50+ Healthy Pregnancy Snacks

Eating well during pregnancy can be SO daunting for so many reasons, but this list of healthy pregnancy snacks will help you nourish your body… even when you don’t feel your best. With homemade and store-bought options!

Healthy Pregnancy Snacks

One of the hardest things for so many women to handle during pregnancy is figuring out how to feel their best with the increased demands on their body. For me, this was particularly true in my most recent third pregnancy when nausea stayed with me for nearly the entire duration of growing the baby.

Food wasn’t always appealing, but not eating made me feel worse. These healthy pregnancy snacks were the foods that I turned to again and again.

It can help to eat smaller meals and snacks throughout the day to avoid a completely empty stomach, which can make nausea worse.

(You may also like my Pregnancy Smoothie and satisfying Yogurt Muffins.)

Good Foods for Pregnancy

The answer to this may depend on which trimester that you’re in and which symptoms in particular are causing you trouble, if any! Just like when you’re not expecting, we want to eat a range of healthy foods during pregnancy including:

• Whole Grains: for long lasting energy and fiber.
• Healthy Fats: to help stabilize blood sugar and provide energy.
• Protein: to ensure your body has the fuel it needs to grow another person.
• Produce: for vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and hydration.
• Fiber: to help keep things moving along the digestive tract (which has a tendency to slow down during pregnancy).
• Water: to help you feel your best, stay hydrated, and avoid constipation.
• Iron: to help avoid iron deficiency known as anemia, which can cause fatigue and complications for the baby.

TIP: It’s important to eat all of these foods throughout the day, especially protein and fat, to help keep energy levels balanced. (And it can also reduce nausea.)

Healthy Snacks for the First Trimester

During the first trimester of pregnancy, eating well can seem like climbing a mountain, what with all of the morning sickness! Here are some of my favorite bland snacks for the first trimester that still provide some nutrition.

And while I know that carbs are often the only thing that’s appealing, adding in a little protein and/or fat can help you feel a little better between meals. Do the best you can on any given day!

1. Whole grain cereal with nondairy milk (banana optional!)
2. Whole grain toast with scrambled eggs or hard-boiled eggs
3. Whole grain toast with nut butter or cottage cheese
4. Whole grain toast with butter
5. Whole grain crackers with nut butter and jam
6. Pretzels with nut butter or cheese
7. Plainer flavors of Larabar like Cashew Cookie or Apple Pie
8. Dry whole grain cereal (like Kashi Heart to Heart)
9. Bean and cheese burritos
10. Bagel and cream cheese
11. Pasta with butter and Parmesan
12. Chia pudding with granola (find the recipe at the bottom of this post)
13. Avocado toast
14. Simple granola bars
15. Healthy Breakfast Bar

How to Choose Healthy Snacks for Pregnancy Cravings

I know that often times when a pregnancy craving strikes, you really just need to eat that food or no food at all! So I’m not going to tell you to ignore your cravings (ha! Like you could anyway!), but here are some suggestions on how to make sure that it’s not all French fries, all the time.

• Add a side salad or side of fruit to fried foods.
• Choose a whole grain version of a food for more fiber.
• Indulge in the food you really want, but pay attention while eating it so you can stop when you’re full and eat as much as you really need. (It’s totally okay to eat the food you really want.)
• Think about why you might want that food. I know that I often wanted Pad Thai just because it sounded better than anything else, but it’s also possible that you’re seeking comfort because you’re tired or anxious. Just pay attention to potential underlying feelings so you can deal with them too—and enjoy your food.
• When possible, try to add in a beneficial fat (such as avocado, nut butter, dairy, or eggs) to help give you more energy than just carbs.
• Be sure to drink a lot of water!

TIP: It can help to try to remember that you won’t feel awful forever, and that you won’t be eating in such a potentially odd way forever either.

Pregnancy Snacks to Buy

I highly recommend keeping some healthy store-bought pregnancy snacks on hand to help you through each day and night—and to fuel you when you get starving and are out and about.

These are some of my favorites (that are also great to help cope with breastfeeding hunger too!).

1. Kind Protein Bars (I love the Dark Chocolate flavor)
2. RX Bar Vanilla Almond Butter packets
3. PB&J Larabars
4. Kashi Heart to Heart cereal (pair with salted almonds or milk for more protein)
5. Mesa Sunrise cereal
6. Peanut Butter Pretzels
7. Beanitos Nacho Cheese Chips
8. Whole grain bagels with butter or cream cheese
9. Pita bread with nut butter or hummus
10. Pretzels and nut butter
11. Cheese sticks
12. Drinkable yogurt or kefir
13. Whole milk yogurt (the fat will help you stay fuller a little longer) with some granola
14. Roasted chickpeas
15. Low Salt Triscuits
16. Whole Grain Cheese Crackers
17. Coconut Date Rolls
18. Van’s Ancient Grain Waffles
19. Bananas
20. Dried fruit such as apricots

TIP: Don’t feel badly if your craving shift from week to week—that is normal as you progress through pregnancy!

Heartburn-Inducing Foods to Avoid in Pregnancy

If you’re like me and experience heartburn during pregnancy, know that I feel your pain! I’d never had it in my life and I was so unprepared for how unappealing it made so many foods. I learned that not only are foods I expected to be acidic, there are many I didn’t realize would be. Here’s what I tried to avoid to help keep heartburn at bay:

• Coffee
• Tea
• Citrus
• Kiwi
• Tomatoes
• Bananas
• Milk
• Yogurt
• Kefir
• Oats
• Bread

TIP: Talk to your doctor about heartburn relief for medication options that are safe for pregnancy as needed.

Healthy Pregnancy Snacks with Lower Heartburn Risk

Here are some snacks I turned to during the second and third trimesters to help me avoid too much heartburn. Each person is unique, so you may need to have some trial and error as you figure out what works best for you to keep it at bay.

1. Pretzels
2. Apples
3. Dried apples
4. Apple Chips
5. Blueberries
6. Freeze-Dried Blueberries
7. Pears
8. Applesauce
9. Simple Blueberry Smoothies
10. Whole grain crackers and nut butter
11. PB&J Bites
12. Spoonfuls of cashew butter or almond butter
13. Pesto pasta
14. Hard-cooked eggs
15. Bland hummus with carrot sticks or cucumber slices

TIP: Carbonated water can exacerbate heartburn too, so avoid it if it seems to be making things works.

Homemade Pregnancy Snacks

These are some of my go-to pregnancy snacks to make at home. Each is easy and nutritious. And they’re all great to share with other kids you have at home.

Favorite Pregnancy Smoothie

Stay nourished during pregnancy with an easy Pregnancy Smoothie. This is an easy way to get a dose of veggies, protein, healthy fats, iron, and Vitamin C–all in a really yummy (and low acid) smoothie! This is best consumed right away.

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Best Chocolate Smoothie (with Veggies!)

Be sure to blend this super smooth for the best texture. Use any or none of the optional ingredients. See the Notes for how to make this with regular milk.

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Favorite Coconut Chia Pudding

I like to use canned full-fat coconut milk for the best flavor and creamy texture, though you can use “light” coconut milk if that’s what you can find at your store.

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Easy Overnight Oats with Applesauce

You can easily double (or triple!) the recipe to make more servings. It uses a 1 to 1 ratio of yogurt to applesauce so you can easily scale it up. Mix these up the night before you plan to serve them.

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Healthy Breakfast Bars with Jam

Use Sunbutter to make these nut-free. You can cut these into smaller bars if desired. If you want them a little softer, serve them at room temperature rather than chilled.

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Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins (Little Bites Copycat)

Moist tender Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins that taste as good as store bought, but have a little extra nutrition? Sign. Me. Up. These muffins are seriously delicious and are a must-make if you have fans of Little Bites in your house!

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Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins

Loaded with whole grains and protein, these healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins are a really great standard recipe to turn to whenever you’re in the mood!

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Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Balls

These no-bake bites taste like a cross between oatmeal raisin and peanut butter cookie dough. I use natural creamy peanut butter (like the kind from Smuckers), and it works really well.

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3-Ingredient Cereal Bars

Made with just 3 pantry staples, these bars make an excellent kids snack. They hold their shape best when stored in the fridge and served cold.

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Sweet Spinach Muffins with Banana

These healthy muffins taste like a delicious banana muffin, but with the added nutrition of a big handful of spinach. These store well, so you can make them ahead of time and pull them out of the fridge or freezer to serve.

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Easy Breakfast Burritos

With just 4 simple ingredients, these easy Breakfast Burritos can be made ahead and reheated, or made in minutes and served right away. They’re a protein-packed breakfast to share with the kids.

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4-Ingredient Baked Chicken Meatballs

With just four simple and affordable ingredients, you can make tender Baked Chicken Meatballs to share with the kids. Bonus: You can tuck a veggie into the mix, and they are perfect to batch-cook and stash in the freezer!

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Healthy Pumpkin Bars Recipe

These bars are tender when warm out of the oven, so do be sure to let them cool completely before slicing.

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Easy Fruit Slushie (5 Flavors!)

Made with just two simple ingredients, these fruit slushies are super delicious and refreshing. They’re a great drink for warm days! Plan to freeze the apple slices, grapes, and watermelon cubes the day before (or at least in the morning) when you want to make these.

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Strawberry Popsicles (with Greek Yogurt!)

With bright berry flavor and a creamy texture, these freezer pops are a delicious and nutritious dessert or snack. If making these for a baby, omit the optional sweetener.

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Favorite Lactation Cookie Recipe

This easy Lactation Cookie recipe (with chocolate chips) is so good for breakfast, treats, or afternoon snack. They’re egg, dairy, and gluten-free and are great to share with the kids, too.

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I’d love to know what your go-to pregnancy foods are, so please chime in below in the comments!

• In a medium bowl, stir together the milk, yogurt, honey, vanilla, and chia seeds.
• Place into an airtight container or jars and store at least 2 hours or overnight.

• Serve topped with granola, berries, sliced bananas, or any other desired topping.

Calories: 185kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 3mg, Sodium: 184mg, Potassium: 164mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 13IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 340mg, Iron: 2mg

This post was first published December 2019.