51 Healthy Pregnancy Snacks

Finding healthy snacks to eat while you’re pregnant can be downright hard. During your first pregnancy, struggling to find a balance between what’s healthy for your baby and something you actually wanted to eat.

This comprehensive list of 51 healthy pregnancy snacks takes some of the guess work out of the picture. Implementing these snacks into your daily routine ensures your baby will be happy and healthy once you finally meet them.

Note: all references are noted in parentheses and listed at the end of the article.

Foods to Feed Your Baby’s Brain

1. A small spinach salad with walnuts can transfer folate to your baby. Folate is needed for the production of new DNA (20).

2. Olive oil is loaded with DHA which is known to boost brain and vision (12). Drizzle it on toast with tomato slices and a sprinkling of Parmesan for a healthy pregnancy snack.​

3. Adding Chai seed into your morning smoothie will boost your omega-3 levels throughout the day (14)​.

4. A grilled salmon salad (4-6 oz. filet) is great for brain and eye development for your baby (1, 2). Due to mercury in fish, keep your consumption below 12 oz a week (3)​.

5. Brussel sprouts are a good source of omega-3 and omega-6 which helps stabilize your blood sugar levels (14)​.

6. Balance your daily diet with an avocado. Sprinkle with lime juice, add salt and pepper to taste. Avocados are loaded with healthy fats which help build skin and brain tissue (8, 12, 20).​

7. Two hard boiled eggs a day helps feed your baby’s brain. Besides dozens of other vitamins and minerals eggs are a good source of choline which is known to help brain development in babies (1,14, 16, 20)​.

Pregnancy Snacks for Adding Iron to Your Diet

8. Legume snacks such as edamame add tons of iron into your system. Iron is essential in delivering life-sustaining oxygen to your baby (3, 17).

9. Lean beef such as tenderloin or sirloin (3 oz. portion) on a salad or over brown rice will provide your system with much-needed iron (2, 3)​.

10. A trail mix with raisins is recommended for a boost of iron into your diet (17). Check out this awesome trail mix recipe by our friends at Super Healthy Kids.

11. Ham salad over cucumbers will add iron into your diet instantly. Iron is essential to keeping your energy level up when pregnant (18)​.

12. Dried apricots is another healthy pregnancy snack loaded with iron (18). Keep these in your purse for when you get a craving for something sweet.​

13. Hummus made from chickpeas is a tasty and quick healthy pregnancy snack full of iron (17, 18)​.

Best Pregnancy Snacks for a Calcium-Rich Diet​

14. Bone broth is an excellent calcium-rich pregnancy snack (7). Save your chicken, beef or pork scraps to make a killer homemade stock. Perfect for soup or simply with a slice of whole grain bread.​

15. One cup of plain, low-fat, yogurt has more calcium than milk. Add granola or berries for an even healthier (and tastier) snack (1, 2, 21)​.

16. Canned fish with bones are perfect for adding calcium into your diet (10, 21). Eat them on whole grain toast or crackers for a nice, healthy pregnancy snack.​

17. Carrots are a great non-dairy way to add calcium into your diet (7). Try raw carrots dipped in peanut butter for a snack that will help you prevent osteoporosis in the future (6)​.

18. Collard greens are full of calcium which is needed throughout your pregnancy. Calcium aids in growing teeth and bones for your baby. If you don’t get enough calcium through food, your body will remove it from you to give to your baby (4)​.

19. Cheese such as cheddar, mozzarella, or parmesan are a great source of calcium and can be eaten on their own, or with some crackers (21)​.

Pregnancy Snacks Chock Full of Vitamin B

20. Turkey salad will add B-2, also known as Riboflavin, into your diet (15, 16, 18)​.

21. A handful of sunflower seeds is a great source of Vitamin B6, which works to form red blood cells for you and your baby (10)​.

22. Bananas are high in B-6, which can be good for a morning sickness cure (15)​.

23. Toss spinach pasta with olive oil, margarine, and garlic for a quick, healthy pregnancy snack loaded with B1 (10, 16, 18)​.

24. Grilled portabella mushrooms are a good source of Vitamin B-7. B-7 or Biotin deficiencies are common in pregnant women (15, 16)​.

Healthy Pregnancy Snacks Filled with Protein

25. Oatmeal for breakfast helps your day get started by adding protein and fiber (1, 2, 4)​.

26. Veggie burgers made with grains or beans are a great way to provide a healthy amount of protein to your diet (10)​.

27. Peanut butter and honey drizzled on whole wheat crackers make for a tasty protein filled snack; protein helps build cells and make hormones (3, 11, 20)​.

28. Black bean salad with corn, cilantro and bell peppers. Black beans are great for many reasons: they add calcium, zinc, iron and other key nutrients into your system as well (1, 2, 10)​.

29. Beef jerky is a great, quick high-protein snack that you can eat on the go (22)​. Just be careful of taking in too much sodium.

30. Quinoa salad with sun dried tomatoes and feta cheese makes a delicious snack filled with protein. Quinoa is rich in B-vitamins, magnesium, and fiber (8)​.

31. Layer grilled chicken strips on top of spinach leaves and olive oil for a healthy pregnancy snack filled with protein (10)​.

Pregnancy Snacks to Keep You Hydrated

32. Watermelon slices are packed with loads of juicy water, and staying hydrated is crucial for keeping your energy levels up (24)​.

33. Infuse strawberries, mint and honey for a refreshing treat you won’t want to stop drinking. Water is needed to help absorb all the other nutrients you consume (24)​.

34. Sneak water into your diet by eating water-rich veggies like celery or cucumber slices (23, 25)​.

35. Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit and star fruit, are filled with tons of water along with other beneficial vitamins (25)​.

36. Add iceberg lettuce to your next veggie wrap for a good serving of water.​

37. Pack along radish and a low-fat dressing for a healthy water rich snack. Adding extra water to your system prevents urinary tract infections and constipation common in pregnancy (24)​.

38. Grilled eggplant or zucchini is a healthy and delicious way to help introduce more water into your system (24, 26)​.

Healthy Pregnancy Snacks High In Essential Vitamins

39. Slices of bell peppers are a quick and great way to provide a good source of Vitamin C (10)​.

40. A glass of low-sugar orange juice during the day will help you absorb much-needed iron. Along with fighting colds, vitamin C assists in the absorption of iron (2, 4)​.

41. A handful of dried fruit (4 oz.) such as blueberries are a healthy snack to keep in your purse. Blueberries are packed with vitamin C, potassium and fiber (1)​.

42. Among other things, dark greens such as kale, spinach, and broccoli aid in your baby’s eyesight, bone and skin growth due to the high volume of vitamin A. Try lightly sautéing them in butter or eat them fresh with a low-fat dressing (2,13).​

43. Top whole grain crackers with a dollop of sauerkraut for a probiotic kick to your day (7). Probiotics help you digest foods better so you can get the full benefits of their nutrients.​

44. A serving of nuts (4-6 oz.) are a handy pregnancy snack filled with tons of nutrients. Magnesium-rich foods such as nuts help combat the risk of premature labor and aid in the development of your baby’s nervous system (2)​.

45. Add a baked sweet potato into your daily routine for a super healthy pregnancy snack. Sweet potatoes have even more potassium than bananas (2, 20)​.

Foods to help Combat Morning Sickness

46. Bland foods like plain rice or mashed potatoes help prevent queasiness. Eat small amounts every 3 hours to keep your blood-levels stable (5)​.

47. Try squeezing a few drops of lemon into your morning water. Scientists think morning sickness can be associated with smell, and the refreshing smell and taste can help calm stomach issues (9, 19)​.

48. Omega-3 rich foods such as walnuts are a great pregnancy snack that helps alleviate symptoms associated with nausea (9)​.

49. Non-citrus based smoothies can help relieve morning sickness symptoms. Try your favorite melon mixed with mint for a refreshing drink to calm your stomach (5)​.

50. Anything containing ginger, from ginger ale to ginger snaps, is thought to be helpful in curbing morning sickness pangs (19)​.

51. Add treats that are not loaded with sugar to your diet such as dark chocolate. Dark chocolate 70% or higher is a healthy indulgence that won’t bog your body down with sugars that can turn your tummy (9)​.

Wrapping Up

Hopefully, you enjoyed this list of healthy pregnancy snacks. Staying healthy is always a tough task but even more so when taking your little one’s health into consideration.

This list is full of healthy pregnancy snacks that are easy to find anywhere or can easily be taken on the road, so you can thwart those munchies anytime.

If you found this article beneficial to you, please feel free to share with friends and family. Help them as they go through the same struggles of finding a balanced diet both mother and baby will love.