Healthy snacks for pregnancy are crucial for your baby’s development, satisfy your hunger cravings and provide you with the energy you need. Getting the best nutrition is important at all times, but it’s most crucial during pregnancy. The nutrients in the food you eat support the growth and development of your baby. The changes in appetite you may experience are among the first things you could encounter as your body develops and adapts to pregnancy. Food desires, aversions, and cravings are very typical during pregnancy. In this article, you will read some tips as to how to satisfy your hunger and appetite by having healthy snacks for pregnancy.

Should You Snack When Pregnant?

Some pregnant women start noticing an increase in hunger as early as the first trimester. Pregnancy can cause an increase in appetite, especially by the second trimester when appetite increases and morning sickness may subside. From the second trimester, you require more calories to feed your developing baby. Any time of the day, but possibly notably overnight and early in the morning, you might feel more hungry due to the steady decline in blood sugar levels.

Based on your activity level, age, and individual size (we are all very different) everyone will have slightly different dietary demands. The majority of pregnant ladies can normally maintain a balanced diet without ingesting more calories throughout their first trimester, as a general rule of thumb.

Women should consume about 340 extra calories during the second trimester and 450 extra calories during the last trimester. A pregnant woman of typical weight needs to consume roughly 1,800 calories daily during the first trimester, 2,200 calories daily during the second, and roughly 2,400 calories daily during the third trimester. Remeber these are very rough broad popualtion guidelines – they ar enot individual advice.

Having nutritious, healthy snacks for pregnancy on hand can be a lifesaver, either if you are ridiculously hungry or need to pick all through the day.

What Are Good Snacks to Eat While Pregnant?

Healthy snacks for pregnancy should be substantial enough to satisfy your hunger, without being excessively calorie-dense or interfering with your appetite for a meal. Healthy snacks for pregnancy includes;

1. Fiber
2. Protein
3. Healthy fat and
4. Not too high in calories

Fiber, protein, and healthy fats are the three essential components found in the perfect healthy snack for pregnancy. This snacking trio helps you feel fuller for longer and helps to maintain stable blood sugar levels, which may help to reduce cravings. Choose foods that are high in fiber and low in fat and added sugar. If you choose foods that have a protein source you’ll feel satisfied for longer.

For example, compared to a bag of chips, an apple is a healthier snack, and if you add in some peanut butter it’s a nutritious and filling snack. It has protein, fats, and fiber. Healthy snacks for pregnancy must be nutrient-dense (meaning it provides you with “good nutrients” not just empty calories).  

It’s crucial to select nutritious healthy snacks for pregnancy that are high in quality ingredients. For healthy growth and the formation of it’s immune system, your baby requires a lot of vitamins and minerals. As much as you can, pay attention to the caliber of the foods you choose. Another important aspect of a snack to be healthy is that it should be low in processed sugar. Oh, sugar, how we both adore and detest you. I’ll be the first to acknowledge that sugar is delicious, but it is something we need to keep are eyes on in our diets.

10 of the Best Healthy Snacks for Pregnancy

You might be wondering what are some of the best snacks to always have in the pantry for yourself whilst you are pregnant. Cravings during pregnancy can be ferocious and it is never easy to satisfy them so you must have some go-to snacks that you can munch anytime during the day to keep your energy levels high. Always keep food on hand during pregnancy to keep yourself full when you are out and about. These nutritious healthy snacks for pregnancy will keep you and your baby well-fed because they are filling and nutrient-dense.

1. Yogurt with Nuts and Fruits
2. Smoothies (choose vegetable rather than too many fruit options)
3. Hummus with Pita Bread
4. Granola Bars (read the label so they are not too high in calories)
5. Popcorn
6. Whole Grain Toast with Nut Butter
7. Avocado Toast
8. Chia Pudding with Nuts
9. Fruit Salad
10. Banana Bread

Can I Eat Junk Food in Pregnancy?

Your body goes through a great deal of continuous change from the time your pregnancy test indicates a positive result until you hold your newborn in your arms. Every bite of food you consume while pregnant has a significant impact on how the baby grows inside of you. Sometimes pregnant women can have some fairly bizarre food desires during pregnancy, especially for unhealthy foods. These cravings can range from oily fried dishes to ice cream at midnight.

The women and the unborn child can be adversely affected by consuming too much “junk food”. Junk food tends to be high in calories and is low in its “nutrient density” – meaning it doesn’t have a lot of good nutrition in it. The placenta absorbs the excess fat, sugar, calories and salt from the pregnant woman’s diet and consequently, this can interfere with optimal growth leading to a baby that can be large for its age and one that may suffer future health problems. It can also make health implications for the mother. A good rule of thumb is “junk food” maybe 1-2 per week at the most.

Best Foods for Morning Sickness

Snacks that are effective against morning sickness are listed below:

• Cold meals like yogurt and smoothies
• Liquids that are cold and frothy, like fruit-flavored carbonated water
• Foods that are simple to digest, such as crackers, bread, and rice
• Fruits like applesauce and bananas
• Ginger tea with freshly grated ginger, ginger sweets, or ginger ale with actual ginger

High-Calorie Snacks For Pregnancy

Pregnant ladies that have struggled in gaining weight must consume high-caloric snacks to have a healthy weight. A healthy weight is necessary for the health of the baby. Being underweight can lead to many complications during pregnancy. Here are some high-calorie snacks to try, although it is important to note that these snacks are healthy options but if you are trying to gain weight you may need a bigger serving or to have them more often.

• Oats porridge
• Tortilla wrap with hummus
• Fruit smoothie
• Toasted muesli with an apple
• Grilled chicken with salad or steamed vegetables
• Bean salad
• Vegetable soup
• Handful of nuts and seeds

Low-Carb Snacks for Pregnancy

• Homemade trail mix
• Cheddar cheese crisps
• Boiled eggs
• Tuna salad lettuce wrap
• Berries with whipped cream
• Stuffed avocado
• Kale chips
• Carrot sticks with peanut butter
• Cinnamon-toasted pumpkin seeds
• Steamed edamame
• Caprese salad

Healthy Sweet Snacks for Pregnancy

Sometimes we are after a little sweetness … try these options

• Medjool dates with almond butter
• Whole grain pretzels
• Fresh fruits with nut butter 
• Frozen banana ice cream with chopped nuts
• Whole grain toast with nut butter and chocolate chips
• Fruit pops
• Yogurt parfaits
• Fruit cake

High Protein Snacks for Pregnancy

Sometimes we require a little more protein to make healthy snacks for pregnancy. Protein fill us up and is a wonderful macronutrient. See here for more protein information in pregnancy.

• Peanut butter
• Roasted chickpeas
• Cottage cheese
• Pumpkin seeds
• Edamame
• Chickpea hummus
• Cashew coconut snack bars
• Tuna salad
• Chocolate chips protein muffins
• Avocado toast with hemp hearts
• Meatballs with zucchini noodles
• Greek yogurt with fruits

Eating a well-balanced diet that includes items from all food categories is vital to ensure that both you and your developing baby have the best possible nutritional status. During pregnancy, it’s crucial to put nutrition first and be kind to yourself. Generally speaking, it’s okay to periodically indulge in the foods you want and desire but for the basis of your diet to be non-processed healthy food. Healthy snacks for pregnancy are helpful in this regard. Throughout your pregnancy, your healthcare provider will carefully examine the health of both you and your unborn child, so be sure to follow up with them regularly. Hopefully, this article has helped for you to indulge in some mouthwatering healthy snacks for pregnancy.