When you think of pregnancy snacks you may be thinking of weird things like pickles and peanut butter, or Doritos and ice cream. During pregnancy, it is important to nourish your body with healthy and delicious snacks.
While it isn’t a bad thing to give in to cravings, you usually have a craving because your body is signaling to you that it needs various types of nutrients.
I wanted to put together a list of the best pregnancy snacks to keep you and your baby healthy and nourished.
The Importance of Snacks During Pregnancy
Snacks are important during pregnancy to help provide the extra nutrients it takes to support and grow another life. Treats every now and again won’t hurt, but the purpose of these snacks is to make sure that you get those extra calories and nutrients.
During pregnancy, snacking provides a lot of different benefits such as:
- Fuel
- Satisfying Hunger
- Reducing Cravings
- Avoiding Junk
- Reducing Nausea
Things To Look For In A Pregnancy Snack
These are the things that I look for in a pregnancy snack. These few things are important to consider when putting together your snacks.
- Protein – Protein is a vital nutrient during pregnancy. This is because all of our cells contain proteins. Protein is needed to build and repair cells. During pregnancy our bodies are building a whole human, so protein is a must.
- Fiber – Fiber helps to keep your body regular which is a definite must during pregnancy.
- Healthy Fats – Healthy fats give your body energy, protects organs and keeps the body warm. Another cool thing about fats is they help to produce hormones and absorb vitamins.
- Vitamins – Vitamins are important in our bodies functions helping with immune health, maintaining muscle health, promoting a good mood and reducing stress.
- Complex Carbs– Complex carbohydrates are a source of energy. Things like peas, beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables are complex carbs. These things raise blood glucose levels and provide a long term source of energy.
Related Post: Best Foods to Eat and Avoid During Pregnancy
The Best Pregnancy Snacks That You’ll Love
It is important to have a balance in your snacks in general, but especially your pregnancy snacks. It is also important to make sure that you’re eating snacks you love and even giving into those cravings.
Keep reading for the best pregnancy snacks that you’ll love!
The Best Healthy Pregnancy Snacks
In general, you want to try and follow the 80/20 rule. 80% nutritious and 20% treats.
This type of rule should apply to snacking as well. Here are my best healthy pregnancy snacks!
Celery and Peanut Butter
While it may not be a culinary masterpiece, this simplistic and easy snack is one you can’t beat. I honestly am not a fan of celery, but peanut butter and celery together are one of my favorite snacks. The salty peanut butter combines with the celery to make its own unique taste!
Apples and Peanut Butter
While apples alone are good, there is no protein in them. The simple addition of some peanut butter to apple slices makes such a simple but delicious snack!
Grab a handy apple slicer to make this snack a breeze!
Nutella and Strawberries
This delicious pregnancy snack idea comes from @marjonslookbook on Instagram. It reminds me of decadent chocolate-covered strawberries (without all the guilt). All you need is some fresh strawberries, toast, and Nutella.
Greek Yogurt and Granola or Nuts
Granola and nuts both come in multiple different varieties with many different ingredients mixed in. Mixing one that you like into some greek yogurt gives you a healthy snack that is easy to make!
Bell Pepper and Guacamole
Bell peppers can be combined into a lot of different snacks. One of them is guacamole. The pepper adds a great crunch and bite to the guacamole.
Celery Sticks and Cream Cheese
Just like with peanut butter, cream cheese, and celery can make such a great snack. The combination is a healthy snack that will keep you going.
Add a side of almonds for some extra protein.
Cherry Tomatoes and Cheese
Cherry tomatoes are a great fruit to snack on by themselves. If you combine them with one of your favorite cheeses, you will have a great snack with a unique flavor that is easy to make.
Boiled Eggs
Let’s be honest, eggs are one of the best foods you can eat. While they are a little tedious to prepare, they are packed full of nutrients and protein to keep you going.
If you are curious and up to trying something new – try hard-boiled eggs in the oven! They are super easy to make, completely hands-off, and perfect for cooking several at once!
Carrots and Hummus
Hummus is a very hit-and-miss snack. There are a lot of people who don’t like it, but it does have a lot of different variety to it. If you do like hummus, a fantastic snack is eating it with some carrots.
Roasted Chickpeas
Chickpeas are a great source of protein and are packed full of flavor. If you season them as you want and roast them until they have a nice crisp, then you’ll have an amazing snack to enjoy that is great for you!
Fruit/ Fruit Salad
While not very original, fruit is a great snack for any day. Fruit is full of nutrients that you need to keep going, and it comes in a wide variety of textures and flavors! This fruit salad from @cass_creative_ has me craving a bowl right now!
Gluten Free Crepe
Eat to Heal Real Food Bars
The EatToHeal Blueberry Real Food Bar takes the subtle, refreshing sweetness of the blueberry and combines it with other delicious ingredients from the earth, like dates and almonds. These bars are delicious and satisfy my sweet tooth with only natural sugars!
The Best Bedtime Pregnancy Snacks
Bedtime snacks just hit differently. If you are wanting a bedtime snack, usually you want something quick, easy and that hits the spot.
Try to avoid spicy things before bed to reduce the risk of heartburn. I also prefer to have something a little bit more filling at bedtime.
Here are my favorite before bed snacks.
Avocado Toast
Avacado toast is a fantastic bedtime snack. The carbs from the toast and the vitamins from the avocado give you a nice and tasty snack to sleep on. Plus, the topping ideas are endless!
If you need a quick snack – you can order the avocado already smashed here.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal. One of the most basic types of food you can eat. With the variety of instant oatmeal out there or the numerous different recipes you can make with regular oatmeal, you can basically make any flavor of oatmeal you can imagine!
Adding fruit makes this snack a perfect choice!
Sweet Potato Toast with Nut Butter & Banana
While toast is a quick and easy snack, eating a lot of bread is not necessarily the healthiest. Instead, you can substitute some toasted sweet potato slices. Add some nut butter & bananas on top, and you have an extremely tasty snack!
Banana
A banana is a great option for a bedtime snack. The banana will help keep you full, while the nutrients will help you sleep.
Bananas are rich in potassium and magnesium. Potassium is great for relaxing your muscles and magnesium is great for restful sleep.
Cereal
Cereal is another simple, yet filling snack to hold you over through the night. All you need to do is add some milk and you’re all set. However, adding toppings like raisins, berries, or bananas can make a simple cereal even more delicious.
Leftovers
Leftovers are common in every house. If you are looking for an easy snack, why not eat some of the leftover food in your fridge? The best part, there is no preparation required other than reheating if required.
Quesadilla
Quesadillas are a simple yet amazing snack that are so easy to customize to whatever you are craving. Want something more flavorful, just add some lunch meat, leftover meat, jalapenos, salsa, etc. The possibilities are nearly endless!
Eggs and Toast
There is something amazing about having eggs right before bed. The nutrients and protein packed in those tiny white treasure chests are a fantastic before-bed stomach filler. Add on some toast with butter and you have a tasty treat to ease your stomach to sleep.
Tart Cherries
If you want a treat before bed but don’t want something that you usually eat, tart cherries are always a great snack. There is something addictive about them where you have to make sure to portion out how many you want to eat or the entire bunch will disappear!
Boiled Eggs and Bacon
While boiled eggs are a great snack on their own, adding a couple of slices of bacon to them makes for an even better snack. There is something about the classic combination of eggs and bacon that makes for an amazing snack that will keep you full until breakfast.
The Best Pregnancy Snacks To Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
I know during my pregnancies that I had a major sweet tooth. These snacks are delicious and will satisfy your sweet tooth!
Nomz-Energy Bites
These NOMZ energy bites will leave your tummy full and your sweet tooth satisfied! Each serving of nomz organic bites is packed with hunger-crushing healthy fats, fiber, and protein.
With sulfate-free fair-trade shredded coconut on the outside and a velvety fudge brownie texture inside – even skeptics will be convinced that healthy can be delicious. Go ahead, snack your heart out.
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Dates
This simple and easy-to-make treat is one to share with your friends. If you don’t like dates on their own, don’t worry about it. The peanut butter and chocolate cover/blend with the taste of dates while still giving you all of the nutritional benefits that dates contain.
Delicious Blueberry Muffins
Blueberry muffins are such a staple in the kitchen. It’s a classic treat that the whole family could enjoy. The sweetness from them is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth and curve your appetite.
Peaches & Cottage Cheese
If you are craving something sweet, try combining peaches and cottage cheese! You can really do any fruit you like! I also like to add a sprinkle of granola for a crunch.
Carmel Apple Nachos
This twist on caramel apples is a great snack to keep you going. If you add some nuts, coconut, etc., it’ll make for a completely customizable snack to satisfy any craving you have.
Secret Ingredient Frozen Hot Chocolate
Hot chocolate is a favorite of everyone come wintertime, but what about summertime? This twist on the winter beverage is sure to satisfy your sweet cravings!
ABC Muffins
ABC stands for apple, banana, carrot! You can find the recipe here @thenatalnutritionist. These muffins are gluten free and vegan, but most importantly… delicious!
Protein Balls
These completely customizable protein balls are a fantastic way to curve your cravings. With just five minutes, you can make a protein-packed snack to hold you over until mealtime. Just combine peanut butter, oats, protein powder, and anything else you might be craving
Chocolate Hummus
While it may not sound like it would be appetizing, this bean-based treat is a great way to curve your sweet tooth while still being healthy. The simple, 5-minute recipe will be a sure new favorite that doesn’t fit the norm!
Nice Cream
While ice cream is always a favorite sweet treat, not everyone can enjoy it due to dietary or personal reasons. Thankfully, there is an amazing banana-based sweet treat to keep within your eating restrictions.
Chickpea Cookie Dough
While eating cookie dough is not the healthiest for you, sometimes you just can’t help yourself. That’s what makes this chickpea-based cookie dough substitute the perfect treat. You get the taste and texture of cookie dough while skipping the raw egg and unhealthy parts!
Chocolate Almond Bark
Almond bark is such a classic treat that you can customize quite a bit. The simple change of the type of chocolate or even adding some salt, raisins, etc. makes for a unique and completely personalized treat!
Related Post: 34 Summer Mocktails for Pregnancy: Delicious Cool Drinks
Date & Oat Bars
Dates are a perfect snack for pregnant women, but sometimes it can be hard to force them down. These date & oat bars break up the monotony of dates and make getting ready for delivery a little more delicious.
The Best Pregnancy Snacks For Women On The Go
If you are constantly on the go, it’s easy to grab snacks that aren’t that great for you simply because they are easy.
These are some of my favorite pregnancy snacks for women on the go!
Jerky and Cheese
When on the go, sometimes the simplest snack is best. That’s what makes jerkey and cheese such a fantastic, protein based snack to keep you going!
Trail Mix
While it may be a little cliche, trail mix is a fantastic snack to have on the go. It doesn’t need to be kept cold and is a fantastic source of protein. An added bonus is that it satisfies both cravings for something salty and sweet at the same time!
Dried or Freeze Dried Fruit
Another amazing treat while on the move is dried fruit. Its longevity makes it great to put in your purse and keep there for an “emergency” snack that is still nutritious.
Kate’s Real Food Bars
These Lemon Coconut Bars taste just as delicious as lemon squares while leaving you feeling fueled and energized. These organic bars are made with whole food ingredients like protein-packed almond butter, satisfying coconut, and lemon extract.
Protein Smoothies
If you’re looking for a great snack that you can take on the road with you, protein shakes are a fantastic solution. They are healthy and easy to enjoy while driving. You can stay mobile and have a filling treat to keep you full of energy!
BIENA Chickpea Snacks
Crunchy roasted chickpeas in a variety of can’t resist flavors are the perfect go-to afternoon snack or topper for your favorite dish. Loaded with 4-6 g of plant protein and 5-6 g of fiber to crush those hungry moments and keep you feeling fuller, longer.
Charcuterie to Go
Go ahead and bag up those leftover charcuterie board snacks for a yummy and delicious on-the-go option. Snack bags, boards, and various options are perfect pregnancy snack foods.
Lara Bars
Larabars are a great gluten-free snack to keep you going. They are a fantastic, healthy alternative to your regular granola bars that will keep you moving.
Rice Cake and Peanut Butter
Rice cakes are a good treat on their own, but one way to make them better is to add peanut butter. The extra protein from the peanut butter will give you the energy to keep going and also combines into a great flavor!
Rice Cake and Cream Cheese
Just like with peanut butter, using rice cakes as a base for your snack is a fantastic start to a treat. Adding cream cheese to the top of the rice cakes makes for a delicious snack that is easy to take on the road with you!
Sun and Swell
The ingredients in this trail mix are sourced from California, and each handful is carefully inspected for quality. Each trail mix blend is specially formulated to give you a boost of energy where ever you may be!
Pita Chips and Hummus
Hummus is such an underrated snack, and it is also relatively easy to take with you. Just take some pita chips along as well and you have a great snack to keep you on the move!
Roll Ups
Roll ups are another easy snack to keep you moving. The best part is you can use any meat, cheese, or vegetable that you want to make a healthy and mobile snack!
Cheese, Crackers, and Nuts
The simplest snack is sometimes the best. Taking some cheese, crackers, and nuts with you on the road is one of the simplest snacks you can eat while still providing a filling and energetic pick-me-up.
Nuttee Bean
The power Snack, 14 grams of protein, and 16 grams of fiber, Gluten Free, Free from trans fats, artificial flavors and added sugars. Low sodium and high in flavor and crunch!
Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is the perfect on-the-go snack and is packed with protein to help you feel full longer. It is also low on carbs and sugar – which makes it a healthier choice than most!
The Best Pregnancy Snacks For Salt Lovers
Sometimes you just need a salty snack! In our culture salt is sometimes demonized, but we actually do need salt in our diets only in moderation.
These are some of my favorite salty snack ideas.
Air Popped Popcorn
Popcorn is a great and easy snack for everyone to enjoy. It’s simple to make and will satisfy your salty craving every time!
Add a simple fruit for a hearty snack!
Harvest Snap Peas
If you haven’t tried these, you’re missing out. These bags of delicious saltiness make for an amazing snack to keep your cravings satisfied. They also come in a wide variety of flavors!
Pickles
Pickles are a snack that a lot of people forget about. These pickled cucumbers can make for the perfect salty snack to satisfy your cravings!
Edamame
Edamame is another hit-or-miss snack, but it is a healthier option. If you haven’t tried it, I’d suggest you give them a try. I personally love edamame and think it is a great snack for any time!
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
If you are tire of peanuts, sunflower seeds, etc., give roasted pumpkin seeds a try! They are such a great snack that are similar, yet distinctly different from sunflower seeds. If you haven’t tried them, I would highly advise you do.
Pretzels and Hummus
If you want to add a little saltiness to your hummus, this is exactly what you are looking for. Pretzels are the perfect hummus companion if you are looking for a saltier option when compared to pita chips.
Sweet Potato Chips
Personally, I think that sweet potato chips are amazing. The sweetness of the sweet potato combines with its saltiness to make for a unique chip that you will enjoy every time!
Avocado and Cottage Cheese
Avacado can combine with a lot to make for a great snack. If you combine avocado with cottage cheese, you’ll have a great-tasting snack that is also healthy and filling!
Turkey and Cucumber Bites
Cucumber is a great vegetable to snack on, and combining it with meat, such as turkey, makes for an amazing snack that you can always look forward to and enjoy.
Hillshire Small Snacking Plates
These snack packs are such an easy snack to keep you going. Their convenience combined with the variety they contain makes them a fantastic snack to keep you on the move.
Frequently Asked Questions About The Best Pregnancy Snacks
You might have some burning questions regarding snacking during pregnancy, what you can snack on, and what to avoid. Keep reading for those specifics!
How much can I snack during pregnancy?
In order to support the needs of the developing baby, caloric intake needs to be increased. In the second trimester, 340 additional calories are needed and in the 3rd trimester, 450 additional calories are needed.
Those amounts can vary depending upon your pre-pregnancy health status and if you are having multiples, but those calories should give you a general idea.
Depending on the type of snack you can usually get 1-2 snacks from the increased calorie amount.
What snacks should I avoid during pregnancy?
There are so many snacks out there that you can consume safely during pregnancy. So what snacks should you avoid? Here is a brief list:
- Fish high in mercury
- Premade meat speads and salads
- Undercooked seafood or meat
- Sprouts that are not cooked
- Foods that have not been pasteurized
- Limit caffeine intake (200 mg per day)
- Limit foods that are processed