When you’re pregnant, it may be a challenge to get in all the nutrition you need for your growing baby. The old adage of “eating for two” isn’t really true. In fact, according to MedlinePlus, women should really only eat 200-300 more calories a day when they are pregnant, that’s about 1 small snack! That’s why we’ve come up with our healthy pregnancy snacks!
Hunger in pregnancy waxes and wanes. During the first trimester, many mamas find it difficult to keep anything down, but eating small healthy pregnancy snacks throughout the day can help to keep the nausea at bay.
During the second trimester lots of mamas find themselves with energy again and an appetite to boot, in this case healthy pregnancy snacks are helpful for keeping energy up throughout the day.
Finally, during the third trimester, eating full meals becomes difficult due to the ever increasing size of the baby. At this time, healthy pregnancy snacks are essential for nutrition and energy throughout the day!
No matter the stage, healthy pregnancy snacks remain the same. They’re essential for helping stave off nausea and keeping energy levels up!
We love to help out our mama-to-bes, so we’ve come up with some healthy, delicious, energy packed snacks for our pregnant friends! Our list is even friendly for those with gestational diabetes – the perfect blend of protein and carbs!
Healthy Pregnancy Snacks
Choosing the perfect healthy pregnancy snack that tastes good and appeals to you can be a bit tricky. It’s so easy to grab for a bag of chips or a candy bar, and although those delicious snacks can be enjoyed on occasion, they’re not exactly the greatest balance of protein, fat, and energy that your body is craving.
Grab-and-Go Snacks
Our first section of Grab-and-Go snacks are just that. Run to the store, keep these on hand, and grab them whenever you need a little pick-me-up!
- Hummus and Veggies: Hummus is naturally packed with tons of healthy protein and fats. Most grocery stores sell individual containers of hummus, making a quick and easy snack to grab. Get some veggie sticks for a balanced nutritious snack!
- Trail Mix: Store bought or homemade, trail mix has a great balance of sweet and savory. You can mix up a big batch at the beginning of the week and nosh on it all week long or purchase a case of trail mix to keep on hand!
- Cheese Sticks: These aren’t just for little kid lunches! String cheese, Babybel wedges, or Laughing Cow cheeses are packed full of protein and a perfect way to stave off hunger when you’re pregnant!
- Yogurt: There are lots of different choices for yogurt, choose greek yogurt for more protein power, and watch the sugar content. For a super healthy option, get plain greek yogurt and mix in berries and granola!
- Hard Boiled Eggs: Prep some hard boiled eggs at the beginning of the week. Grab one or two for an afternoon snack. Try some Trader Joe’s Everything Bagel Seasoning for some added pizzazz!
- Oranges and Almonds: Something about this super healthy combination just hits the spot.
Easy Snacks with Little Prep
Although not exactly as simple as grab-and-go snacks, these snacks require just a little time or effort and pack a delicious punch! They’re satisfying for those times in the afternoon or evening when you have a few minutes to throw together a snack!
7. Apple Nachos: Slice an apple thinly. Place a tablespoon of nut-butter in the center of a plate, and place apples around it. Sprinkle the plate with chocolate bits (take a dark chocolate bar and slice it up) and coconut flakes.
8. Berry Parfait: Layer yogurt, berries, and granola into a delicious and nutritious parfait!
9. Peanut Butter Celery: Spread peanut butter on a celery stalk. It’ll hit that crunchy salty craving!
10. Protein Smoothie: Blend a frozen banana, protein powder, spinach, and a scoop of peanut butter into a delicious peanut butter banana smoothie that will hit that sweet spot and keep those blood sugars balanced!
11. Avocado Toast: This Avocado Toast recipe by Earth Blokes is a great healthy balanced food! Throw on a fried egg to take the protein content up a notch and keep you full all morning!
12. Charcuterie Snack Box: Cut up cheese cubes, salami, grapes, and some rice crackers for a healthy snack box. Feel free to shake it up with any combination of meat, cheese, fruit, veggie and cracker!
13. Pretzels, Carrots, and Ranch: It may sound like an interesting combination, but something about the salty from the pretzels and sweet from the carrots with the savory ranch make for a great snack! Just grab some carrots and pretzels and dip them in some ranch dressing!
14. Pickle Roll Ups: Pickles are a girl’s best friend while pregnant! These Pickle RollUps by Pip and Ebby are the perfect pregnancy snack!
15. Pickle Sandwiches: Roll a pickle together with some cheese and meat for a satisfying snack!
Worth-the-Time Snacks
Some snacks take a little prep, but that little bit of prep pays off in dividends when you’re hungry later in the week. These snacks are pretty easy to make, but require you to make them ahead of time so you can grab them when you’re hungry!
16. Granola Bars: Whip up a batch of these delicious No Bake Granola Bars by Don’t Waste the Crumbs and you’ll have a perfect sweet and savory snack for the week!
17. Muffins: These Healthy Peanut Butter and Banana Muffins from Fox and Briar are a delicious snack or breakfast! Kids love them, too!
18. Chia Pudding: Chia pudding can be enjoyed in lots of different ways, but check out this recipe from The Gestational Diabetic for Healthy Pina Colada Chia Pudding – Yummy!
19. Frozen Yogurt Covered Blueberries: Even if you’re watching your sugar, having a sweet treat helps hit the spot! These Frozen Yogurt Covered Blueberries by Meals by Mavis are the perfect solution to your sweet treat needs!
No Bake Protein Bites: Although these No Bake Lactation Bites by Your Birth Site are designed for after the baby is born, they’re delicious and have lots of energy you need before the baby arrives, too! Plus you can make these ahead, enjoy some as snacks through the pregnancy. Store some in the freezer for that 4th trimester when you have middle of the night snack munchies!
Conclusion
Picking the perfect healthy pregnancy snacks to have on hand doesn’t have to be hard. There’s enough on a mama-to-be’s plate as is and trying to pick a snack doesn’t have to bog you down. These delicious snacks help keep energy up and nausea at bay.
Look through our great Healthy Pregnancy Snacks to find some delicious and healthy options to get you through your pregnancy… and beyond! We love helping mamas like you!
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