You already know a healthy diet is important during pregnancy, but if you're like a lot of women, knowing what to eat and when is a more confusing matter. An ideal pregnancy meal plan includes a wide variety of nutritious foods from each food group to create a balanced diet. While it's fine to include occasional treats and splurges in your diet, on most days your calories should come from nutrient-rich foods.
Day One
At breakfast time, cook one-half cup of rolled oats with 1 cup of low-fat milk, one-quarter cup of dried fruit, 1 tbsp. of ground flaxseeds and a dash of cinnamon; eat with a medium orange or a banana. For lunch, eat a medium baked potato topped with one-half cup of steamed broccoli and 2 tbsp. of low-fat cheese, and a cup of turkey and bean chili; enjoy a cup of mixed berries on the side. For dinner, grill or bake a 4-oz. salmon filet and serve it alongside 1 cup of cooked quinoa and 2 cups of sauteed tomatoes and zucchini. Throughout the day, eat two snacks; try 8-oz. low-fat yogurt with one-quarter cup of walnuts and a medium apple with a piece of string cheese.
Day Two
In the morning, eat two pieces of whole-grain toast with natural peanut butter, as well as a cup of low-fat yogurt with 1 cup of diced apples and cinnamon. Lunch should consist of a chicken Caesar salad made with 2 cups of Romaine lettuce, 1 cup of chicken, 3 tbsp. of low-fat Caesar dressing, a handful of cherry tomatoes and 2 tbsp. of Parmesan cheese; eat with a small whole-grain pita. For dinner, try a lean ground turkey burger on a whole-grain bun topped with a slice of tomato and two slices of avocado; serve with 1 cup of brown rice and a small salad with mushrooms, cannellini beans, bell peppers and low-fat dressing. Have a snack of 1 cup tomato soup with 1 cup baby spinach stirred in, plus another snack of two oatmeal raisin cookies with a glass of low-fat milk.
Day Three
For breakfast, scramble two eggs with 1 cup of baby spinach and 2 tbsp. of low-fat cheese; top with one-half cup of salsa and wrap inside a whole-wheat tortilla. At lunchtime, try 2 cups of lentil soup and a small spinach salad tossed with strawberries, almonds and a tablespoon each of honey and cider vinegar. For dinner, top the strands from half a baked spaghetti squash with meaty pasta sauce and Parmesan cheese; eat with a warm whole-grain roll dipped in olive oil. For snacks, eat a whole-grain pita with one-quarter cup of hummus; and a cup of prepared brown rice and black beans with a banana.
Day Four
Eat a breakfast sandwich consisting of one fried egg, a piece of low-fat cheese, a slice of tomato and a piece of low-fat turkey bacon on a whole-wheat English muffin; serve with a cup of diced watermelon. For lunch, eat 2 cups of minestrone soup made with whole-wheat pasta, and have a handful of grapes on the side. At dinnertime, saute a cup of baby spinach with 1 tbsp. of olive oil and a clove of minced garlic, then toss with 1 1/2 cups of cooked whole-grain pasta with 2 oz. cooked salmon. For one snack, spread a whole-wheat tortilla or pita with pizza sauce, one-half cup of shredded mozzarella cheese and diced vegetables, and bake until crisp. For your second snack, top five whole-grain crackers with 1 oz. of cheddar cheese and eat with a handful of blackberries.
Day Five
For breakfast, stir one-half cup of pumpkin puree into 1 cup of plain low-fat Greek yogurt, then add 2 tsp. of maple syrup, 2 tbsp. of granola, 2 tbsp. of chopped cashews and a dash each of cinnamon and nutmeg. At lunch, stuff a whole-grain pita pocket with turkey breast, sliced cucumbers, baby spinach and hummus, and enjoy with a cup of black bean soup. For dinner, grill a chicken breast and eat with a large baked sweet potato and a cup of broccoli sauteed in garlic and olive oil. For snacks, try an apple and a piece of whole-grain toast topped with cashew or almond butter; and a cup of homemade trail mix consisting of granola, mixed nuts, dried fruit and peanut butter chips.
