(Photo Credit: Jesse757 on Flickr via Photodropper)

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 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.

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) - 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?

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Courtney

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Courtney is a mom to two kids, 3 years old and under. She's a television journalist by day, celebrity news junkie by night. She's dog obsessed and loves to cook. When watching TV, her go-to channels are E!, Bravo, Food Network and ABC Family...Not necessarily in that order. And in case you were wondering, her favorite food is home fries.

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