Pregnancy Snack Ideas Please!

[Czen:)]

Looks like I'll be heading into my fourth pregnancy in a few weeks. I've gone into each previous pregnancy with high hopes of continuing to embracing healthy foods, exercise, and a wonderful attitude. However within a few days of conception I am sick, sick, sick, don't want to do anything, and my mood is sour! I have been shopping and felt my blood sugar plummet so bad that I feel like its not safe to even drive home. So what did I do? I bought a chocolate bar to jack the sugar up and get home as fast as I can. Then when I get home I feel to terrible to rustle up a healthy snack. And the cycle continues....

I am trying to strategize this time. Maybe if I keep my blood sugar constant all the time I won't have these problems. I am starting a list of protien snacks to have on hand. My DH has committed to helping me have these ready and to encourage me to eat them. I think if I try to eat one protien snack every hour (set the timer!) it might help. Anyone have any feedback?

Here is the list I have assembled so far:

Trail Mix -my homemade version, lots of nuts, seeds, and raisins
Falafel
Pizza pops -I make homemade ones with pepperoni and lots of cheese
Nut butter on toast
Slivered almonds & organic raisins
Eggs –scrambled with cheese on top
Fried egg & ham sandwich
Smoothies
Yogurt & granola

I'd love to hear some feedback and any other ideas.

TIA,
Czen

[cathe]

My rule for pregnant women is that each meal or snack have protein, fat, and complex carbs. This should help your blood sugar to stay constant, slow down the digestion of the foods, and give you energy.

Here's a list of snack ideas I have compiled:

-Whole grain toast with tahini or cream cheese and banana slices
-Toasted English muffins with cottage cheese and fresh fruit slices
-Whole grain bagel with almond butter, mashed avocado, or cream cheese
-Crackers with nut/seed butter or cheese
-Hard-boiled egg with crackers or bread
-Cottage cheese (dairy or nondairy) with fresh fruit or vegetables
-Cottage cheese (dairy or nondairy) and applesauce
-Fresh fruit or raw vegetables and cheese
-Fresh fruit and nuts or seeds
-Raw vegetables with nut/seed butter or cream cheese
-Hummus (page xxx) with raw vegetables, pita triangles, or crackers
-Easy Bean Dip (page xxx) with raw vegetables, pita triangles, or crackers
-Creamy Watercress Dip (page xxx) with raw vegetables, pita triangles, or crackers
-Yogurt with Millet Crunch Granola (page xxx)
-Müesli (page xxx)
-Cold or hot cereal with fruit and nuts/seeds
-Leftovers from breakfast or dinner
-Leftover salad
-Leftover soup or stew
-Smoothies (page xxx)
-Half sandwich
-Apple or pear slices with nut or seed butter for dipping
-Oranges or strawberries with yogurt for dipping
-Fruit salad topped with yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts, or seeds
-Bread chunks dipped in olive or flaxseed oil

Here are a couple of energy bar things you can make ahead:

Energy Bars

1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried figs
1/2 cup peanut butter, almond butter, or tahini

Place sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, raisins, and figs in food processor with metal blade. Chop until everything is ground together. Add nut or seed butter and mix until combined. Roll mixture into balls or press into 8-inch round cake pan and cut into 1-inch squares. Keep refrigerated.

Makes about 3 dozen

Note: Nuts can be substituted for seeds and other dried fruit can be substituted for raisins and figs.

Variation

Coconut Energy Bars: Add 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut to mixture. Add a little coconut milk if necessary to help balls hold together.

Carob-Nut Balls
These are great energy boosters. Keep a batch in your refrigerator and take a few along when you go out.

1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup walnuts
1 cup raisins
4 dried figs or dates, pits removed
1/4 cup carob powder
2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger or 1/8 teaspoon powdered
Pinch sea salt
About 2 tablespoons water
Carob powder or unsweetened shredded coconut for rolling

Place almonds and walnuts in food processor with metal blade and pulse to chop. Add raisins, figs or dates, molasses, vanilla, cardamom, ginger, and sea salt. Process until everything is uniformly chopped. Add water a little at a time until mixture holds together. Roll into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in shredded coconut or carob powder if desired. Keep balls refrigerated if you are plan to keep them around more than a day or two.

Makes about 2 dozen

Note: Other nuts or seeds can be substituted for the almonds and walnuts.

Here are a couple of high-protein smoothies:

Meal Shake
This smoothie is a powerhouse of protein, vitamins, and minerals.

2 tablespoons raw almonds or cashews
1 tablespoon raw sunflower or pumpkin seeds
1 cup milk (dairy or nondairy) or kefir
1/4 cup juice (apple, pineapple, etc.)
1 banana, fresh or frozen
1 cup fresh or frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries, etc.)
1 tablespoon wheat germ
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 teaspoon flaxseed oil or 1 tablespoon chia gel (page xxx)
1/4 teaspoon spirulina powder (optional)

Place nuts and seeds in blender and grind to powder. Add remaining ingredients and puree until smooth.

Makes 2 servings

APPROXIMATE NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION FOR 1 SERVING: Calories: 293 cal; Protein: 11 g; Carbohydrates: 34 g; Fat: 15 g; Fiber: 7 g; Sodium: 66 mg.
KEY NUTRIENTS: Thiamine: 2.4 mg; Riboflavin: 2.53 mg; Niacin: 13.72 mg; Pantothenic Acid: 1.13 mg; Vitamin B6: 2.6 mg; Folate: 106.62 mcg; Vitamin B12: 2.19 mcg; Vitamin C: 50.36 mg; Vitamin E: 6.48 mg; Calcium: 186.64 mg; Iron: 1.64 mg; Magnesium: 90.98 mg; Zinc: 1.88 mg.

Ginger-Peach Smoothie
This nutritious smoothie makes an excellent meal or snack. I especially appreciated it my first trimester because the ginger helped with the nausea.

1/4 cup almonds or 2 tablespoons almond butter
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup yogurt (dairy or nondairy)
1 cup frozen diced peaches
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
Liquid stevia extract, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, agave nectar, or honey to taste (optional)

Place almonds in blender and grind to powder. Add remaining ingredients and puree until smooth.

Makes 1 serving

[Czen:)]

OMG Cathe I think I may love you! That is both the best list and best tangeble piece of advice I think I have ever recieved!

I am going to embrace this way of snacking right away and keep my fingers crossed that this time WILL be better!

Thank you for all you contribute to this forum!

[cathe]

No problem. Good luck with everything.

[sandrajoon]

Hmm, after Cathe's impressive list this seems a bit skimpy, but here goes anyway!

I loved eating soaked nuts like almonds and walnuts while preggo. Just soak them in cold water in the fridge overnight and then drain and eat. They are somehow more appealing soaked, don't get stuck in your teeth, and can be fun to peel if you need some mindless activity for a bit. Easy to carry around in a little pyrex or other container, too.

All the best to you!

[Mama Lori]

I'm pg too and my favorite lately has been chunked oranges with a dollop of fruit yogurt and a sprinkle of wheat germ and/or coconut on top.

Another favorite lately is take a whole pita bread, spread on tomato sauce, and top with a mixture of grated mozerella cheese and finely chopped raw spinach. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Bake on baking pan in 350 oven for 8 or 10 minutes. It's so yummy, and a very palatable way to get your greens. Oh, if you like garlic, mix some crushed garlic into the sauce or just sprinkle it on the sauce.

I also like to do a hot bowl of rice with soy sauce and sprinkle seaweed gomasio (ground sesame seeds and seaweed).

[jraohc]

After Cathe's list there isn't much to add, but I'll add anyway:
1) Regarding the blood sugar thing - keep healthy snacks in the car, in your purse, anywhere you might need them. I like those small juice boxes and crackers with peanut butter. They're not necessarily the healthies, but they're certainly better than the chocolate bar and I find them easier to "recover" from.

2) Of course, try to avoid the low blood sugar in the first place. Eat small and eat often. I think I was eating something at least every 2 hours when I was pregnant.

3) I carried around graham crackers and pretzels for when I forgot a snack. I'm sure there are other good things and probably better things, but they worked for me.