7 Healthy Pregnancy Snacks That Kick the Cravings

For an on-the-go snack between meals with high protein, high fiber, low sugar and zero natural flavors, go with ALOHA Organic Plant Based Protein Bars.

This bar got me through the occasional midnight pregnancy craving when I was way too tired to put together a snack.

They’re also a great option postpartum while nursing, as you can replenish those precious calories that are quickly sucked away. 

The dark chocolate, rich peanut butter and a bit of sea salt will satisfy a few cravings (without the bad stuff). 

Certified B Corp, vegan, non-GMO and organic.

Check out the ALOHA Organic Protein Bar on Amazon here.

If you’ve got a little time to chop and bake, these zucchini bombs will satisfy sweet, salty and savory cravings. They’re packed with fiber, protein, and also have a nice amount of calcium and iron.

These bombs really are well, you know. Not only a great snack, but I’ve been known to have them for a quick lunch or dinner as well.

PREGNANCY TIP: This study concluded “choosing organically grown vegetables during pregnancy was associated with reduced risk of pre-eclampsia.” Go organic when you can.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 medium zucchini
• Handful of cherry tomatoes
• 1 oz. of good melting cheese (I like cheddar or gouda)
• 1 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Slice zucchini about 1/2 inch thick and place them on baking pan.
   (You want them to be bite-size rounds, so if it’s a large zucchini you may need to slice the rounds in half.)
2. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and put one on each zucchini piece.
   (Grape tomatoes and larger tomatoes can also work — just cut them smaller.)
3. Cut cheese into small blocks and place them on top of the tomatoes.
4. Cook at 350º in oven or toaster oven for 10 minutes.
5. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Want these bombs vegan? Replace the cheese with refried beans (spread under the tomatoes).

Craving something crunchy? Take a hard pass on that bag of Cheetos or Doritos.

Mary’s Gone Crackers does it right. Free of sugar, natural flavors, and gluten. And so delicious you’ll need to hide the package from yourself.

These crackers have a great balance of fat, fiber, and plant-based protein, keeping you full and satisfied until your next meal.

The ingredients list is short and organic. It includes organic tamari, which hits the salt craving without a gross amount of sodium.

Snack on them alone or top them with a bit of hummus, cheese, cucumbers, or whatever else you might find in your fridge.

I talk about all the best crackers for pregnancy here.

You can get Mary’s Gone Crackers on Vitacost here or on Amazon here.

I love the banana and almond butter snack because it’s quick with no cutting involved.

Raw almond butter can sometimes be a bit dry, but pair it with a banana and you’ve got the perfect combo.

Although bananas are a bit high in sugar, they’ll kick that sweet craving with a natural source. And, the almond butter will help keep your blood sugar level from spiking.

This yummy combo is packed with healthy fat, fiber, protein, iron and potassium.

Grab the raw, organic almond butter on Amazon here.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 banana
• 1 TBSP almond butter

Here’s another one without much prep.

What’s so great about walnuts? The Omega 3:6 ratio. Most standard diets aren’t getting nearly enough Omega-3 fats. Walnuts will help you get them back in balance. They can also help you stay full after eating fewer calories.

I always go for raw and organic with nuts. They don’t have any extra added oils.

INGREDIENTS TIP: Added oils can be a sneaky ingredient — most of them are cheap oils that aren’t good for you.

If you’ve got the time, roast these on a pan and add a little salt. Do a few servings and they’ll be ready for you later.

You can get raw organic walnuts on Vitacost here. You can also get these walnuts on Amazon here.

Muesli is a perfect breakfast, but it can also be an awesome snack.

This organic muesli has zero added sugar but you get a bit of natural sweetness from the raisins.

The ingredients are organic and simple with no junk added: oats, raisins, almonds, flax seeds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds.

This gives you a nice hit of healthy fat, fiber, protein and iron.

The almonds and cashews give it a nice crunch. I enjoy with greek yogurt or milk.

Make it vegan with non-dairy yogurt or milk.

You can get guud muesli on Amazon here.

Don’t settle for microwave popcorn. You might also be consuming TBHQ, low-quality oil, and flavoring.

Seriously, the typical ingredients in a bag of microwave popcorn just aren’t great for human consumption.

PREGNANCY TIP: Don’t zap that popcorn. The microwave bags can contain PFAS, which can have adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Make your own stovetop almost as quickly as the crappy bag variety.

Use avocado oil because it’s healthier than most and has a high smoking point.

Save by buying organic popcorn kernels in bulk.

INGREDIENTS

3 TBSP of avocado oil
1/3 cup organic popcorn kernels

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan on medium high heat.
2. After it starts to get hot, put the kernels in and cover. Shake the pan around a while on the burner.
3. Try to keep the lid slightly ajar to let the steam from the popcorn release. Once the popping slows down, take off heat and dump into a bowl.
4. Add toppings. Be creative depending on your craving. You can mist on a little extra virgin olive oil to get the seasonings to stick (some topping ideas: paprika, cinnamon, chives, onion powder, sea salt, pepper, parsley, dill, rosemary, garlic powder, cayenne, cumin, chili powder, even hot sauce!)

This makes enough for two people; store in an air-tight container and it’ll stay fresh for a few days.

MY FAVE TOPPINGS: A spritz of apple cider vinegar and organic nutritional yeast flakes (for a cheesy flavor).

You can get the avocado oil, organic popcorn kernels, apple cider vinegar and nutritional yeast flakes on Amazon here.