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Nourishing Snacks While You’re Pregnant

Whether you’re trying to curb morning sickness or you just feel hungry ALL the time, nutrient-dense snacks are the ideal way to nourish your body while pregnant.

Why are healthy snacks important?

Pregnancy can leave our bodies feeling exhausted! It can be tempting to grab a bag of chips or something sweet when we begin feeling hungry in between meals as a quick fix. During pregnancy it’s even more important than normal to nourish your body as the foods you eat are aiding the growth of your baby. Think quality over quantity! Eating nutrient-dense foods will satisfy you and keep you feeling fuller for longer as well as giving Bub the best tools to develop into a strong baby

It’s not always easy to incorporate the high amount of fruits and vegetables we need into just three meals a day so eating nourishing snacks in-between is the perfect way to top up your intake!

Snacks don’t have to be complicated or boring! We’ve put together some simple and easy pregnancy snack ideas for you.

During each trimester, different vitamins and minerals help your baby to develop and grow at different stages.

 

First Trimester

Giving your body essential nutrients in the first trimester is crucial to ensure your baby is growing healthy. During the beginning of your pregnancy when your baby develops muscles and organs, your body needs Folate and Vitamin A.

The following snacks are full of Folate and Vitamin A;

  • Sweet potato dip
  • Hard boiled eggs on a slice of wholegrain toast
  • Leafy greens salad
  • Citrus Fruits I.e Mandarins and oranges
  • Nuts & Seeds (keep a mix on hand at all times!)
  • Bananas
  • Avocado on a slice of wholegrain toast or crackers

Did you know sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, a plant compound that is converted into Vitamin A when eaten. Vitamin A is essential for growth of most cells and tissues making it very important for fetal development. During pregnancy, women are advised to increase their intake of Vitamin A by 10-40%. Not only are sweet potatoes full of Vitamin A, they also contain fibre which increases fullness, reduces blood sugar, improves digestive health and mobility.

Try our Sweet Potato Dip recipe!

 

Sweet Potato Dip

Ingredients

  • 1 x Sweet Potato
  • 1 x tsp Ground Cumin
  • 1 x tbsp Cream Cheese (optional)

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
  2. Line baking tray with baking paper
  3. Bake sweet potato in the oven for 2-2.5 hours until a fork can be put through easily
  4. Blend sweet potato with Cumin and Cream Cheese until smooth
  5. Team with vegetable sticks or your favourite cracker!

 

Second Trimester

Calcium, Vitamin D, and Magnesium are important nutrients needed in your second trimester. Calcium helps your baby’s bones and teeth to develop strongly while Vitamin D aids its absorption.

If you’re not getting enough Calcium, your growing baby will take it from your bones and leave you deficient!

A simple and easy snack during your Second Trimester is a handful of Almonds! Almonds are a great source of Calcium, Iron and Fibre. Snack on them as is or sprinkle them onto of cereal, yoghurt or salad.

Other great snacks for your second trimester include;

  • Dark chocolate (a great source of magnesium!)
  • Greek yoghurt with berries
  • Cheese and crackers
  • Cottage cheese, fruit & granola
  • Smoothies

Try our Mixed Berry Smoothie! Get creative and mix it up with your favourite fruits and vegetables.

 

Mixed Berry Smoothie

Ingredients

  • 1 x cup Mixed Berries
  • 1 x Banana
  • 1 x tbsp Chia seeds
  • 2 x tbsp Greek or Coconut Yoghurt
  • 1 x cup Ice
  • 1.5 x Cups of your favourite Calcium-rich milk

Method

  • Blend all ingredients together until smooth.

It’s the perfect guilt-free snack to keep you feeling full! Add in a handful of spinach to turn it into a green smoothie!

 

Third Trimester

During your third trimester, you’ll most likely be as hungry as ever! Eating food that will satisfy you will help to curb the hunger pangs. Protein, Vitamin C, Fibre, Vitamin K, and Vitamin B1 are the most important nutrients to eat when you’re on the home stretch!

Simple snack ideas for your third trimester include:

  • Fruit – Kiwis, strawberries, melon and papaya are all packed full of Vitamin C
  • Coconut yoghurt topped with sunflower seeds and oats
  • Ham and tomato on crackers
  • Raw veggie sticks – Carrot, cucumber, capsicum and celery
  • Porridge topped with seasonal fruits• Peanut butter on rice cakes• Energy bites or protein balls full of healthy fat to satisfy you!

Snacking during pregnancy doesn’t have to be time consuming or difficult. You’re tired, we get it! Have some of our simple snack ideas at-the-ready so when you’re feeling peckish you’re making the best decision for your body and your baby.

Read more about foods to eat while pregnant in our 7 Tips for Healthy Eating During Pregnancy blog post.

 

Bliss Balls/Energy Bites

Ingredients

  • 2 x tbsp Dark Choc Chips
  • 2 x tbsp Honey
  • 1 x cup Oats
  • 1 x cup Almond Meal
  • 1 x tbsp Shredded Coconut
  • 1 x tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 2 x tbsp Peanut Butter

Method

  • Mix all the ingredients into a large bowl. Once it iscombined, roll mixture into bit size balls and store in thefridge.

We bet you won’t be able to stop at just 1!

We asked our friends on Facebook what they loved to snack on during pregnancy, here’s what they said;

“I loved anything cold! Berry sorbetwas my favourite.” – Clare Simpson

“Honestly… Tiny Teddies! I justcouldn’t get enough of them.” – Amy Swane

“Cheese! I would eat it with anything,even apple!” – Ashleigh Skillen

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