As your body grows and adjusts, you may experience appetite changes.Food cravings, as well as aversions, are extremely common inpregnancy—and so isfatigue. Because you’re tired, stocking your pantry with ingredients to prepare easy-to-make, healthful snacks is essential.
In the first trimester, you may find that you can only eat small portions at a time due to morning sickness, increasing your need for snacks. By the second and third trimester, energy needs increase and healthy snacks can help ensure you’re getting adequate nutrition.
Verywell / Jessica Olah
What to Eat During Pregnancy
To optimize maternal health and support fetal growth and development, it’s important to eat a well-balanced diet that contains foods from all food groups. This can include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, high-quality protein, and dairy products.It’s also important to wash fruits and vegetables before consuming them to reduce the chance of ingesting “bad” bacteria.
If you experience morning sickness, you can try replacing large meals withhealthy snacksevery one to two hours and drinking plenty of fluids to help reduce nausea.
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12 Healthy Snack Ideas
Carrots and Hummus
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Not only are raw veggies like carrots and bell peppers crunchy and delicious, but they’re also much lower in fat and sodium than traditional chips. Pair them with hummus for a tasty, nutrient-rich snack.
Yogurt and Fruit Parfait
kirin_photo / Getty Images
Serving:1/2 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup berries, 2 tablespoons nuts or granolaCalories:225
Yogurt is rich in protein andcalcium. It’s also packed withprobioticsto promote a healthy digestive system. Pair with fresh berries for an antioxidant-rich, nutritious snack to help you stay satisfied until your next meal.
Rice Cakes With Nut Butter
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Serving: 2 plain rice cakes and 2 tablespoons almond butterCalories:242
If you’re experiencing a sweet tooth, spread nut butter on a rice cake for a satisfying, midday snack. You can also prepare it with a banana or dark chocolate chips for an extra-sweet treat.
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Cottage Cheese With Berries
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Serving:1 cup cottage cheese and 1/4 cup berriesCalories:198
With nearly 11 grams of protein per serving,cottage cheeseis a nutritious on-the-go snack for pregnancy. It’s also a good source of calcium to keep your teeth and bones strong. Pair it with fresh berries for added flavor and nutrients.
Nuts or Trail Mix
Elizaveta Antropova / Getty Images
Serving:1 ounce (about 23 almonds)Calories:167
Nuts and seeds are always great to have on hand because they require little preparation. They’re also rich in protein,healthy fats, and vitamins and minerals to keep you satisfied when a craving strikes. Almonds and other nuts also pair nicely with string cheese for a filling on-the-go snack.
Popcorn
Food & Wine / Samantha Lande
Serving:3 cups air-popped popcornCalories:100
Popcornis a whole grain and is high in fiber and can be a healthy snack when it’s air-popped and lightly seasoned. However, it’s best to skip or limit popcorn that’s coated in sugar, such as caramel corn.
Egg on English Muffin
Juanmonino / Getty Images
Serving:1 English muffin and 1 scrambled eggCalories:208
During pregnancy, it’s crucial to get enoughvitamin Dto maintain proper levels of calcium. Egg yolks contain a high amount of vitamins D, A, E, and K.
Simply scramble an egg and serve it on a toasted English muffin for a convenient, nutritious breakfast meal. Remember to make sure the yolk is cooked thoroughly to destroy any harmful bacteria.
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Smoothie
Berry Cherry Smoothie.Credit: Masahiro Makino/Getty Images
Serving:1/2 banana, 1 cup raspberries, 1 cup almond milk, 1 tablespoon nut butter, 1/2 cup iceCalories:270 calories
Fill your smoothie full of natural sources of B6 likebananas, spinach, walnuts, and avocados.
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Boiled Eggs
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Serving:1 hard-boiled eggCalories:78
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Avocado Toast
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Serving:1 slice whole-wheat toast and 1/4 avocadoCalories:142
Avocados contain large amounts of key nutrients you need during pregnancy, such as folate, healthy fats, andpotassium. Pair it with whole-grain toast, and you’ve got yourself a fiber-filled satisfying snack.
To make, mash the avocado in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread on a slice or two of toasted whole-grain bread.
Apple and Cheese
Serving:1 apple and 1 ounce cheeseCalories:214Apples offer filling fiber, as well as vitamins A and C, and potassium. Plus, cheese supplies calcium, protein, and fat for a satisfying snack.
Bananas and Sunbutter
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Serving:1 banana and 1 tablespoon sunbutterCalories:200
Bananas are one of the easiest on-the-go pregnancy snacks. They’re high in carbohydrates which can help you maintain energy throughout the day when pregnancy fatigue strikes.They are also high in potassium, vitamin B6, and fiber.
Adding sunbutter supplies some protein, healthy fats, and magnesium.
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Summary
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6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MyPlate.Pregnancy and Breastfeeding.MedlinePlus.Morning sickness.Réhault-Godbert S, Guyot N, Nys Y.The golden egg: nutritional value, bioactivities, and emerging benefits for human health.Nutrients. 2019;11(3):684. doi:10.3390/nu11030684American Pregnancy Association.Natural sources of vitamin B during pregnancy.Korsmo HW, Jiang X, Caudill MA.Choline: exploring the growing science on its benefits for moms and babies.Nutrients. 2019;11(8):1823. doi:10.3390/nu11081823Nieman DC, Gillitt ND, Henson DA, et al.Bananas as an energy source during exercise: a metabolomics approach.PLoS One. 2012;7(5):e37479. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0037479
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MyPlate.Pregnancy and Breastfeeding.MedlinePlus.Morning sickness.Réhault-Godbert S, Guyot N, Nys Y.The golden egg: nutritional value, bioactivities, and emerging benefits for human health.Nutrients. 2019;11(3):684. doi:10.3390/nu11030684American Pregnancy Association.Natural sources of vitamin B during pregnancy.Korsmo HW, Jiang X, Caudill MA.Choline: exploring the growing science on its benefits for moms and babies.Nutrients. 2019;11(8):1823. doi:10.3390/nu11081823Nieman DC, Gillitt ND, Henson DA, et al.Bananas as an energy source during exercise: a metabolomics approach.PLoS One. 2012;7(5):e37479. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0037479
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
MyPlate.Pregnancy and Breastfeeding.MedlinePlus.Morning sickness.Réhault-Godbert S, Guyot N, Nys Y.The golden egg: nutritional value, bioactivities, and emerging benefits for human health.Nutrients. 2019;11(3):684. doi:10.3390/nu11030684American Pregnancy Association.Natural sources of vitamin B during pregnancy.Korsmo HW, Jiang X, Caudill MA.Choline: exploring the growing science on its benefits for moms and babies.Nutrients. 2019;11(8):1823. doi:10.3390/nu11081823Nieman DC, Gillitt ND, Henson DA, et al.Bananas as an energy source during exercise: a metabolomics approach.PLoS One. 2012;7(5):e37479. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0037479
MyPlate.Pregnancy and Breastfeeding.
MedlinePlus.Morning sickness.
Réhault-Godbert S, Guyot N, Nys Y.The golden egg: nutritional value, bioactivities, and emerging benefits for human health.Nutrients. 2019;11(3):684. doi:10.3390/nu11030684
American Pregnancy Association.Natural sources of vitamin B during pregnancy.
Korsmo HW, Jiang X, Caudill MA.Choline: exploring the growing science on its benefits for moms and babies.Nutrients. 2019;11(8):1823. doi:10.3390/nu11081823
Nieman DC, Gillitt ND, Henson DA, et al.Bananas as an energy source during exercise: a metabolomics approach.PLoS One. 2012;7(5):e37479. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0037479
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