High protein/filling snacks/meals, tips for constant hunger?

[smeep]

I've recently been hit with CONSTANT hunger (I posted about it in my Feb DDC)...as in, I'm MISERABLE if I don't eat constantly. Yet I can't stand eating so much. What I need are foods that will hold me off as long as possible, but are still nutritionally sound. Good tips for snacks and for "OMG I need a meal NOW" meals when I seriously can't wait 15-30 minutes or longer to cook something, but I need more than a snack.

I've never dealt with this kind of hunger in pregnancy before, or EVER in my life. I can't even begin to describe how horrible it is when I wait too long, and even though I've been more on top of it the last couple of days, it still affects me nearly the whole day - and when it's not physically affecting me (I swear I'm hungry probably 80% of the day), I'm anxious and scared about it suddenly and forcefully hitting me! I can't stop thinking about it for more than 10 minutes at a time. HELP!!!!!!!!!!

[Honey693]

Homemade trail mix. Mixed nuts, cheerios, raisins and chocolate chips. I carry a Tupperware container around in my purse and car in case the "I must eat now or I'll rip the dashboard out and eat it" feeling hits.

[isras1]

I grazed during the frenzied hunger times, which meant I was eating something every hour or so. As you well know, if I didn't obey the hunger, my blood sugar levels would crash. Taking hours if not all day to regain balance. So, I accepted that I needed to eat every hour when the hunger was insatiable.

I carried lotsa snacks in my purse: granola bars, mixed nuts, peanut butter filled pretzels, jerky, banana chips, fruit leather, Odwalla bars, dried cereal, apple (transports well), dried fruit, yogurt covered pretzels, chocolate covered raisins, trail mix, etc.

Foods that I grazed on:
Fruit, cottage cheese with canned peaches (24 grams of protein), peanut butter on bread/crackers/apples, hard boiled egg, yogurt with granola & chopped up fruit, applesauce with granola and dried mixed berries and nuts with cinnamon (my current favorite first breakfast, then eggs for second breakfast), instant whole grain oatmeal, chips and salsa, smoothie, crackers and cheese.... I could keep going, for I am quite the grazer!

[osker]

Hummus with whole grain crackers. yum!
Also, if you can get to a trader joe's, they have pre-cooked lentils in air tight plastic that you can just add to everything. I find that I am unable to cook lentils right, but these are perfect to just shake on things and add a little goodness! I tried to avoid canned foods for the bpa, so these were a great option!

[eleonrauis]

I went through a similar phase with this pregnancy. I found that these were the easiest most satisfying quick meal/snacks I liked (I'm kind of a picky eater and not much of a cook): double serving of cottage cheese with fruit or crackers, peanut butter on whole wheat bread and a piece of fruit, high fiber breakfast cereal w/ milk (not really high protein, but keeps me full for a while), two string cheeses and an apple, a granola bar and a big handful of almonds, or a Lean Cuisine or similar frozen dinner.

[lillymonster]

I was so hungry my first pregnancy. Example: I ate a meal (I bought like 3-4 "lunches" to work) at work at 4, got off work at 5, stopped by Mcdonalds and ate a whole meal deal with a double cheeseburger, and then ate a full dinner when I got home at 5:45. I ate a lot and gained a lot, 50 pounds, but I lost it all quickly.

This time is different, I can't eat a lot at a time because it makes me feel sick, so I eat all the time but more snack sized meals, and in turn, have not gained any weight at all, which has me worried!

I eat only foods with higher protein now that I can stomach it, cheese and crackers, we have a farm that makes natural beef sticks, oatmeal, I pack a lunch box with me while running errands with sandwiches like ham or peanut butter and jelly. I have also cut back in sugar and eat a little more fat and that seems to help. I starting eating Coconut Bliss for a sweet craving, for example, and that seems more filling and I don't get very hungry after wards, but it still a treat if I need it. High sugar food and drinks like juices make me hungrier so I try to avoid them as much as possible.

[expat_canuck]

I've been going through a similar thing since I hit the 2nd trimester a few weeks ago and have just accepted that I can't eat big huge meals right now - but will have to graze constantly.
I've been eating - high-protein breakfast cereal with milk, whole wheat bread with peanut butter, apples and cheese, greek yogurt (more protein than regular yogurt), lots of fruit - peaches, plums, berries, watermelon, pineapple, string cheese. My favorite these days, is to broil some sliced deli meat - turkey or chicken, usually - with cheese on top, on a tortilla or slice of whole wheat bread, and then cover the top with guacamole. Delish. Our neighbors have an avocado tree, so we make a lot of guacamole, but I've also bought pre-made at the grocery store -- there's one brand that's actually made with Avocados and has minimal preservatives.

[Ola_]

Oh great, you mean it will get worse?

A few that I've come up with lately:
- hard boiled egg and carrots with hummus (roasted garlic hummus is yummy)
- lots of almonds
- cheese and crackers, or sometimes just cheese (hey, it's fast)

[HappyMommy2]

Grandma made these baked egg squares that are great hot or cold, and are quick to grab from the fridge. We took them camping for when mama had to ward off a meltdown with a burst of protein!

Protein from eggs, cheddar, and cottage cheese.

Here are some similar recipes I just found online:

http://winter-recipes.suite101.com/a...cheese_squares
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/rec...ole21878.shtml

Also those sesame sticks (NOT italian sesame bread sticks) but the sesame sticks you get at TJ's or the health food store are good quick protein. Same with Snap Pea Crisps which taste like cheetos but are made out of green peas.

Also - green pea hummous is a great dip for veggies or corn chips. (frozen peas, parmesan, olive oil, salt, garlic, lemon, all blended together).

[expat_canuck]

ola - mine hit in 2nd trimester- but I had massive food aversions in the first trimester that lifted at about 12 weeks -- since then (I'm 15 weeks now), I've been eating just about every hour for a while.

More ideas - cliff bars, larabars or other protein bars. Sometimes these have saved me. Also, some companies Odawalla, and I forget the other make pre-made very high-protein smoothies - I think they taste pretty awful (they remind me of taking anti-biotics as a child) but If I'm starving and shaking, I can just chug a bit and I'll feel better fast. Also nuts and seeds - I try to keep a variety of nuts and pumpkin and sunflower seeds on hand - they are good snacks and also good tossed on other foods (yogurts, salads) to bump up the fat/protein content a bit.

I also LOVE black eyed peas and beans, and sometimes make up a black eyed pea salad - google for Texas Caviar or Cowboy Caviar. Basically black eyed peas, diced tomatoes, cucumbers, jalepenos, onions and cilantro - add corn and black beans too, if you want, and toss the whole thing with oil and red wine vinegar and let it sit 4-6 hours (the vinegar softens the peas and beans). It's delicious and keeps for quite a while in the fridge - easy to grab a spoon and dig in or bring in a container to work, or wherever. Basically you could do this with any bean you like, and add in whatever kind of stuff you particularly enjoy. Sometimes i add cooked pasta and shredded chicken or fish- and it's an entire meal.

[expat_canuck]

oh - and in the heat, I've been meaning to make some fruit and yogurt smoothies and freeze in molds for popsicles that actually have some nutritional value...I might look for popsicle molds while I'm out today (or you can just use small glasses)

[~Adorkable~]

I have had waves of this massive hunger issue, I think it is times with baby growth spurts. It is so bad at time I can get thru he night of sleep and need to eat about 4am to get back to bed. I'm seem to just start another wave in the lad few days.

My go to things:

Orgain, organic protein shakes. Specially useful for the in the dark 4 am feeding
Greek yogurt, less water, more protein, yum
Hard boiled eggs, I do 5 at a time and keep them already peeled in a jar of water in the fridge, making sure to finish in 2-3 days
Cheese sticks or slices
Mixed nuts or sometimes just almonds

When I feel like making a little more, my two favorites are frozen fruit and yogurt smoothy (wish protein powder), I have all the fixins in the freezer and a great blender that saves my life
Or
Two quick fried eggs on a piece of toast

[butterflies]

I had to eat protein every hr or 2 in my first trimester... and I'd keep something next to my bed because when I woke up to pee, I'd also find I was starving and unable to go back to sleep!


I stocked up on:
Cliff bars/Luna bars
Flaxseed/pumpkin cereal
bagels (most types have 9-10g protein)
PBJ
nuts/trail mix
Greek yogurt with berries or granola

[rainbowmoon]

clif bars, almonds, avocado,rice crackers, boiled eggs, cheerio type cereal, yogurt/smoothies, smoothie popsicles, cheese cubes, popcorn, refried beans/hummus for dipping veggies or put on crackers/corn chips or sometimes I even just eat a few spoonfuls for a snack. same goes for peanut butter and ice cream is usually always good even if I'm nauseated. I also eat all kinds of fresh fruit constantly. (My favorite!)

[smeep]

Originally Posted by expat_canuck

oh - and in the heat, I've been meaning to make some fruit and yogurt smoothies and freeze in molds for popsicles that actually have some nutritional value...I might look for popsicle molds while I'm out today (or you can just use small glasses)

So I CAN use my shot glasses while pregnant after all!



Thanks guys! Our electricity (and therefore our fridge, yay!) should be on tomorrow and I'll be going into the city so I'll be able to stock up on some goodies and hit up Whole Foods and Central Market. Now I just have to get DP to buy me a new blender...he dropped mine when I was moving and hasn't gotten me a new one since. haha.

[taffywelsh]

ALMONDS
WALNUTS
latter is good source of omega 3's, too

[reneeisorym]

I ate strawberries/blueberries mixed with vanilla yogurt and granola for breakfast.
When I wake up with hunger issues and can't sleep, I drink a glass of milk.
Peanut butter and crackers stay in my purse for emergencies.

[expat_canuck]

Originally Posted by smeep

So I CAN use my shot glasses while pregnant after all!

ooh - I hadn't thought of using shot glasses!! GREAT idea!