Healthy Snacks For Pregnant Women – Some Recipe Ideas
If you’re expecting a baby and are concerned about your nutrition, check out our suggestions for healthy snacks for pregnant women. Getting the nutrients you and your baby needs in your 40th week of pregnancy is essential.
In the following we give you some suggestions for simple and healthy snacks for pregnant women . Not only are they nutritious, they are delicious too!
First, let’s clarify common nutritional needs during pregnancy and dispel an age-old myth: Pregnant women don’t have to eat for two.
As a matter of principle, expectant mothers should strive to maintain a wholesome diet based on tried and tested approaches.
If a woman is a healthy weight early in her pregnancy , she doesn’t need to increase her calorie intake until the second trimester.
At this point, she should only add about 300 calories to her original daily ration. Eventually, by the third trimester, she can add around 450 total calories to her original daily ration.
What nutrients does a pregnant woman need now? The most important are certain vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins B and C, folic acid, calcium and iron.
With this in mind, here is a list of healthy snacks for pregnant women that you can consume during pregnancy. We hope you like them!
5 healthy snacks for pregnant women
1. Homemade granola bars
Granola bars are a great way to include carbohydrates in your diet. They are healthy and nutritious. If you’re making granola bars yourself, you can add any fruit like apples, strawberries, or apricots.
Homemade granola bars are easy to make: melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a bowl and add 3 1/2 tablespoons of honey and 2/3 cup of sugar. Then stir in 1/2 cup of oats, 2/3 cup of chopped fruit, and 1/4 cup of puffed rice.
Mix well to a homogeneous mass and transfer to a greased pan. Let cool down. Finally cut into strips and enjoy!
2. Oatmeal with pieces of banana
There are many benefits to eating oatmeal. Not only are they a good source of energy, but they also lower cholesterol and prevent constipation during pregnancy.
To prepare this tasty snack, mix 1/2 cup of oats with half a liter of hot water in a small or medium-sized saucepan and heat the mixture on the stove, stirring constantly, until the ingredients are completely blended.
Finally, take the pot off the stove and let it cool down a little. Now cut the banana into small pieces and add it.
3. Fruit salad
This is one of the healthiest snacks for pregnant women and it is also very easy to make. Fruit salad is very rich in vitamins, which makes it a highly recommended snack during pregnancy.
You have to mix a variety of finely chopped fruits together. The best thing about fruit salad is that you can make it any way you like. You can add kiwi, banana, orange, strawberry, peach, pear, pineapple, or other fruits.
Another benefit of fruit salad is that you can store it in the refrigerator for the next day.
4. Yogurt with berries
Dairy products are a good natural source of calcium, an important nutrient in pregnancy. Yogurt with berries is one of the most popular healthy snacks for pregnant women.
Just take your favorite yogurt and stir in blueberries, raspberries, crushed strawberries or other fruits. If you prefer homemade yogurt, search for an easy recipe online or search your old family recipe box.
5. Cheese, tomato and lettuce sandwich
We must n’t forget about the expectant mothers who crave a heartier snack. We recommend making a simple sandwich.
Whole grain bread is a great choice. If you can, buy fresh farm cheese. Farmer’s cheese is low in calories but high in protein and calcium. Finally, add the tomato and lettuce (lettuce contains folic acid, which is important during pregnancy). Dig in!
You can also use turkey slices for the sandwich. Turkey is healthy and low in fat.
More tips on nutrition during pregnancy
A healthy diet is important for the expectant mother during pregnancy. These include, for example:
- 5 meals a day. This is an important point. If you eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two healthy pregnant snacks as part of your routine, you will be well catered for. Plus, you’ll digest food better and feel less full.
- Include a large amount and variety of fruits and vegetables in your diet.
- Eat a balanced diet. No single food, no matter how healthy it is, will meet your and your baby’s needs.
- Avoid sugar and saturated fat.
- Reduce or avoid your caffeine consumption and do not drink alcohol under any circumstances.
- Get used to smoking and do not expose yourself to secondhand smoke.
Ultimately, these are general recommendations. If a pregnant woman is nutritionally deficient, she should contact a doctor. A nutritionist can then recommend a diet that is tailored to you.
