If you are anything like I am during pregnancy, hunger has the tendency to hit you out of nowhere. If you’re really like me, then the sudden onset of intense hunger brings on horrible heartburn and nausea. I learned right away to keep small, quick snacks at the ready for just such an occasion. Here are my ten favorite, ready-to-go, grab-it snacks that kept me healthy and not hungry, in no particular order:
1. Almonds – This was my favorite easy-snack. They are full of protein and healthy fats, and always curbed my hunger with a simple handful. You can often buy them in different flavors, such as roasted or even cajun.
2. California Rolls – Jasmine rice, avocado, carrot, cucumber, seaweed and imitation crab, or any combination of those, all wrapped up in a convenient little bite? Perfect! Go to a sushi bar or even your local grocer to get a supply of these, and pop ‘em when you feel hunger set in. Throw on a slice of the ginger provided to calm your queasiness, too. They’re quick, yummy and healthy.
3. Melon Cubes – Every few days, cut up a whole large fruit, preferably something easy-going from the melon family. I love pineapple but it didn’t agree with my heartburn, so I kept cubed cantaloupe, honeydew or watermelon in the fridge and popped them as I passed by.
4. Frozen Grapes – This is so simple, and pretty good, too. All you have to do is wash some grapes and put them in a freezer bag to freeze. They are great for summer pregnancies, as they are a nice cool treat. (Great for kids too, of course!)
5. Cubed Chicken – Cook a couple chicken breasts every so often and then cut them into cube pieces, and you can throw them on top off a salad or just pop ‘em as you feel hunger for a quick protein pick-me-up!
6. Cubed Cheese – Can you tell I like cubes? Again, these have hunger-stopping protein and calcium to boot, and can easily be cubed and stored for emergency snacking.
7. Whole Fruit – Apples, pears, bananas, etc. I kept a whole-fruit slicer handy to make easy-to-eat chunks with, just as I do for my daughter. What can I say, I like bite-sized food!
8. Dark Chocolate – Chocolate has a bad rap, but recently it is getting more and more positive attention because of its flavonoid content. Now, too much of anything can be bad, but chocolate is one of the best feel-good foods of all time, especially for women. I kept a bag of premium dark chocolate miniatures on hand, dark because it has less sugar and fat and I actually enjoy dark chocolate a LOT more anyway. I would indulge every so often – the key is not to go over-board. If you still don’t feel comfortable with the caffeine factor, carob products can taste very similar to chocolate and are caffeine free (I drank herbal carob coffee for this reason).
9. Ginger Candy – Ginger can calm the stomach and ease pregnancy nausea, so having these on hand can mean much more than just a yummy treat.
10. Popcorn – It comes in all kinds of flavor combinations at the store, but can be quite unhealthy if loaded with too much sugar or fat. The key, as always, is to read your ingredients label. My favorite variety is the home-made kind, popped to perfection and sprinkled with a little garlic salt and parmesan cheese.
As you may have noticed, many easy, healthy snacks are perfect for keeping handy for kids as well! If you have older children, you may already have a variety of great snacks to choose from at home. If not, this can be yet another great way to practice kid-friendly snacking ideas during pregnancy. What are some of your favorite preggo snacks?
See these related articles for more info:
Let’s Talk Pregnancy –Awesome, Healthy Drink Options
The Let’s Talk Pregnancy Blog Top Ten: Prenatal Eating Tips
Let’s Talk About Morning Sickness