20 Healthy (and Tasty!) Pregnancy Snacks
As with many things in life, eating for two isn’t necessarily just about quantity—it’s about quality. The nutrients you take in (or don’t take in) can affect the environment your baby is living in and possibly her future health. In a 2016 Scientific Reports study , researchers found that high-fructose foods messed with the placental function in pregnant mice, suggesting it could have similar implications in human expectant moms. Fortunately, healthy pregnancy snacks don’t have to taste like cardboard. They can crackle, crunch and jolly up your tastebuds just as capably as something from your supermarket junk food aisle. So before you hunker down with that bag of cookies—or get bored to pieces eating plain-Jane raw veggies—take a gander at our roundup of yummy, healthy snacks for pregnancy, all 300 calories or less. You and baby will be glad you did.
Hummus, raw veggies and pita
Love dipping? Chop some of your favorite veggies, unwrap some pita bread and go to town.
The calorie breakdown
Hummus: 140 calories for two ounces (we used Sabra Original hummus)
Raw veggies: 30 calories for one cup of baby carrots, 0 for celery
Pita bread: 150 calories for one pita (Toufayan whole wheat pitas)
Baked potato with yogurt and chives
This isn’t like your typical mid-afternoon pregnancy snacks, but the creamy, rich mix of the potato with yogurt (in place of sour cream) will satisfy any craving—even one for French fries!
The calorie breakdown
Potato: 281 calories for a baked potato with skin (no salt)
Yogurt: 32 calories for ¼ cup of plain, Greek yogurt (Fage 0%)
Chives: 1 calorie for one tablespoon chopped, raw chives
Sorbet with fresh fruit
We know it’s tempting to head straight for the rocky road, but instead of taking in a ton of empty calories, have a refreshing fruit-flavored sorbet with fresh fruit as toppings.
The calorie breakdown
Sorbet: 100 calories for ½ cup (TCBY nonfat and non-dairy sorbet)
Blueberries: 84 calories for 1 cup of raw blueberries
Mixed fruit: 76 calories for a peach, pineapple, pear, grape and cherry fruit cocktail (canned, water-packed cocktail)
Mixed berry smoothie
Thick, creamy and sweet, you’ll get the satisfaction of slurping up a milkshake — just without all the calories (and the sugar crash!).
The calorie breakdown
Mixed berries: 70 calories for one cup of frozen mixed berries (Dole Frozen Mixed Berries)
Blackberries: 90 calories for one cup (Dole Frozen Blackberries, unsweetened)
Skim milk: 90 calories for one cup (Organic Valley Nonfat Milk)
Banana and peanut butter
This nutty banana combo one of the easiest-to-slap-together pregnancy snacks around—it’s sweet, it’s satisfying and you get servings of potassium (which helps improve blood pressure control, among other important functions) and protein all in one bite.
The calorie breakdown
Banana: 105 calories for one medium banana
Peanut butter: 190 calories for two tablespoons (we used Jif All-Natural Creamy Peanut Butter)
Cottage Cheese with fresh fruit
With 16 grams of protein and 10 percent of your daily calcium, cottage cheese is a nutritious go-to snack during pregnancy (and don’t worry, it’s pasteurized!). Add a little fruit for sweetness.
The calorie breakdown
Cottage cheese: 270 calories for 1 and ½ cup (1 percent Friendship Cottage Cheese)
Strawberries: 49 calories for 1 cup of halved strawberries (about 152 grams)
Dried fruit and nuts
Prepackaged trail mix sounds like an easy on-the-go snack, but be careful you’re not overdoing it on the sodium. Instead, get a lightly salted or totally unsalted mix of dried fruits and nuts — they pack a heart-healthy punch and will keep you feeling fuller and longer than a carb-heavy snack would.
The calorie breakdown
Dried fruits and nuts: 300 calories for ½ cup (Kar’s cranberry almond delight)
Popcorn
Skip the movie theater popcorn and make your own at home to save calories — and avoid the butter-and-salt bloat! To make it taste like gourmet, add some grated Parmesan to the top. Yum!
The calorie breakdown
Popcorn: 120 calories for 8 cups of popped popcorn (Orville Redenbacher’s Smart Pop)
Parmesan cheese: 216 for ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
Whole grain cereal
Surprise! Cereal isn’t just a breakfast thing. Pour yourself a bowl anytime you’re craving a crunch. Make sure it’s whole grain: you can get as many as 9 grams of protein, 8 grams of fiber and 16 grams of whole grains in every bite (score!).
The calorie breakdown
Cereal: 200 calories for 1 cup (Kashi GOLEAN Crunch)
Skim milk: 90 calories for one cup (Organic Valley Nonfat Milk)
Salsa and chips
Salsa is loaded with fresh tomatoes and veggies. Baked chips are fine—but healthy pregnancy snacks should sport more nutritional oomph. So chop up some extra carrots, zucchini or whatever you’re prepping for dinner and you’ve got a next-afternoon crunch fest ready for dipping.
The calorie breakdown
Salsa: 40 calories for ½ cup of salsa (Tostitos Chunky Salsa, Medium)
Chips: 240 for 32 chips (Tostitos Oven Baked Scoops)
Avocado Toast
The avocado-everything madness works great for pregnancy snacks too. Just mash up half an avocado (aka your dose of good fats), slather onto whole grain toast, and give a squeeze of lemon—and even honey, if you’re hankering for something sweet.
The calorie breakdown
Avocado: 161 calories (for half)
Whole grain toast: 109 calories (for 1 slice)
Lemon: 0 calories (for a squeeze)
Honey: 21 calories (for 1 teaspoon)
Whole grain waffle with peanut butter
Another breakfast snack you can enjoy later in the day? Waffles! We love ‘em right out of the toaster, when they’re still hot, with a scoop of peanut butter (protein!).
The calorie breakdown
Whole grain waffle: 104 calories for one round waffle
Peanut butter: 190 calories for two tablespoons (Jif All-Natural Creamy Peanut Butter)
Yogurt and fresh fruit
The best healthy pregnancy snacks are easy to pack for the office. Enter: Yogurt. It’s quick. It’s simple. And if you opt for Greek yogurt instead of regular, you score extra protein points.
The calorie breakdown
Yogurt: 100 calories for one container (Fage Greek Yogurt 0%)
Strawberries: 49 calories for 1 cup of strawberries cut in half (about 152 grams)
Kiwi: 42 calories for 1 cut-up kiwi
Peaches: 61 calories for 1 cup of peach slices
Hard-boiled egg with crackers
While it won’t win an award for best-smelling snack (maybe keep this one at home), a hard-boiled egg is loaded with 2 percent of your daily calcium, 6 percent of your daily vitamin A and 6 grams of protein. It’s a total win for moms-to-be.
The calorie breakdown
Hard-boiled egg: 154 calories for 2 large cooked hard-boiled eggs
Crackers: 140 for 15 crackers (Multigrain Wheat Thins)
Sweet potato chips
The potassium and magnesium in sweet potatoes help control your blood pressure (so you even reduce your risk of pregnancy complications), and they’re a tasty, crunchy snack you can feel good about eating.
The calorie breakdown
Sweet potato chips: 288 calories for 48 chips (Good Should Taste Good Sweet Potato Chips)
Apple, almonds and cheese
Say hello to the classic triple threat among all healthy pregnancy snacks. You’ve got something crunchy, something tart and something creamy, plus a dozen nutrients to keep your energy up all afternoon. (Don’t worry: Babybel is pasteurized and totally safe for pregnant women.)
The calorie breakdown
Apple: 116 calories for a medium-sized apple (skin on)
Almonds: 104 calories for 15 raw, unsalted almonds
Cheese: 50 calories for one mini cheese wheel (Babybel Light cheese)
Oatmeal, walnuts and raisins
Load up on fiber! It’s great for your digestive system and will keep you full longer than a bag of Cheetos will.
The calorie breakdown
Oatmeal: 160 calories for one low-sugar packet (Quaker Weight Control Instant Oatmeal, maple and sugar)
Raisins: 42 calories for one miniature box of seedless raisins
Walnuts: 92 ½ calories for 7 halves, unsalted
Whole wheat bagel and almond butter
You don’t have to ditch bagels just because you’re expecting. Just substitute whole wheat for your typical plain, and stick to half. It’s fibrous, filled with proteins and comes without all the saturated fat (score!). Skip the cream cheese and try nut butter in its place.
The calorie breakdown
Whole wheat bagel: 160 calories for one half (whole wheat bagel from Dunkin’ Donuts)
Almond butter: 101 calories for one tablespoon (plain, unsalted almond butter)
Edamame
This sushi-bar staple makes for a tasty pregnancy snack. These days, you’ll can find a pouch in many grocer’s freezers (even Bird’s Eye has its own rendition). Just toss a serving in the microwave and voila! Your 3 p.m. hit of vitamin C.
The calorie breakdown
Edamame: 90 calories (for 3/4 cup)
Spiced Apples
How about some pie? Or at least a sweet-tooth-happy snack that tastes like one? Slice away the peel of your fave apple and cut into wedges. Place into a bowl, sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg, then microwave, covered, until softened. (Careful, it’s hot!) Totally warms you up on a chilly days (or hyper-AC’d offices).
The calorie breakdown
Apple: 77 calories (medium)
Cinnamon: 3 calories (half teaspoon)
Nutmeg: 6 calories (half teaspoon)
Updated December 2017
Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.
Plus, more from The Bump:10 Pregnancy Foods to Eat for Baby
