Nourishing Drinks

This leaflet is suitable if you have lost weight, have a small appetite or need extra nourishment, e.g. to help heal a wound. You may find it easier to boost your dietary intake by having nourishing drinks rather than eating more at meal times, however, a little and often approach to eating is still important.

This leaflet is designed to give some ideas for nourishing drinks that have been tried and tested. You do not need special equipment to make these drinks, although if you have a liquidiser this can be used to quickly whizz the ingredients together. If you don’t have a liquidiser, pushing the finished drink through a sieve before serving will make sure there are no lumps.

These drinks are also low cost and can be made from store cupboard ingredients. They are all high in calories and protein and will provide you with a range of vitamins and minerals.

If you would like additional information about a nourishing diet please contact the Dietetics Department. They will be more than happy to help.

Fortified milk

• Add 2-4 tablespoons of skimmed milk powder to 1 pint of full cream milk and mix well. (e.g. Marvel, Plus Pints or your supermarket’s own brand)
• If you do not have dairy products try using soya milk fortified with soya milk powder instead
• Use fortified milk in drinks such as tea or coffee, on cereals, in sauces, or to make up milkshakes. Once made up, you can keep it in the fridge to use during the rest of the day
• Why not have fortified milk as a drink on its own? A 200ml glass of fortified milk will provide 175 calories (kcal) and 11g protein – double the goodness of semi-skimmed milk
• For variety you could add a milkshake powder or syrup.

Delicious cool and warm nourishing drinks

Here are some recipe suggestions for nourishing drinks, most of which use fortified milk. To keep things interesting, why not try your own recipes using fortified milk. Use fortified milk to make up milky drinks such as Horlicks, Ovaltine or cocoa or add it to hot drinks such as tea or coffee. If you prefer to have instant drinks, e.g. Cuppa Soup or instant hot chocolate, add two tablespoons of skimmed milk powder to the cup and add hot water to make up the drink as usual.

Recipes

Simple Milkshake – Approximately 300kcal and 10g protein

• 200ml fortified milk
• 1 scoop of ice cream or 1 pot of yoghurt
• Fresh fruit or milk powder flavouring e.g. Nesquik, Ovaltine or supermarket brand

Chocolate Dream – 230kcal and 17g protein

• 200ml fortified milk, warmed
• 1 tablespoon drinking chocolate
• Sweeten with sugar to taste
• For extra flavour try adding a teaspoon of coffee or a pinch of cinnamon

Cinnamon Spice – 250kcal and 16g protein

• 200ml fortified milk, warmed
• 1 tablespoon golden syrup
• Pinch of mixed spice and ground cinnamon

Simple Iced Coffee – 330kcal and 11g protein

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

Fruit Smoothie – 264kcal and 2.2g protein

• 150ml carton orange juice
• 1 mashed banana
• 3-4 tablespoons tinned peaches (in syrup)
• 2 teaspoons honey (blend or sieve until smooth)

Greek Cooler – 484kcal and 20.5g protein

• 50ml fortified milk
• 1 tub (150g/5oz) Greek yoghurt
• 2 tablespoons honey

Banoffee Treat – 350kcal and 12g protein

• 1 small banana
• 150ml fortified milk
• 1 pot of crème caramel
• 1 teaspoon golden syrup (blend or sieve until smooth)

Strawberry Yoghurt Cup – 270kcal and 12g protein

• 1 pot strawberry yoghurt
• 130ml fortified milk
• 2 teaspoons honey

Super shakes

Super shakes all have approximately 500 calories in one 250ml serving. In addition to balanced meals, these may be useful for those who require extra calories to gain weight.

Berry Delight – (Approximately 552kcal and 12.7g protein)
Simply combine:

• 2 x 50g pots of fromage frais yogurt
• 100ml cranberry juice
• 5 tablespoons double cream
• 1 tablespoon milkshake powder
• No blender required

Nice ‘n’ Nutty – (Approximately 580kcal and 14.5g protein)
Whisk together:

• 200ml whole milk
• 2 tablespoons double cream
• 2 tablespoons condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons hazelnut chocolate spread
• 1 tablespoon dried skimmed milk powder
• Not suitable for those with a nut allergy

Bourbon Cream Dream – (Approximately 560kcal and 17.2g protein)
Crush and mix:

• 4 bourbon cream biscuits into fine crumbs
• 200ml whole milk
• 2 tablespoons condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon dried skimmed milk powder
• Try changing the bourbon cream biscuits for custard creams or ginger nuts

Dairy-free super shakes

Dairy Free Super Shakes all have approximately 500 calories in one 250ml serving, with no dairy ingredients. In addition to balanced meals, these may be useful for those who dislike milk, have dairy intolerance or require extra calories to gain weight. Opt for dairy alterative milks which are fortified with calcium, which will be written on the front of the packaging.

Virgin Piña Colada – (Approximately 523kcal)
Simply combine:

• 100ml tinned coconut milk
• 100ml pineapple juice
• 2½ tablespoons apricot jam
• 2½ tablespoons icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon golden syrup
• Serve with ice for authentic Caribbean flavours.

Lemon and Lime Sublime – (Approximately 500kcal)
Whisk together:

• 100ml lemonade
• 100ml lime cordial
• 2½ tablespoons lemon curd
• 2½ tablespoons icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon golden syrup
• Pour through a strainer to serve.

Eton Mess – (Approximately 517kcal)
Blend together:

• 2 meringue nests (approx. 30g)
• 150ml soya milk
• 2½ tablespoons strawberry milkshake powder
• 2½ tablespoons strawberry jam
• 1½ tablespoons icing sugar
• A taste of British summertime.

Contact numbers

We hope that you have found this information useful. If you have any questions or are worried about anything, please speak to the following Dorset County Hospital staff:

Nutrition and Dietetics Department: 01305 254415

Useful websites

Malnutrition Self-screening
www.malnutritionselfscreening.org/

BDA
www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts/home

Malnutrition Pathway
www.malnutritionpathway.co.uk/leaflets-patients-and-carers

About this leaflet

Author: Amy Kerslake, Community Dietician
Written: November 2019
Taken from ‘Nourishing Drinks Leaflet produced by Poole Nutrition and Dietetics (May 2018)’, with kind permission of Poole Hospital
Approved: January 2020
Review date: January 2023
Edition: 1

If you have feedback regarding the accuracy of the information contained in this leaflet, or if you would like a list of references used to develop this leaflet, please email patientinformation.leaflets@dchft.nhs.uk