Snacks for Pregnancy, Breastfeeding & Beyond
- Alex Bunkers
- Aug 20, 2021
- 7 min read
Updated: May 2, 2024
I'm always looking for easy ways to eat healthy for a busy lifestyle and love a good snack - who doesn't! Especially at the beginning of pregnancy you're going to be starving... and snacking is KEY (I'm serious people -- I went from being an intermittent faster never eating breakfast to having snacks stashed in my car, purse, desk, by my bed, etc..). But how do you balance eating enough to avoid nausea with being somewhat healthy? After all, the first trimester is when your baby's brain and body is developing most! Not to mention you're tired and want something easy with minimal prep. I've done the research for you! Check out the list below for some of my favorite snack items for pregnancy, breastfeeding, and everyday snack staples for anyone!
I've broken this out into section categories:
PRO TIP: If you're registered through Amazon, you can actually add all of these items to your baby registry and mark as "private". This means it will not show up publicly for others to see on your registry, just you. As your due dates gets closer, you can go in to your registry and add all these snacks to your cart from your registry to get the completion discount!
First Trimester / Nausea:
The items listed in this section are more targeted towards nausea. My diet during this time consisted of mostly KaChava Smoothies, oatmeal, PB toast, fresh fruit, veggies with hummus, chicken noodle or potato soup, saltine crackers, grilled cheese sandwiches and many of the snacks listed in the general snack section below.
Prenatal Vitamins
0 cal
I know this isn't technically a "snack", but having all the right vitamins and minerals helps cut down on unhealthy food cravings. Of course, take whatever vitamins you are most comfortable with, but I am a HUGE fan of the Pink Stork brand (no I don't get paid by them)....They just have really great products. I use a plethora of their products and took their Premium Prenatal Vitamins throughout pregnancy. This option has ALL the vitamins as well as a built-in "Morning Sickness & Digestive Blend", "Nourishing Baby Blend", and a "Digestive Gut Health" blend. I did not have any morning sickness, which I cannot for sure say was a direct result of using these...but worth trying. You can order a lot of their products on Amazon, but I recommend signing up for the subscription to save money. You can also try their Total Prenatal w/ DHA vitamins (I bought those and occasionally swapped those out with the Premium). Check out all the Pink Stork Pregnancy Products & Bundles here!
Tummy Drops
10 cal / 0g protein / 0g fat / 2g sugar
gluten free / organic / kosher / non-GMO
I made sure I always had these on hand in my purse throughout pregnancy and even brought them to the hospital with me during labor (since they don't let you eat).
Mommee Coffee
10 cal / 0g protein / 0g fat / 0g sugar
organic / fair trade
I personally didn't shy away from coffee or caffeine during pregnancy after reading Emily Oster's Expecting Better, but I did get this to try it out. They have different options between full caff / low acid all the way to no caff/ low acid.
Pink Stork Morning Sickness Tea & Sweets
Sweets: 50 cal / 0g protein / 0g fat / 3g sugar / Vitamin B6
Tea: 0 cal / 0g protein / 0g fat / 2g sugar
BreastFeeding:
With a newborn, you'll want something easy to grab and eat one-handed.
Majka No Bake Lactation Cookie Bites
150 cal / 3g protein / 8g fat / 5g sugar
Vegan / Gluten free / non-GMO / Soy free
Milk to the Max Boobie Bars
230 cal / 5g protein / 12g fat / 11g sugar
Organic / Vegan / Gluten free / Dairy Free/ Kosher / Soy free / Fenugreek Free
Munchkin Milkmasters Lactation Sampler
Pinkstork Postpartum Uplift Tea
0 cal
Pinkstork Postpartum Recovery Tea
0 cal
General Healthy Snacks / Groceries:
Bada Bean Bada Boom Plant Based Protein Crunchies
100 cal / 7g protein / 3g fat / 0 sugar
gluten free / vegan / high fiber / non-GMO / nut free / soy free / kosher
Popcorn
Two brands I like are Skinnygirl and SkinnyPop.
Purely Elizabeth Oatmeal
240 cal / 9g protein / 7g fat / 2g sugar
Vegan / Gluten free / non-GMO
I buy their Oat cups for taking to work and the larger pouches to keep at home. Some of their products have more sugar than others, but I've found the Collagen Protein Oats and Superfood Oats to be pretty low sugar options.
Alyssa's Healthy Bites
90 cal / 4g protein / 3g fat / 2g sugar
Vegan / Gluten free / non-GMO / High Fiber
She has Oatmeal bites, Vegan bites and even chocolate bites!
Raw Superfood Trail Mix
143 cal / 4g protein / 9g fat / 7g sugar
All Natural / Vegan / Non-GMO / No Salt/Sugar Added
Usually I'd say to be careful of trail mixes and nuts since they're very calorie dense, but these can be great on top of oatmeal, yogurt or as a small snack. During pregnancy, calories don't count and these are really great for baby brain development with all the healthy fats!
Blue Diamond 100 calorie On The Go Packs
100 cal / 4g protein / 9g fat / 1g sugar
Vegan / Gluten free / Low Sodium
Primal Classic Beef Sticks
90 cal / 8g protein / 6g fat / 0g sugar
Gluten Free / Whole 30 / Low Carb / Paleo / Keto / Sugar Free
My husband goes through these so quick, they are super high protein and low carb.
High Protein, Low Sugar Yogurt
Oikos: 100 cal / 15g protein / 0g fat / 5g sugar
Gluten free / non-GMO / No Added Sugar
Two Good: 80 cal / 12g protein / 2g fat / 2g sugar
Gluten free / non-GMO / No Added Sugar
I have always loved yogurt, but it's traditionally been hard to find a good low sugar one. There are two brands that have come out with higher protein, low sugar options: Oikos PRO and Two Good. I've tried most of the flavors for both brands and they're delish! You can probably get both of these at your local grocery or on Amazon Fresh.
Wildway Grain Free Granola
140-150cal / 3-4g protein / 10-13g fat / 5-8g sugar
Vegan / Gluten free / non-GMO / No Artificial Sweetener
Justin's Peanut Butter Packets
210 cal / 7g protein / 18g fat / 2g sugar
Vegan / Gluten free / non-GMO
Easy for squirting on apple slices, Dave's Killer Bread or just eating straight up.
Parm Crisps
160 cal / 13g protein / 7g fat / 0g sugar
Gluten free / Keto / Low Carb / High Protein / Sugar Free
These are great options for a more savory grab n' go snack...You can also make something similar and cheaper yourself at home just by baking cheese on a cookie sheet.
All Natural Paleo & Gluten Free Power Balls
90 cal / 4g protein / 6g fat / 5g sugar
Gluten free / Dairy Free / Grain Free / Soy Free / Paleo & AIP
Tasty Bite Madras Lentils
290 cal / 11g protein / 11g fat / 8g sugar
Vegetarian / Gluten free / non-GMO / Organic
These are a long-term staple in our house because they're so easy and healthy...Not to mention they're high in folate which is great for baby development! They sell these at most grocery stores and Costco as well. I also sometimes dip RW Garcia crackers in this or crumble on top.
Idahoan Instant Mashed Potatoes
170 cal / 3g protein / 4.5g fat / 2g sugar
Gluten Free
Okay, okay, I know this one isn't so healthy, but man is it comforting and easy! Anyone who knows me, knows I'm a fan of instant mashed potatoes -- I call it a "savory smoothie" for when you want something hearty and filling, but don't actually feel like eating. I keep a bin of these and the packets in our pantry at all times. Also something you can probably pick up at your local grocery.
Three Wishes Cereal
Honey: 120 cal / 8g protein / 2g fat / 3g sugar
Vegan / Gluten free / non-GMO / High Fiber / Dairy Free / Grain Free
This is the healthiest, bets tasting cereal I've been able to find that actually tastes good. I love the honey and strawberry flavors, but they also have an unsweetened, cinnamon, and fruit loop flavor versions depending on how much you want to cut down on the sugar. I get this at Sprouts Market. Pair with FairLife 2% Ultra filtered DHA / Omega 3 milk for extra protein and less sugar.
Bobo's Oat Bars
170 cal / 3g protein / 6g fat / 9g sugar
Vegan / Gluten free / non-GMO / High Fiber / Dairy Free / Kosher
RW Garcia Crackers (with Hummus)
130 cal / 2g protein / 7g fat / 1g sugar
Gluten free / non-GMO
They have multiple flavors, but the Sweet Beet and Lentil Tumeric are my two favorites.
Bare Snack Packs
140-230 cal / 2g protein / 0g fat / 12-23g sugar
Gluten free / non-GMO / Dairy Free / All Natural
Healthy Drinks / Protein Shakes & Soda Alternatives
KaChava Protein Powder
240 cal / 25g protein / 7g fat / 6g sugar
Plant Based Protein, Adaptogens / Antioxidants / Superfruits / Omega Fibers / Supergreen Blend / Vitamins / Minerals / Probiotics
Vegan / Dairy Free / Gluten Free / Soy Free / No Preservatives or Artificial Sweeteners
This is also a staple in our house. Prior to discovering this, my husband used to joke that there was $h!t growing out of my smoothies with all the different bags of stuff I was adding (chia, hemp, maca, etc.. Thank the lord that a company FINALLY made a low cal protein powder that is also jam-packed with all the superfoods you can think of! Did I mention it tastes great!?
Kevita Sparkling Probiotic Lemon Cayenne
10 cal / 0g protein / 0g fat / 1g sugar
Gluten free / non-GMO / Dairy Free / Caffeine Free / Organic
Body Armor Lyte Potassium Electrolyte Drinks
You can order on Amazon or get at local grocery store near Gatorade. I love the coconut flavor.
Koia Ready to Drink Protein Shakes
190 cal / 18g protein / 7g fat / 4g sugar
Vegan / Gluten free / non-GMO / Dairy Free / Kosher / Soy Free / Plant Based
OLIPOP
35 - 45 cal / 0g protein / 0g fat / 2 -5g sugar
Vegan / Gluten free / non-GMO / Paleo / Keto / No Artificial Sweeteners / Probiotics
While I mostly stick with my HEB or La Croix sparkling water, these can be fun to mix it up. I would still limit the intake of these because the calories and sugar can add up, but they are great alternatives if you're still drinking normal sodas. Each pop is under 50 calories, non-GMO, vegan, gluten-free, Paleo, & Keto-friendly—no artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors, preservatives, or ingredients. I find them at my local Sprouts.
Hi, how was it drinking Ka’chava during pregnancy? There’s a lot of contradicting info online on whether it’s safe for pregnant women or not.