top healthy pregnancy snacks

Healthy Pregnancy Snacks – The Best Snacks for Pregnant Women

Pregnancy is an exciting and challenging time, and it is essential to spend it with the most benefits for your child-to-be as possible. I know that sometimes during pregnancy, eating can be tough (sorry), but even enriching your diet with healthy snacks can make a massive impact on your lovely child!

In this article, I will share with you my favorite healthy snacks, which I love during my pregnancy because I consider them to be the best healthy snacks for pregnancy!

Choosing the Best Healthy Pregnancy Snacks

The most necessary attribute of snacks for pregnant women is eating a lot of calories. Although you don’t want to eat candy and drink soda, you want an enormous calorie surplus each day. Most pregnant women will gain 25-40 lbs to support their child!

Check out these healthy snacks which worked well for me while being pregnant!

Fruits with Nut/Seeds Spreads

best options for healthy snacks during pregnancy

My favorite option is to dip apples in peanut, sunflower, or almond butter. As simple as it sounds!

Apples are rich in antioxidants, flavonoids, phytonutrients, and dietary fiber. Daily consumption of apples will promote gut health, detoxification, as well as will help to fight the common pregnancy symptom constipation.

Apples are also rich in Vitamin C, and B-complex Vitamins (Vitamin B6, riboflavin, and thiamine).

Studies suggest that consumption of apples during pregnancy may have a protective effect against the development of childhood asthma and allergic disease. As stated in a study published in the journal Thorax,

“There was no evidence for associations between maternal intake of most foods during pregnancy and asthma, respiratory and allergic outcomes in 5-year-old children, except for apples and fish. Consumption of apples and fish during pregnancy may have a protective effect against the development of childhood asthma and allergic disease.”

Apples work great for boosting energy, and they will also help you to fight nausea.

Nut spreads are rich in micro-elements, and they will help you to consume more healthy fats and calories. Furthermore, nuts will help your body to burn the sugars from fruits slower, which will help you to stay full longer!

You can also consume nut-based spreads with bananas, pretzels (preferably entirely natural pretzels) or anything which sounds good for you!

If possible, try to buy fully natural and organic nut spreads without artificial ingredients, palm oil, GMO, and other harmful ingredients.

Trail Mix

If you are carrying a pack of trail mix, you can rely on a healthy energy boost. Once again, try to find the healthiest possible option for you or make your own.

To make your own pregnancy trail mix, just buy different nuts and dry fruit packs, and mix them together in a container!

Want something sweeter? Add some high-quality organic chocolate bites to your trail mix container and enjoy your day!

Quality Chocolate

what healthy snacks for pregnancy should you eat

Surprised? Real chocolate is fantastic for you and your child-to-be!

Benefits of eating high-quality bitter chocolate include:

  • Assists Weight Loss
  • Reduces Stress, Pain, and Inflammation
  • Improves Brain Function
  • Reduces the Risk of Diabetes
  • Increases Sex Drive
  • Boosts Your Immune System
  • Improves Circulation

Chocolate is also rich in antioxidants and probiotics- which are beneficial for you and your baby.

Of course, buying some “chocolate” bar full of artificial ingredients won’t give you many benefits, but if you pick an organic, healthy option – you won’t regret it!

Superfood Smoothies

good pregnancy snacks

Superfood rich smoothies will benefit your digestion, boost you with good quality energy, detoxify you, and they will enrich your body with antioxidants, healthy fiber, minerals, vitamins, probiotics, and prebiotics.

If you are new to superfood smoothies, try it this way:

Use something as a foundation; usually, I am using banana, berries, yogurt, or spinach.

Next, add a couple of superfoods. I like beetroot powder, spirulina, matcha, maca, peptide collagen powder, plant-based protein, green mixes, and so on.

Following that, add a liquid. You can simply add water, or I like to use coconut water, maple water, aloe juice, goat milk, vegan milks, or you can even use cooled tea.

For your last ingredient, add a natural sweetener. I prefer honey, maple syrup, or agave syrup.

Finally, add some ice and blend!

Making superfood smoothies like these are great healthy snacks for pregnancy!

Kale and Sweet Potato Chips

the best pregnancy healthy snacks

You can buy them or make your own; the choice is yours, but you will never regret having some in your hand!

Health benefits of kale during pregnancy include:

  • Rich in Antioxidants
  • Promotes Healthy Weight Loss
  • Beneficial for Skin
  • Anti-Inflammatory Properties
  • Helps to Activate Detoxifying Enzymes in the Liver
  • Boosts Your Metabolism Naturally
  • Protects Against Muscular Degeneration
  • Improves Your Immune System

Furthermore, kale is rich in phytonutrients, fiber, protein, riboflavin, folic acid, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, copper, manganese, and Vitamins A, C, K and B6.

Benefits of sweet potatoes for pregnant women include:

  • Calming Your Stomach
  • Anti-Inflammatory Properties
  • Full of Nutrients
  • Promoting a Healthy Heart
  • Boosts Your Immune System
  • Rich in Beta-Carotene
  • Beneficial for Lung Function
  • Detoxifying from Heavy Metals
  • Rich in Fiber
  • Promotes Gut Health
  • Regulates Blood Sugar

Sweet Potato Chip Recipe

  • 2 Sweet Potatoes (about 150g each)
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • Sea Salt (as desired)
Preparation:
  • Preheat Oven to 250F (120C)
  • Rince, dry and thinly chop in circles sweet potatoes.
  • Toast sweet potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
  • Layout sweet potatoes on a single layer of a baking sheet.
  • Place potatoes in the oven in a medium shelf and let them bake until they are golden brown. It will take about 2 hours, flip potatoes to the other side halfway through.
  • Let potatoes to cool down for 10 minutes before sampling.

Kale Chips Recipe

You will need:

  • 1 Bunch of Kale
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • Sea salt and Freshly-Grinded Black Pepper
Preparation:
  • Preheat the oven to 275F (135C)
  • Wash and dry kale, discard ribs, tear leaves in 1”-2” pieces and place in a bowl.
  • Drizzle kale with olive oil, try to spread the oil as even as possible.
  • Arrange leaves on a baking sheet in one single layer, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until crispy
  • Store in a container.

Concluding Thoughts – Healthy Snacks for Pregnancy

healthy snacks to eat while pregnant

As you can see, snacking healthy during your pregnancy shouldn’t break your bank! You can benefit yourself and spoil your little one with so many nutrients on a budget as well!

I hope my advice is helpful to you and your baby. My goal is to motivate and help women to be healthier during their pregnancy and regular life. You don’t have to be pregnant to follow this advice, as they will be helpful for any human being who desires to be healthier on a budget without much effort!

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