Sample meal plan for Pregnant women
When you are pregnant it can often be hard to eat right, especially when you are plagued with weird cravings and nausea. However, proper diet is going to be extremely beneficial to a fetus, and to your health and sanity when pregnant. The following is a sample meal plan that will help you get the calories and nutrients you need when pregnant.
Breakfast:
- 2 slices of whole wheat bread with margarine or 1 cup of cereal
- 1 egg
- 8 oz. of low fat milk or calcium fortified orange juice
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Mid-Morning Snack:
- 4-5 crackers
- 1 oz. cheese or 1 Tb. peanut butter
Lunch:
- 1 cup of rice or noodles
- 3 oz. meat (ex: beef)
- 1 cup of vegetables (ex: broccoli)
- 1 glass of water, 8 oz. or more
- 1 fresh fruit (orange)
Mid-Afternoon Snack:
- ½ cup nuts or seeds
- 1 fresh fruit (apple)
Dinner:
- 1 cup of rice, or a baked potatoe
- 3 oz. of fish or tofu
- 1 cup of vegetables (bok choy)
- 1 cup soup
- 1 fresh fruit (pear)
Evening Snack:
- ½ cup cereal
- 8 oz. of low fat milk
In addition to this make sure to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day, and stay well hydrated.
The reason this is a good meal plan is because it allows you to get plenty of variety, and it also gives you several wonderful vitamins and nutrients. If you have a meal plan you are going to be more likely to eat, eat in the right quantities, and get the right nutrients to help your baby grow strong, and help you stay healthy.
Having a nice variety of fruits and vegetables is going to help you get the vitamins that help your baby grow. The right grains and nuts and seeds are going to give you the calories you need as well as many other great nutrients. The proteins in the right quantities, and from the right sources are going to mean a healthier baby and healthier pregnancy.
There are a lot of things you should avoid eating when you are expecting, and by having a meal plan put together, you are less likely to accidentally eat the foods that can pose a potential risk to your fetus. For example, you are less likely to over eat the foods you should limit, such as sweets. If you put together a meal plan you can discuss it with your health care professional to see if you have accidentally included something you should avoid. For example, you are supposed to avoid cold cuts in pregnancy, however, a sandwich with a cold roasted chicken would be just fine.
Another benefit of putting together a sample meal plan is that if you are in a state of morning sickness, and nothing sounds good, it gives you something to work from. Also, you can plan a meal plan of items that best fit morning sickness, such as dry crackers, plain baked potatoes, mac and cheese, or cold roasted chicken.
Last, but not least, a meal plan can make it possible for others to fix you something to eat that will fit your nutritional needs when you can't do it yourself. Have you ever asked your husband to fix you dinner and you get a piece of pie on a plate, or a bowl of cereal? Well, this gives him a blue print to work with.
