Choosing healthy and nutrition dense foods while pregnant can help you and baby feel great.

I’ve rounded up a couple of my favourite options, but every person and every pregnancy is unique so it’s always important to talk to your healthcare provider if you are unsure of consuming a specific product!

1. Ginger

Ginger, in moderation, is a safe herb for pregnancy related nausea and vomiting. One delicious way to consume ginger is ginger candy! You can also make ginger tea or a blend a small piece of ginger into your smoothie. Along with relieving morning sickness, ginger is anti-inflammatory, and can help with bloating and heartburn as well.

2. Dandy Blend

Healthcare practitioners recommend pregnant women limit their coffee intake to one 12 oz cup per day, or less than 200mg of caffeine per day. This can be much less than some people are used to. Others find that when pregnant, caffeine affects them differently, and they chose to eliminate caffeine altogether. If you’re in either category, Dandy Blend can make a great alternative!

Dandy Blend is made of extracts of roasted roots of dandelion, chicory, and beets, and the grains of barley and rye. Dandy Blend has many health benefits and works like an adaptogen – so it may increase energy, without caffeine. It tastes similar to coffee, and makes a great latte!

Dandy Blend Creamy Latte Recipe (1 serving):

• 5 cups hot water
• 1 tsp Dandy Blend
• 10 cashews (pre-soaked if not using a high-powered blender)
• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 1 pinch vanilla bean powder (or ¼ tsp vanilla extract)
• Maple syrup to sweeten
• Optional: 1 scoop collagen

Instructions: Blend all ingredients together until smooth.

3. Snack Bars

When you’re pregnant, fighting constant hunger can be a struggle. For some, hunger is accompanied by nausea and in these cases,  it can be helpful to make sure your stomach always has something in it.

Having snack bars on hand make a quick, easy, and nutritious option for keeping hunger at bay. A couple of my favourite bars are Lara Bar and Rx Bars. Both these brands taste great and come in lots of flavours. As well, they’re both made from simple ingredients and are nutrient dense.

4. Collagen

During pregnancy you’ll need more protein. But if you’re anything like me when pregnant, protein from fish or meat products is the last thing you want to eat – it’s all about the carbs! Adding 1 scoop of collagen daily to a smoothie or latte can give you an extra 10g of easy to stomach, tasteless protein. Another idea is to add collagen to baked recipes, like muffins. Try adding a couple scoops to the recipe before baking and bake as normal.

5. Macaroni and Cheese

This is different for everyone, but for me, my first trimester meant quick and easy meals and anything I could easily stomach. I ended up eating lots of macaroni and cheese! This isn’t a perfectly balanced meal but it hit the spot and made me feel good, so it definitely makes the list of my five foods you need during pregnancy.

What foods did you enjoy most during your pregnancy?