It´s a known fact: pregnant women get hungry, often. It is less known that some nursing mamas feel like they could it a horse in the first weeks or months of breastfeeding (in my case used to thirst).
With this simple snacking plan you will make sure that you don´t go straight after the pizza leftovers whenever you feel your stomach grumbling, and more importantly, that your baby’s nutritional needs will be easily fulfilled as well as yours, at least for the next hour!
So every time you want to eat a bite or two, follow these simple steps:
Start by drinking a glass of water. If it´s winter and you prefer something warm, you can have a cup of herbal tea (caffeine free) instead.
Have a piece of fruit (not juice) or a vegetable portion, like carrot or celery sticks. Best if seasonal and organic, but any fresh fruit or vegetable will do.
Here you have to make sure what you eat is really healthy, so keep the usual baddies to a minimum: white sugar, refined cereals, saturated fats, too much salt, additives… Foods with a low glycemic index will make you feel full and strong for longer.
Some suggestions:
- Low-fat yogurt (you can add fruits, nuts, seeds, honey…)
- A glass of skimmed milk or veggie drink like soya, rice, oatmeal or almond milk. Delicious with Weetabix and honey.
- Cereal bar
- Rice or corn cakes
- Popcorn (best with a sprinkle of sea salt)
- Veggie sushi (raw fish is not recommended during pregnancy)
- Wholemeal bread sandwich. Fillings suggestions: tuna and cucumber, turkey, humus, avocado…
If by now you are full, leave step 4 for another time. Believe me, you will be rooting for a bite again.
If you are still hungry, now is the time to go for the brownies. You already have had some water, fruit and a healthy snack, so you will not feel as hungry as in the beginning. Enjoy!!
There is more: you can make sure your guilty snack is a bit more wholesome by switching to healthier and equally tasty alternative:
- Cookies, biscuits –> wholemeal, brown sugar biscuits; oatmeal cakes
- Mayonnaise –> light mayo, and better still, humus or guacamole
- French fries –> oven baked potatoes
- Brownies –> homemade wholemeal carrot cake, with olive oil instead of butter, yogurt instead of cream
- Milkshake –> yogurt smoothie
- Bacon, sausages, burger –> veggie sausages, veggie burger
- Butter –> olive oil, tahini
Final tips:
A good diet begins when you are food shopping, so always make a list (and stick to it) and don´t go to the supermarket with an empty stomach.
Take some water. a piece of fruit and a healthy snack (steps 1,2 and 3, basically) when you are on the go or at work, so when temptation burns you are always ready.
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What do think about this little snacking plan? Would you follow it? To harsh, too indulging or just right in your view?
