When I was pregnant, the more I read about nutrition, the more I worried about my diet. It doesn’t have to be difficult to plan healthy dinners during your pregnancy. When planning meals, it’s important to remember to include a variety of foods. Keep in mind that you don’t need more than an extra 300 calories each day for your baby.
When you are planning your dinners, aim for a balance and include foods from all food groups when planning your dinner menu. Include whole grains, protein, fruits and vegetables. Drink milk with your dinner to add calcium and a serving of protein to your diet.
Whole Grain Foods to Include:
* Baked Potato
* Whole grain rice
* Whole grain pasta
* Bread, rolls, tortilla
Fruits and Vegetables:
* 1/2 cup cooked, frozen or fresh vegetables, such as peas
* 1/2 cup carrots, cooked or raw
* Applesauce or a piece of whole fruit
* Remember to alternate vegetables throughout the week to get a good variety in your diet.
Protein:
* Poultry (chicken or turkey)
* Fish (avoid mercury containing species)
* Soy or Tofu
* Eggs
* Nuts
Cooking meals after a long day of working or caring for children can be exhausting. There are nights when you just won’t have the energy to cook a good, well balanced meal. Meals like homemade chicken noodle soup include foods from all food groups. Soups can be made ahead of time and frozen for the days when you don’t want to cook.
You can cook and freeze meals for the entire week, if you are working full time or don’t have the time to cook. There are many books on the subject that offer recipes for freezer meals. Cook for the entire week on a Sunday and take it easy during the week. As you get near the end of your pregnancy, freeze some extra meals for the early days at home with a newborn.
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Freezing Meals for After the Baby