It’s a huge misconception that people think women can pig out when they’re pregnant. Just because our mid-area is growing does not mean our stomach has to.
Though you do need some extra calories, “the average pregnant woman only needs about 300 healthy calories more a day than she did before she was pregnant,” that’s according to WebMD.
This is my third pregnancy and of all of them I haven’t really had specific cravings. Usually, when I get hungry and want something specific, that’s what I’ll eat. But, it’s never “Oh, I need to have pickles right now!” I actually eat one a day anyway! I love them and ate them all the time before pregnancy.
With this pregnancy and my last one I’ve been wanting cold fruit as a snack. I’ve been freezing certain fruit as it satisfies my sweet tooth and makes the snacking take a little longer. ๐
Here are some healthy snack ideas to help with those “extra” calories:
1. One tablespoon of creamy peanut butter (100 calories) – This could be spread on toast, a cracker, apples or celery.
2. One part-skim cheese stick (80 calories) – My daughter eats one a day, and so do I!
3. One cup of frozen grapes (110 calories) – These are my favorite. They are so sweet and tasty!
5. One cup of mango cubes (100 calories) – My 1-year-old is obsessed with mangoes, so I just eat some when he does for a snack. It’s been convenient.
6. 1/2 banana (80 calories) – I like to slice the banana and freeze these too.
7. One single serving of plain Greek yogurt (100 calories) – My favorite is FAGE. It’s a 0% Greek yogurt that is so thick and creamy. The flavor I love is Strawberry-Goji which comes in at 120 calories. There’s also 13 grams of protein!
8. Hummus (90+ calories) –ย This is a staple in our house, as both kids will eat it thankfully! I’ll usually eat mine with some whole wheat pita bread or reduced-fat Wheat Thins. What’s great about hummus is that you can dip anything in it, from celery to tomatoes to carrots.
9. 1/4 cup mixed nuts, low salt or salt-free (200 calories) – Unfortunately, I have a nut allergy. But many women enjoy having these on hand for a snack. Nuts are great proteins which include heart-healthy fats, antioxidants, minerals and fiber. This is a good go-to if you have trouble getting some protein in your diet.
10. Hard-boiled eggs (72 calories) – Another easy way to sneak in some protein. While this does require refrigeration, they certainly are very portable. *Tip* Make a bunch of eggs one time for the week so you just grab and go in the morning.
When you were pregnant, what did you like to snack on?
Sharon - MomGenerations.com says
Great tips. Great list! Believe it or not, I craved eggplant when I was pregnant all those decades ago. I still have the little paperback cookbook I bought with lots of “pregnancy” recipes – one being the eggplant recipe I still use today! Wishing you a beautiful journey with your new little miracle and lots of good eating!
Sharon – MomGenerations.com recently posted…Ziploc Fresh 180 Challenge: Fitting Back into my Skinny Jeans
Courtney says
Thanks so much Sharon! Would love to see that eggplant recipe.
Shell says
Great tips! I was so sick with both pregnancies, I had to eat whatever I could keep down and agree with me, which wasn’t much of anything! Toward the end of both I was a little more stable and had random cravings- Spicy Indian food for my first pregnancy, and endless amounts tomato soup for the second! SO weird! haha!
Jackie Hennessey says
What a helpful list, Courtney. I’ll refer to this great list of healthy snacks even though I’m NOT pregnant. Thank you!
Courtney says
Jackie, good point! ๐
Chelley @ A is for Adelaide says
Great list! I pinned it for future use!
Chelley @ A is for Adelaide recently posted…Marvelous Monday
Courtney says
Thanks so much Chelley!