Whey powder

@sheila7a My go to when I couldn't get the weight back on was homemade smoothies - full-fat Greek yogurt, Garden of LIFE Greens and things protein powder, avocado, banana, and whatever other fruits and veggies I had on hand. Added a little honey if needed, sometimes I added peanut butter. I sipped them throughout the day, 4-6 ounces every hour or two, with a chunk of cheese or handful of cashews. In addition I tried to eat at least 2 meals . Supplements are not going to put on weight, you need lots of calories to do that.

Michelle McDonald of NJH in nutrition and Mac. A must listen. Hope it helps you.

Excellent advice, Sue. Do you have a favorite smoothie blender? I'm currently at 136 pounds and trying to get into the 140s. Because of dysphagia related to Parkinson's I have limited food options, but smoothies and pureed foods should work. Thanks!

I use a Ninja that is several years old and has the puree cycle. Not sure itis still available but it has been a workhorse for us. We bought it after wearing out the blender top on one of the expensive ones and finding the replacement part over $100. I think it was about $130 on sale - I'm sure the price is higher now.

I started seeing a registered dietitian who specializes in chronic illness. It has made all the difference because she can make expert recommendations based upon mt individual needs.

Ninja blenders are definitely a workhorse and are great. I had one for many years but retired it for a cordless BlendJet that I absolutely love. It's so easy to clean. After using it to make a smoothie, just rinse, fill it with a little water and a few drops of liquid soap, put the cover on and run it for a minute or so. Then rinse and wipe it off and it's ready to go again. You can get them on Amazon for $39 but they are smaller at 16 oz. If you go to the BlendJet website you can get a bundle that also includes the 32 oz capacity top for $59 - https://blendjet.com/products/best-of-blendjet-bundle.

Sue gave great options for putting into a smoothie. I usually keep a few bananas, broken into chunks, in the freezer to throw in. Adds a little bit of sweetness and makes it creamy. When I use frozen fruits I don’t need to add ice. Usually use almond milk or keefer as a base but any juice or liquid works. I also like to throw in a little almond or peanut butter. I also used to drag out the workhorse blender but now use my Ninja bullet blender which works great for single servings.

John, I am not much of an "gadget junkie" but I have both a blender and an immersion blender. For small jobs I love the immersion one, but I make smoothies by the liter (or more) and serve them for 2-3 days.
One of my favorite things with the immersion blender - pureeing soups - I scoop out any meat and some of the whole veggies and set aside, then blend the rest right on the stove - creamy soup without the calories of adding cream - and I can freeze the leftovers without curdling.

All have given you good advice.
My addition for what it is worth. I prefer protein powder that is not whey based, which is dairy. I prefer greens for protein powder and things like pumpkin.
Also, the banana is good for two reasons....potassium which we need and also helps with clearing us out.
I also just use water rather than a milk product of any kind as the liquid. The water I use is that which I boil to make sure any bacteria is hopefully boiled out. You will notice on this site that we concern ourselves with being sure we have bacteria free water.
Barbara

Thanks for the information and advice, friends. Since I want to make smoothies and puree foods so they are easier to swallow, I'm probably going to buy a full-sized Ninja blender.