What are you eating? « Back to Group Discussions

[OtherMother]

This is partially inspired by our DDC's recent focus on weight gain.

I think we're all in agreement that nutritional quality, rather than the final number on the scale, is the real matter of importance during pregnancy. 

So, what I'm really curious about is- what are my fellow preggo ladies munchin' on? It's easy to give a general caloric number or food examples, but I think posting a daily food intake (or a couple days) might be really fun- and very informative to readers. If nothing else, maybe we can spice up our diet with new dishes inspired by our fellow sisters-in-gestation. 

I also think it'd be a good place for non-judgemental online friends to point out possible nutritional deficiencies. 

I'll begin. Today has been less than normative, since I'm visiting family and so out of my element, and we were at a playdate. Usually I start w/ RR tea and a green smoothie (1-3c), and lunch on something protein-and-veggie-full. 

Today ...

Breakfast: Whole-food protein shake w/ organic soymilk, red raspberry leaf tea w/ whole milk

Snack: 5 carob/spirulina energy bites, more water

Lunch: Green Smoothie (1 sweet potato, 1 frozen banana, 3 stalks organic kale, 1c organic soymilk + water), 1c 2% greek yogurt, and 1/4 DD's grilled cheese (sharp cheddar on whole grain bread)

Snack: Ginger Tea

Dinner will likely be 1/4 of an Annie's Cheeseless Roasted Veggie Pizza, and a big pile of collard sauteed with coconut oil and some sunflower seeds and minced dried apricots. I may add some tempeh in there, but I've already consumed probably 80g of protein today.

Usually my day would contain more veggies in the form of my afternoon salad. But this isn't a bad day so far, overall  :)

Your turn!

[pastormama]

I just did a "day in the life of my food" on my blog!  Fun.  I'm following Brewer diet principles without counting protein or calories.

All day long:  2 quarts pregnancy tea made of 1/2 C nettles, 1/4 C red raspberry leaf, 1/4 C alfalfa, steeped overnight and strained in the morning.

Breakfast:  two pastured eggs mixed with a little raw milk and scrambled in butter, one slice homemade bread with butter, one clementine, one cup coffee with 1/2 cup raw milk

Snack:  5-6 homemade yogurt dough crackers, slice of sharp cheddar, carrot sticks

Lunch:  leftover braised cabbage and pork chop, smoothie made with kefir, strawberries, frozen banana, frozen peaches

Supper:   taco salad.  Pastured ground beef and kidney beans with my house taco seasoning, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, salsa, avocado, tortilla chips.

Snack:  raw milk and chai.  I've recently started making our own chai concentrate with honey, and it is divine.  

[Kate&Joey]

Oooh...I like this idea for a thread.  I love to see how everyone eats. 

Breakfast: leftover veggie monte cristo...whole grain bread, ricotta, spinach, roasted red pepper, avocado - dipped in egg and cooked in the skillet.

Snack: homemade bran muffin with dried cranberries and pecans; decaf.

Lunch: leftover green veggie curry and brown rice; Greek yogurt; apple.

Dinner: "clean out the fridge" - probably leftover artichoke dip on whole grain bread with spinach and avocado; carrots. 

Dessert: maybe hot chocolate and whipped cream! 

[berrymama]

Originally Posted by pastormama 

Snack:  5-6 homemade yogurt dough crackers, slice of sharp cheddar, carrot sticks

Would you share your recipe for the crackers? :)

[pastormama]

Originally Posted by berrymama 

Would you share your recipe for the crackers? :)

Surely!  Combine 1/2 C yogurt with 1 1/2 C flour (any kind - I've used whole grain or plain AP, or a mix.  I have never tried a non-wheat flour, but I've heard spelt does well too), and 1 t salt in a mixing bowl.  Cover and let sit at room temp for 12-24 hours.  

Preheat oven to 425.  Beat 1/4 C butter into the soaked dough, along with whatever flavorings you want. I like 1/2 t garlic powder and 1/2 t paprika.  Fresh herbs are also great!  I use dill when I have it.

Divide dough into two balls.  Working directly on floured baking sheet, roll the dough until quite thin - I just go until it covers the whole sheet.  (Word to the wise - I used to use my pizza stone, but then one time it cracked from going into a hot oven while it was still cold.)  Brush with melted butter.  Dock the dough with a fork all over about 30-40 times to prevent it rising.  Cut into squares or whatever shapes you want.  You could cut into rounds, but then you have to re-roll, and I'm lazy!  I just use a pizza cutter to cut into squares.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until very lightly browned.  Remove from oven and take off baking sheet as soon as you can handle them.

Repeat the rolling, brushing, docking, cutting, and baking procedure with the other half of the dough.  Makes about 30, depending on how big you cut the squares.  My toddler loves them.  

[berrymama]

I will give a couple examples of typical meals.

Breakfast: homemade granola (rolled oats and some combo of nuts/seeds as a base) with 2% greek yogurt and fresh fruit

                 green smoothie (greek yogurt, greens, frozen fruit, coconut milk) with slice homemade bread

  more rarely: scrambled eggs/toast, almond flour crepes or pancakes with fruit

Snacks: I recently starting juicing, and find it is a good way to get in a lot of nutrients when I am not hungry (I usually juice a mix of fruits and veggies with ginger and add spirulina). Otherwise, if I am hungry: raw nuts with fruit and dark chocolate, 2-3  homemade protein balls (nuts, oats, dates), greek yogurt

Lunch: sandwich on whole wheat bread or in a wrap (fillings: avacado, hummus or similar spread, sprouts, cheese, olive oil) with a salad or fresh fruit

Dinner: In a typical week, we usually have chicken once, seafood once, grass-fed beef once, and some meatless dishes. Some favorite dinners: 

            - homemade pizza

            - Tacos

            - Indian Chicken coconut curry with couscous (includes carrots, spinach or other green)

            - Tuscan Chickpea soup (we double the tomatoes and add spinach or other green), bread on the side http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/tuscan-chickpea-soup-10000000231724/

            -  Pumpkin Shirmp Curry (again, we add greens and a lot more indian spices) http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pumpkin-Shrimp-Curry-368281

The above choices would be a perfect week, but in reality, when I feel cruddy, DH gets home late, or I haven't done a good job meal planning, we do take-out 1-2 times per week...usually a local chinese place or thai. Or, on rare occasions, DH and I wait until the kids are in bed and do carry out from a nicer restaurant just down the street. They have a salmon sandwich that I like that comes with sweet potato fries

Edited by berrymama - 2/21/13 at 6:54pm

[hannybanany]

I eat a pretty strict paleo diet. That's pretty much no grain, dairy, sugar (including natural sugars like honey and maple syrup), or legumes. I guess I eat meat and a bunch of veggies and some fruit.

Today...

I don't think I ate breakfast today, but it's usually either scrambled eggs, breakfast casserole full of veggies and eggs, or leftover dinner.

Lunch: bunless burger with a huge side of guac and homemade sweet potato chips

Snack: larabar

Dinner: pastaless beef stroganoff over roasted veggies. Omg so good.

Dessert: probably a pumpkin pie smoothie made with a frozen banana, almond milk, puréed pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and ice, after the kids are in bed

[BaileyB]

What am I eating?

Everything.

Haha. I was doing so well when I was on my high protein, low sugar, low carb kick a few weeks ago but the sugar craving have come back and this week I have been embracing the junk food. I don't ever eat cereal or drink pop (or junk food in general) when not pregnant but for some reason that is what has tasted good lately (often). Although I don't have a huge appetite the last week or so but I have been snacking more and eating less actual meals. Tonight I had some doritos and sprite but then didn't eat dinner and just now at 10 pm had a bagel with cream cheese and a glass of milk. I will probably be hungry when I get up to pee and then light headed again by morning and will have to have something high protein with a big glass of water right when I get up. Being hungry/nauseous/light headed when I first wake up is the crappiest part because I need to kind of wake up before I want to eat usually. I have been trying to work in a smoothy everyday which is just yogurt, frozen fruit, whey powder, and and emergen-c packet, and maybe a little water or juice to thin it out a bit. That kind of takes care of the sugar cravings and hunger in the middle of the day.

[nstewart]

The last 2 days aren't the best examples.

Today I was travelling.  

 - Breakfast (at 5am) 2 scrambled eggs, whole grain toast with PB, half glass of milk, half glass of OJ.

- Snack: 8:30am - yogurt and a latte

- lunch: 12:30pm turkey, bacon, tomato and lettuce sandwich on whole wheat, a green salad w tomato, cucks, olives, and a few onion rings (I couldn't resist)

- snack 4pm: about 1 cup of a mix of almonds, raisins, and chex cereal 

- snack 6pm (on the plane when I wanted supper!  It was a charter flight so all they had were chocolate bars and chips.) - skor bar   Not gonna lie, it was yummy.s

- supper: 8pm green smoothie (with spinich, banana, mango, pear, ground flax seed and almond milk) cause it was already in the fridge and nachos (corn tortillas, cheese, sour cream, salsa) cause they're easy and my comfort food

Typically:

- Breakfast 7am - whole grain toast with natural PB and a half decaf coffee with cream

- snack 9:30 am - fruit smoothie, green smoothie, fruit salad, yogurt with fruit or piece of fruit

- lunch - varies a lot.  Often salad with lots of various veggies with chicken and/or cheese on it, sometimes a wrap with meat, veggies, and either hummus or cheese, rarely a sandwich, sometimes leftovers from supper, if I meet a friend it's usually thin crust pizza and this amazing roasted cauliflour from an awesome restaurant nearby...

- snack: usually I split my "lunch" into lunch and then a snack around 2 or 3.  So I'll save my soup for snack time or something.  This varies a lot too depending on when I eat lunch and what's in it.

At work I also keep triskets and PB in my drawer and usually have a few crackers w PB through the day (or just a spoon of PB, or PB smeared on a banana.  This baby really likes PB!)  I also keep almonds in there, and we have fruit baskets in the kitchens so if I'm snacky I can grab a bananna or something.

- Supper: Just depends!  Last night, baked fish with brown rice and peas.  The night before, pulled pork sandwiches with coleslaw.  The night before, pork chops with a mushroom pan gravy, braised cabbage and home made perogies.  Usually I have milk to drink with supper.

I'm often snacky before bed, but not always.  Sometimes DH and I have nachos.  Often I have a piece of toast with PB and a glass of milk.  Sometimes popcorn, sometimes a bowl of cereal.

I drink tons of water through the day (guestimate at least 3 litres) and I've started drinking 3 cups RRLT (brew it the night before, put it in my water bottle, refridgerate overnight and drink it chilled the next day).

[pastormama]

Just to "keep it real," yesterday's diet included:

2 quarts pregnancy tea

Breakfast:  2 pastured eggs and a little raw milk scrambled in butter, 1 slice homemade toast with butter and raspberry jam, strawberries, coffee with milk

Snack;  Ritz crackers and peanut butter (usually what happens when I don't have time to pack snacks and/or lunch to take to work, and get ravenous)

Lunch:  out for Chinese.  Wonton soup, egg roll, Empress (i.e. deep-fried in garlic sauce) chicken, steamed rice

Supper:  out for Mexican.  Split chicken + beef fajitas, beans, rice, guacamole, sour cream, lettuce, cheese, chips, salsa with DH.  

Snack:  an apple.

And, predictably, this morning I feel wretched.  Fingers were extra-stiff and swollen when I woke up from too much salt, digestion was all off.  And I'm guilty for spending so much on eating out.  And I have only myself to blame!

[AmandaLynnH]

My usual meals look like this:

Breakfast: greek yogurt

Lunch: fruit of some sort (sometimes started early), leftovers or a frozen meal

Afternoon snack:  fruit of some sort

Dinner:  We eat out twice a week, the rest is generally healthier fare at home with the occasional frozen meal or pizza thrown in.

Dessert in bed: ice cream or some baked good, sometimes popcorn with hot sauce in addition if I'm super hungry.

Liquids: 16 oz various teas in the morning/into afternoon depending on how thirsty I am, 20 oz water bottle at work after that sometimes flavored with lipton packets, 1-2 12 oz glasses of water with the disani water enhancer in the evening, glass of milk with baked goods.

I generally allow myself to eat as much fruit as I want if I'm hungry.  Occasionally a pudding cup will somehow sneak into my work fridge and I'll eat that as a snack.  Sometimes a few dove chocolates will insist I eat them before or after dinner, and somehow a lb of red vines made their way into my cabinet and are sneaking into my belly little by little.

Yesterday was an odd day though and this is what my meals looked like:

Breakfast:  a coworker brought healthy snacks to a morning meeting so I had raspberries and strawberries with a glass of OJ

Morning snack: greek yogurt and an almond granola bar during my 11 am meeting

Lunch: 5 cookies thanks to a coworker's going away party and a glass of punch

Dinner: spinach salad with cheese, pecans, and raspberry vin dressing, creamy garlic pasta with artichoke hearts

Snack: unidentified number of red vines

Dessert: ice cream and a swallow of milk to take the morning sickness pills I'm too scared to stop taking

Coming from hardly eating anything except three meals a day and a bedtime snack this feels like all I do is eat.

[OtherMother]

Loving all the replies!

Today was an off-day too. It's so much harder to eat well when you're out of your comfort zone! Also, I was EXHAUSTED. But ..

Breakfast: 1 scoop protein powder, 1c organic soymilk, 1/2 frozen banana, 1 tsp organic pbutter in the blender

Snack: handful carob-spirulina energy chunks

Lunch: at Panera- salmon power salad (I think it was romaine, salmon, sliced almonds, red onions, light dusting of feta, and some really yummy very light dressing- 1/2 a veggie/hummus sandwich on tomato-basil bread (yum!), baguette (which I should not have had), 1/2 easter egg cookie (split w/ DD)

Snack: ONLY because we were stuck at fro-yo place while waiting for AAA!!!- 1c plain frozen yogurt (the sour-ish kind) with a tiny sprinkle of rainbow jimmies and mini reese's pieces

Dinner: at Uno's (pretty proud of the healthy meal I put together, but wish I had avoided pizza/dessert)- herb-rubbed chicken breast w/ steamed broccoli and farro/cucumber/tomato salad w/ balsamic; 2 peices of my sister's thin-crust BBQ pizza, 1/2 a breadstick, and 1/3 or so of my sister's cookie-pie-type dessert  :/

I usually do not eat so much sugar/dessert/eating-out-type food in one day, and my tummy is already upset. Hoping water, tea, and a light day tomorrow will even things out.

[nstewart]

The thing that gets me is always the sneaky, available extras.  Like yesterday, I got myself a very healthy lunch (salmon, brocolli salad, brown rice, and a milk) only to discover leftover pizza in the work kitchen.  Tell me, how is a pregnant woman supposed to pass up a slice of 'za when there's 2 whole boxes just sitting there, begging to fulfill their pizza destiny?

[OtherMother]

Originally Posted by nstewart 

The thing that gets me is always the sneaky, available extras.  Like yesterday, I got myself a very healthy lunch (salmon, brocolli salad, brown rice, and a milk) only to discover leftover pizza in the work kitchen.  Tell me, how is a pregnant woman supposed to pass up a slice of 'za when there's 2 whole boxes just sitting there, begging to fulfill their pizza destiny?

Exactly!!!!! I hear ya, sister.

I find planning still helps SO much- and having healthy backup snacks even if I think I won't be hungry- and eating enough PROTEIN.

But I'm still a fool for leftover pizza. Like the three slices I had today left over from Uno's last night  

[joy2grow]

Most days I have either one of two things for breakfast:  smoothie made with 2 raw eggs, coconut milk, one small banana, two pineapple rings, and a small scoop of plain greek yogurt OR bowl of oatmeal sweetened with cut up prunes, lots of cinnamon, pasture butter and whole cream w/ sprouted wheat toast & butter.

I only skip breakfast if I get up in the night and eat something particularly hearty -- like leftover pasta or steak.  I've been trying to eat more before bed so that hunger doesn't drive me up -- I'd much rather sleepily make my way to pee and then go back to bed!  I get up to pee at least twice a night.

For lunch I typically eat rice & vegetables with protein -- either beans or leftover chicken/steak -- and sour cream.  We go through so much of it these days as I just can't seem to get enough!  If I have not planned well enough or am feeling lazy I'll just have a whole avocado smashed up on wheat crackers OR a tin of smoked oysters on crackers.  I like finishing lunch with a clementine or two.  I am really into the tangy taste of citrus fruits and have been for nearly two months.  Avocados are a satiating super food that I get into my diet at least 4 times a week.  Since the veg I eat at lunch time don't have to please the family I have things they don't like as much -- cabbage/sauteed kale/brussel sprouts.

Dinner is nearly always a starch, protein, veg combo -- either white rice cooked in 50/50 homemade chicken stock/water or peeled potatoes fried in avocado oil, steak/chicken/sausages, green beans/asparagus/broccoli/salad.  I cook to make it easy to please my fairly picky 6 year old daughter so there is a lot of repetition!  I would eat a lot more pasta if my husband were more into it, but he's not so it's a twice a month "treat" for me.  We *always* have dessert   Usually some dark chocolate or ice cream, I use smaller dessert bowls to keep the portions reasonable.  

Snacks consist of cheese sticks wrapped in lunch meat, handful of nuts (coconut flakes, pistachios, or cashews), greek yogurt w/ cut up apples, banana w/ nut butter, celery w/ yogurt dip, piece of toast with apple butter & cream cheese, or homemade nachos w/ cheese, sour cream, and black olives.

I eat a lot of dairy!  I know raw would be much better but it is too expensive and limited availability where I live as well.  So most of what we buy is either pastured or organic.  I eat as much as I need to to feel satiated and don't focus at all on calories.  I've already gained what is suggested for an entire pregnancy and I'm only at 29 weeks!  My OB has not said a thing and I feel healthy so I'm not going to worry about it. 

We live remotely so that helps to keep eating out to a minimum -- on average that's 3 times/month when we drive the 150 round trip for a big grocery run.  Generally that ends up being burgers, pizza, or some kind of ethnic specialty like Indian, Creole, or Greek. 

I do allow myself to eat more junky food at parties & gatherings.  DD is in scouts and I indulge at the meetings in potato chips & punch and such.  I'm by no means perfect or uptight about my diet but I do try hard when it's in my control to eat lots of fresh foods & proteins. 

If you've made it this far, thanks for indulging me!  Food is a hot topic when pregnant!!

[OtherMother]

Love it!!! There is so much variety in what we eat and yet consistancy in when/attention to nutrition.

Here was today's roundup (back home, so more on-track, though there was no green smoothie or protein shake in there)...

Breakfast: (Hubby brought breakfast in bed after letting me SLEEP IN til 10!! Holy cow! Neither of those things have ever happened before!) 1 slice of lightly toasted whole-wheat seven-grain sourdough topped with a sliced organic tomato (a special out-of-season treat, they weren't as awful as I thought they'd be) and one egg.

Snack: An organic green apple (my FAVE)

Lunch: Tempeh, garlic, and daikon radish cooked in a teeny bit of coconut oil and water, with turmeric, on top of organic spring mix, topped w/ more tomato and nutritional yeast/tamari. Also 1/4 of hub's garlic chicken sausage  :)

Snack: Pbutter-choco chip Cliff bar, chamomile/puerh choco tea w/ 1/8c 1% milk and a few drops of liquid Stevia

Snack #2: 3 dried figs w/ 2 tbsp pbutter

Dinner: Organic brown rice w/ steamed tofu and sliced golden beets, topped w/ pumpkin seeds, nutritional yeast, & tamari; ginger tea to follow

Also, I bought a serving-size of organic halvah (one of my faves, but it comes in a big stick that is like 5 servings and close to 1,500 calories, which I could easily devour at once). I'm still full, but I'll be up late with homework and then night check at the stable, so I'm guessing I'll find myself wanting it  :)

Love hearing your replies, ladies!

[CoBabyMaker]

It's fun to see what everyone is eating!  I am trying to eek out what I can from the fridge and pantry this week, should be interesting.  Not sure I can remember exactly but here's the gist....

Breakfast for me is usually eggs with spinach or kale, we're out of greens right now so I've been having bell pepper instead since I bought a bunch on sale.  Sometimes I'll have some sprouted toast too.

I'm trying to get back into smoothies but I am just not loving them right now.  Not sure why, I usually do and it's an easy way to get some extras in.

A kiwi for a snack today and a couple glasses of homemade iced chai.

Lunch was a salad and turkey sandwich.

I think I had a snack in the afternoon but I can't remember what. 

 Taco bowls for dinner with brown rice, black beans, beef, salsa, avocado and plain yogurt.   

[nstewart]

Mmm, those taco bowls sound good Becky.

What if you had popcicles instead of a smoothie to mix it up?  This morning I made pina colada smoothies for DS and I.  Half a pinapple cut in chunks, 1.5 bananas, cut up and frozen, 1 mango cut up and frozen, 1 can coconut milk, and a big handfull of spinich.  Then I added a bit of water as needed to smooth it out.  We had some for a snack, then there's some for DS and I to have tomorrow, and I put the leftovers in popcicle molds and into the freezer for dessert one day.  This is a bit more tropicle fruit than I suppose is ideal as it's a lot of sugar, but at least there's all the benefit of the fruit too (vitamins, fibre, etc. not just processed sugar) and I did toss in the spinich...

[timesway]

today i had a

breakfast -milkybar (bf brought it in as he woke up with low blood sugar lol and got himself a kinder bar thing and so threw me a milkybar haha! healthy :P )

2nd breakfast (when i actually woke up) -piece of toast and a cup of tea

sortve lunch- cheese and bacon wrap (was in town and feeling really faint as id got up late and was getting bf a pasty as bath is full of pasty shops)

snacks (multiple because dinners gonna be really late) -a graze snack pot of croutons and breadsticks and almonds.
                                                                                -a graze snack pot of pineapple, raisins and green mango

                                                                                -a graze snack box of chocolate bits and raisins lol  yum ...

then for dinner either bf will bring something home (altho i want somethuijg healthy really) or we shall either have leftover chilli or make some kind of lemony garlicy chicken with asparagus and potato of some description, or lamb, mint redwine and rosemary or something equally yummy.. we are both good cooks just a case of having energy to be cooks atm.. i like graze box day as i get dried fruit and nut infusion.. :) mite have some peppery popcorn later if im still hungry .. ooo and ive had 2 cups of tea and 3 pints of water so far today..

[Kate&Joey]

Originally Posted by nstewart 

What if you had popcicles instead of a smoothie to mix it up?  This morning I made pina colada smoothies for DS and I.  Half a pinapple cut in chunks, 1.5 bananas, cut up and frozen, 1 mango cut up and frozen, 1 can coconut milk, and a big handfull of spinich.  Then I added a bit of water as needed to smooth it out.  We had some for a snack, then there's some for DS and I to have tomorrow, and I put the leftovers in popcicle molds and into the freezer for dessert one day.  This is a bit more tropicle fruit than I suppose is ideal as it's a lot of sugar, but at least there's all the benefit of the fruit too (vitamins, fibre, etc. not just processed sugar) and I did toss in the spinich...

Mmmm.  I need to remember to make this!

DH is out of town this week so I'm trying to use up some pantry odds and ends / leftovers from the freezer while he's gone. 

Yesterday:

Breakfast - cheese omelet, orange/cranberry bread, OJ; decaf later while walking the dogs

Lunch - leftover pumpkin smoothie from Saturday with added banana and peanut butter to mix it up a bit; bran muffin, carrot sticks

Dinner - leftover sloppy lentils and whole wheat naan (from the freezer)

Dessert - vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce and pecans 

Today:

Breakfast - frosted mini wheats with banana

Snack - bran muffin and decaf

Lunch - more sloppy lentils and naan (I think it multiplied in the freezer); apple a little while ago

Dinner - black bean and portabello chili (from the freezer) and "Southwest" cabbage slaw; there might be some cornbread in the freezer as well

Dessert - I think I will make some individual "molton" chocolate cakes that I was going to make for DSD's birthday celebration, but we went out instead.  Can't let the whipping cream expire, now can we ?!?