supplement. Just remember the macronutrient ratio is not ideal for lean gains.

Ideal for: hardgainer who wants to gain weight even if it means gaining some fat

Ingredient	Amount	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Calories
Mass Gainer Powder	1 heaping scoop	127 g	2 g	25 g	625
Total		127 g	2 g	25 g	625

Directions:

Add mass gainer powder to a large blender
Fill with 1-2 cups of water
Blend for about 30 seconds until smooth

Tip: When I used this, I combined 2 scoops of Serious Mass with 24 ounces of milk in a big blender and put it in the fridge. Then I’d drink 1/3 in the morning, 1/3 after my workout, and 1/3 before bed. That comes out to 1,700 extra calories for the day which makes it easy to hit a surplus with your other meals. You will gain weight with this method, but some of it will be fat.

Recommended for this recipe:

8. Homemade Mass Gainer Shake Recipe

As I got older I realized that the supplement company’s mass gainer really only consisted of two ingredients; maltodextrin and whey protein. So I decided to save a bunch of money and buy them separately to make my own weight gain shake.

With this realization, I was able to combine carbs and protein in a better ratio to gain weight without gaining fat (i.e. about 2:1). And I eliminated unwanted ingredients like the excessive sodium that causes bloating.

Ideal for: savvy hardgainer post-workout shake

Ingredient	Amount	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Calories
Maltodextrin	1 cup	90 g	0 g	0 g	360
Protein Powder	2 scoops	6 g	2 g	46 g	244
Total		96 g	2 g	46 g	604

Directions:

Add maltodextrin and protein powders to the blender
Fill with 1-2 cups of water
Blend for about 30 seconds until smooth

Recommended for this recipe:

9. Quick Anabolic Weight Gain Shake Recipe

A couple of years later I refined my weight gain shake recipe further. This time I used dextrose instead of maltodextrin due to the fact that it mixes more easily and has a better taste. Although it does cost slightly more, too.

In addition, I started adding other ingredients like creatine to maximize muscle growth.

Ideal for: easy to mix, maximum post-workout lean gains

Ingredient	Amount	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Calories
Dextrose	5 tbsp	105 g	0 g	0 g	420
Protein Powder	2 scoops	6 g	2 g	46 g	224
Total		101 g	2 g	46 g	644

Directions:

Add dextrose and protein powders to the blender
Fill with 1-2 cups of water
Blend for about 30 seconds until smooth

Tip: Drink this shake post-workout and add 5 grams of creatine to maximize muscle gain

Recommended for this recipe:

10. Low Carb Weight Gain Shake Recipe

So far, all of the weight gain shake recipes have been high in carbohydrates. While carbs have their place in a weight gain meal plan, eating high carbs all day long can lead to insulin resistance and other health issues.

That’s why I’ve added this low-carb weight gain shake recipe. With plenty of healthy fats and protein, you’ll still be able to hit your calorie target.

Also, while it looks like it contains a fair amount of carbs, that’s due to the high fiber content in avocados and chia seeds. When you subtract the fiber, there are actually only 7 grams of net carbs!

Ideal for: carb-conscious weight gainers or meal replacement away from workout

Ingredient	Amount	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Calories
Avocado	1 avocado	17 g	29 g	4 g	345
Flaxseed Oil	1 tbsp	0 g	14 g	0 g	120
Chia Seeds	1 tbsp	6 g	4 g	2 g	68
Protein Powder	1 scoop	3 g	1 g	23 g	122
Total		26 g	48 g	29 g	655

Directions:

Cut open avocado and remove the pit
Remove the avocado from the skin using a spoon and place it in the blender
Add the flaxseed oil, chia seeds, and protein powder to the blender
Blend for about 60 seconds until smooth

Tip: Use the graphic below as a guide on how to tell if an avocado is ripe

11. Vegan Weight Gain Smoothie Recipe

I know that a lot of you out there are looking for plant-based meal plans for muscle gain. So this last weight gain shake recipe is a vegan option that uses fruits, pea protein, and dextrose derived from corn.

In fact, 6 of the 10 recipes above are vegan-friendly if you use pea protein vs whey. That’s all the recipes except the ones using milk or yogurt.

Ideal for: plant-based or dairy-free weight gainers

Ingredient	Amount	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Calories
Mixed Berries	1.5 cup	26 g	2 g	2 g	130
Banana	1 banana	31 g	0 g	2 g	132
Almond Milk	16 oz	27 g	5 g	2 g	161
Pea Protein Powder	3 scoops	3 g	1 g	41 g	180
Total		87 g	8 g	47 g	603

Directions:

Add the berries, banana, almond milk, and protein powder to the blender
Blend for 30-60 seconds until smooth

Tip: Chop up a banana and put it in a freezer bag the day before for a creamier smoothie

Recommended for this recipe:

How To Gain Weight

Now that you’ve seen all 11 weight gain shake recipes, let me explain how they help you gain weight.

The biggest thing is that it’s easier to drink your calories than eat them! This helps you consume more calories than you burn – which is called a calorie surplus.

Next, all these shakes contain mostly nutritious whole foods because it’s important for your overall health. Also, the calories in these shakes are mostly from protein and carbs – ideal for building lean muscle.

Finally, all the recipes contain just a handful of ingredients and take only minutes to prepare. This makes them quick and ideal for before and after workouts.

Foundation of Weight Gain

Create a calorie surplus
Eat healthy whole foods
Increase carbs and protein
Add meals before and after workouts

The nice thing about protein shakes for gaining weight is that they make it easier to create a foundation using the 4 principles listed above. And it’s on that foundation that you can start to build a bigger and stronger body.

From a nutrition standpoint, that’s all it takes to gain weight. When you combine nutrition with a solid resistance training program, most of the weight you gain will be lean muscle.

Of course, you should keep in mind that the recipes above are intended to be examples. Your ideal calorie and macronutrient intake depend on your body, activity level, and fitness goals.

For more information on how you can gain weight, check out my meal plans or my other helpful articles below.

Custom Weight Gain Meal Plan

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