Healthy Snack Ideas

This goes out to my friend Bonnie, who just let me know that she is pregnant with baby number two. Her first child is seven, so it's been awhile since she's been preggers. She battled and worked hard to lose 100 lbs. after her first baby, so she is concerned about weight gain during his pregnancy. I wrote this article to give her some tips and ideas for healthy snacks during pregnancy that will help satisfy those munchies that you feel without packing on a lot of extra weight.

The first thing to do is talk to your doctor about what she recommends that you eat during your pregnancy. If you are already overweight, you want to be careful about calories in, but if you are not overweight, you don't want to become that way from following that ancient, "I'm eating for two," myth. Factor the calorie counts of your snacks in with your daily calories so that you don't have to worry about over eating.

Keeping a food diary or log helps you to keep track of what you are eating each day. Some women develop strange food craving during pregnancy, and the hormonal tsunami that is going on as your baby grows will make your willpower virtually dissolve. So, try to keep those 'trigger' foods such as salty chips, chocolate and ice cream out of the house.

Here are some healthy snack options that will keep pregnant women healthy and fit:

Fresh fruit
Slice up fresh fruit and enjoy dipped in yogurt or just as it is. In the summer, pop some grapes in the freezer and cool down with this yummy snack. Dip slices of apple into a tablespoon of peanut butter, or enjoy a bow of fresh cherries or blueberries for a natural source of vitamins and anti-oxidants.

Yogurt
Yogurt is full of calcium, protein, and the live, active cultures that help digestion which is where the majority of your immune system lives. Try plain, low fat yogurt, and add some fresh fruit.

Greek yogurt is thicker and creamier than traditional yogurt because it is strained three times as opposed to the normal two times. Removing the extra water and whey makes the texture more solid, it's lower in sodium and higher in protein.

One of the downsides of Greek yogurt is that in the straining process, some of the calcium gets removed. Straining off the liquid concentrates the product making it higher in fat and calories, so opt for the non-fat version if you are watching your weight.

Nuts provide protein, calcium and fat, and they help you feel full quickly. Just don't overdo it with the nuts because while they are nutritious, they are high in calories and fat.

Fruit smoothies
Throw some blueberries, sliced banana, mango, or peaches and orange juice into the blender with some ice and whip up a cool, delicious smoothie. Try your own recipes combining your favorite fruits.

Veggies and hummus dip
Slice up some carrots, and celery, sugar snap peas in the pod, or some cucumber slices and dip them into some calcium-rich hummus dip for a light, healthy snack.

Lettuce wraps
Use large leaves of Romaine lettuce to wrap slices of turkey and low fat cheese to make a nutritious, low calorie snack.

Whole grain crackers and low-fat cheese is a nutritious snack, which is full of fiber and calcium from the cheese.

Making healthy food choices, eating frequent, smaller meals spaced throughout the day, getting plenty of excercise and sleep will help you have a healthy, enjoyable pregnancy without worrying about weight gain.