Satisfy Your Pregnancy Cravings With Our Top 5 Healthy Pregnancy Meals

So you’ve made it past all-day nausea and food aversions to everything except hot chips, and now you find yourself with pregnancy cravings for foods that wouldn’t be your usual “go-to’’ snacks. Pregnancy is a bit of a rollercoaster, right?

It is really common for women to crave certain foods when they’re pregnant. Most cravings fall into the five categories of spicy, sweet, salty, cold, and chocolate. However, it’s also common to crave an odd combination of these foods. 

In general, there is no real reason not to give in to these cravings providing you satisfy the craving with nutritious and healthy options.  Focus on keeping down a balanced diet, pregnancy cravings and all, which will then help keep you and your baby healthy throughout the pregnancy. 

To help you satisfy those pregnancy cravings, here are our top five healthy pregnancy meals that contain some of the best foods to eat while pregnant. 

I need something spicy … pronto!

This comforting spicy red pasta with lentils from Minimalist Baker is sure to satisfy your spicy pregnancy cravings. Lentils are rich in iron, fibre, folate and protein, making them a great choice for healthy pregnancy meals.

Delivering on flavour, the secret to this plant-based and nutritious recipe is the sauce itself. Featuring a yummy base of garlic, carrots and tomatoes for flavour and spices such as red pepper flakes, basil, oregano and sea salt to give it that extra kick. 

Mmmm … I want something sweet

Swap ordinary ice cream for ice cream made from one ingredient … a frozen banana! Check out this great recipe from Kitchn that shows you how to whip up your banana into the same soft-serve ice cream texture we all know and love. 

As that bananas are a rich source of goodies, such as dietary fibre, carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, Vitamin C, Vitamin B-complex, and minerals, they are one of the best foods to eat while pregnant. This nutrient-dense ice cream can help in the healthy development of the foetus during pregnancy. 

Alternatively, check out Not Enough Cinnamon’s recipe for banana cinnamon ice cream. It has a few extra ingredients but it’s sure to satisfy a sweet tooth. 

Both of these recipes make great healthy pregnancy meals … erm, I mean desserts. Can’t stomach bananas right now? Frozen mango is just as delightful to satisfy those sweet pregnancy cravings!

 

 

Pass me the salt, please

Before you run straight for that bag of salty potato chips, consider making it a little healthier.  Okay, a LOT healthier!  Satisfy your salty craving with some quality corn chips and level the healthiness up by scooping up some fresh smashed avocado. Alternatively, skip the corn chips and whip up these amazing healthy carrot chips from A Spicy Perspective.

Avocados are one of the best foods to eat while pregnant, chock full of good fats, high in dietary fibre and a great source of folate and potassium. They are the ideal ingredient to add to your healthy pregnancy meals.

I want something cold … and crunchy

Ditch the sugar-filled ice blocks for some healthy, naturally sweetened DIY ice blocks that are high in Vitamin C, antioxidants, fibre, potassium and folate. Taste has a great recipe using blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and orange juice to make your own solution to the cold and crunchy cravings. In addition to satisfying your pregnancy cravings, kids will love this one as well!

Chocolate … drool

I don’t know about you, but I crave chocolate nearly every day, even when I’m not pregnant. Chocolate is almost a universal craving and we all know it does wonders for lifting your mood. 

Chocolate mousse is normally off the cards for pregnant women due to the raw egg component. However, Foodie Baker has come up with this amazing recipe for an egg-free chocolate mousse. Enjoy these decadent treats as you count the cream as part of your calcium for the day!



Although sometimes intense, pregnancy cravings are often laughed about after the fact, particularly when they are a little weird. Pickles and ice cream anyone? 

However, if you find yourself craving non-food items such as dirt, corn starch, laundry detergent, ashes etc. you may be experiencing a medical condition called Pica. Resist the craving and see your doctor.  These items are of course, unsafe for you to eat, but the urge may indicate a nutritional deficiency.