Healthy snacks throughout pregnancy - BabyCentre

Healthy snacks throughout Which snacks are good in my first trimester? Which snacks are good in my second trimester? Which snacks are good in my third trimester? How can I have healthy snacks at work? What treats can I have?Eating healthily is important in pregnancy. But if you have morning sickness, you may find it hard to eat large meals. That's where snacks come in.

These snacks will satisfy your hunger and provide you and your growing baby with what you need at every stage of your pregnancy.

Which snacks are good in my first trimester?

In your first trimester (four weeks to 13 weeks), you don't need more calories, but you do need more folate (Williamson 2006).

You should eat plenty of folate-rich foods (NHS Choices 2013, Rees 2013), as well as a daily supplement of 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid(NHS Choices 2013). Folates are the natural form of folic acid that can be found in some foods. Fortified foods, such as breakfast cereals, have folic acid added to them.

To get more folate, have: salads with baby spinach leaves and beetroot steamed asparagus with dips oranges, or a small glass of orange juice cantaloupe or honeydew melon

Keep a stock of sliced wholemeal bread in the freezer, so you can take out a slice when you need it.

Vitamin A is essential for the development of your baby's organs, circulatory, respiratory and nervous systems (Stroebel 2007). It also helps you to fight infection(Van den Broek et al 2010).

Vitamin A from animal foods is called retinol. Eggs and cheese are good sources. Don't have liver, which also contains retinol, as it contains levels that are too high to be safe for you while you're pregnant(EVM 2002).

In plant foods, vitamin A is found as carotenes, especially betacarotene. Our bodies turn betacarotene into vitamin A, so you can't have too much of it.

Orange fruit or vegetables contain betacarotene. Add slices of ripe mangoes, peaches and papaya, to your cereal. You can also make smoothies to take to work, or make your own soups with carrots, butternut squash or sweet potatoes.

Which snacks are good in my second trimester?In your second trimester (14 weeks to 27 weeks), focus on getting enough calcium, as this is when your baby's teeth and bones are starting to develop. Vitamin D helps your body absorb and use calcium. Your midwife will have advised you to take a daily 10mcg vitamin D supplement (NHS Choices 2010) from your first trimester. So you should be getting plenty of vitamin D already.

You need to keep up your body's stores of calcium so you and your baby have enough throughout pregnancy. Calcium may also have other benefits, such as reducing your risk of high blood pressure (Hofmeyr et al 2010).

Dairy foods (choose reduced-fat versions) such as a low-fat or plain yoghurt or milk-based drink, are good sources or calcium.

If you don't eat dairy, you should have calcium-fortified soy products, such as soya yoghurts. Dried figs and almonds also contain calcium.

A snack of sardines on toast will give you a calcium boost if you eat the soft bones mashed, as well as iron and omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are important for your baby's brain and eye development (SACN 2004).

Another bone essential is magnesium (NIH 2009, NHS Choices 2012). Magnesium-rich snacks are a glass of milk, a baked potato, or a handful of sunflower or pumpkin seeds. Magnesium also helps your body to work more efficiently. It helps you to convert the food you eat into energy (NHS Choices 2012b) and regulate your body temperature (Makrides 2001).

Which snacks are good in my third trimester?You need extra energy (Nice 2010), vitamin C and thiamine (vitamin B1) in your third trimester (28 weeks-plus) (Williamson 2006). That's why eating an extra 200 calories every day in the third trimester is recommended (Nice 2010). See our healthy 200-calorie snacks slideshow for inspiration.

A slice of wholemeal toast with yeast extract and a tomato, or a bowl of mushroom soup followed by a satsuma, are good options.

Vitamin C is essential throughout pregnancy. It plays an important role in: protecting cells against damage keeping your immune system in good shape helping the placenta to develop and work properly helping your gut lining to absorb vital iron from food (NHS 2013).

Fruit and vegetables are high in vitamin C, as well as other vitamins and minerals, so they make excellent, handy snacks. Try tomatoes in salads or blitz up strawberries, citrus fruits, and kiwi fruit into smoothies.

Vitamin C can be destroyed by overcooking, so try eating a few raw vegetables, or lightly steam or microwave vegetables, to retain nutrients. Carrot, celery, red pepper and radishes are ideal for dipping into guacamole, hummus or salsa.

Boost your B vitamins by snacking on low-sugar, high-fibre, fortified breakfast cereals. The B-group vitamins are: vitamin B1 (thiamine) vitamin B2 (riboflavin) vitamin B6 vitamin B12 niacin folate

You need extra thiamine in your last trimester, as it helps you to release energy from foods (Williamson 2006). Pork is an excellent source of thiamine. Have the occasional good-quality grilled sausage or slice of lean ham.

Beans, brown rice and green vegetables also contain thiamine. Try a slice of granary toast with baked beans for a nourishing boost.

You may become more constipated in the third trimester. Fibre and water are essential to ease constipation, and you should be drinking about eight glasses 1.5 litres (2.6 pints) of fluid a day (NHS Choices 2011a).

Your fluid intake can come from water, decaffeinated drinks, juices or soups, or even foods. Fibre tends not to be broken down in the gut, so it keeps things moving, and wholegrain cereals and fruit and vegetables are good sources. Opt for brown rice, pasta, potatoes in their jackets and wholemeal bread. Make sure that you have at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

How can I have healthy snacks at work?

First trimester Boost your folate and fibre intake by mixing segments of a large orange with chopped dates. Pop in an airtight container with a spoon. Make vitamin A-rich soups. Fry an onion in a tablespoon of vegetable oil until soft, add six medium-chopped carrots and half a chopped butternut squash. Add 750ml low-salt vegetable stock, and simmer for 20 minutes. Blend and then grate over lots of nutmeg. Warm and pour into a flask when you want it, and freeze the rest. Or if time's short, head for the chiller cabinet for an orange-coloured soup that's low in salt. Ditch the can of cola for a smoothie that's packed with vitamin A and C. Blend a 350g pack of fresh fruit salad that contains mango, ripe papaya and pineapple, with 150ml unsweetened apple juice. Pour into a container and chill until you need it. If you're buying a smoothie, check that no sugar has been added.Second trimester Try small packs of figs and apricots, which contain calcium and iron. Spoon some reduced-fat greek yoghurt into a small container with chopped almonds and dried apricots or prunes for a calcium and iron-packed snack. Have a pot of hummus to hand. It's easy to make and you can add tahini paste, which is a good source of calcium.

To make your own batch, blitz up a large drained can of chickpeas with a tablespoon of lemon juice, two garlic cloves, a tablespoon of tahini, a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and enough water to make a smooth paste. Chill. Otherwise, look for reduced-fat hummus in the chiller cabinet. Snack packs are ideal for stashing in the fridge at work.Third trimester Carry a small pack of fibre-rich, bran-based cereal with you, and add milk at the office. Make a bean salad by mixing drained and rinsed canned beans, chopped tomatoes and cucumber, and a spoonful of your favourite salad dressing. Packed with thiamine and fibre. Smoothies supply fluids, vitamins and fibre. Make your own using seasonal fruit, and add yoghurt for extra calcium and riboflavin. Blend a pot of plain low-fat yoghurt with a small banana, a stoned nectarine, peeled kiwi and a handful of raspberries. Chill and pop into a flask.What treats can I have?These occasional treats are as delicious as they are healthy.

First trimester: a small slice of carrot cake (homemade, if you've time) for vitamin A from the carrots, vitamin E from the oil and walnuts, as well as fibre.

Second trimester: make some flapjacks for a calcium and magnesium boost.

Melt 75g sunflower margarine or olive spread and 75g demerara sugar together. Stir in 100g rolled oats, 25g chopped almonds and 25g pumpkin seeds. Press into a greased 20cm (7.8in) square tin. Bake at 200 degrees C (gas mark six) for about 15 minutes until golden brown. Cool slightly and cut into fingers before leaving them to cool completely.

Third trimester: give yourself an energy boost with a bacon and tomato sandwich. Grill two rashers of unsmoked, thinly-sliced streaky bacon, and make a sandwich with fresh granary bread and sliced, vine-ripened tomatoes. Full of vitamin C and thiamine, and will give you energy.

Now you've sorted out your pregnancy snacks, see our trimester-by-trimester meal planners.