Delicious, Easy and Healthy Summer Recipes for Pregnancy

**I am not a doctor or licensed dietitian. These are recipes I make in my own home that work to supplement my pregnancy. Consult your doctor before you change your eating habits while pregnant.

I am one of those lucky pregnant women who is enduring the third trimester during the hottest summer months. During the heat my cravings tend to be for popsicles, ice cream, and sugary frozen drinks. Regardless of the cravings, nothing is more important to me right now than making sure my August baby is getting enough of the nutrients he needs during this final stage. In addition, I need to make sure that my body is getting the proper nutrients I need to have a safe and happy rest-of-pregnancy. Nutrients like protein, fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and antioxidants are very important for the third trimester.

Taking supplements often upsets my stomach and digestive tract, so I have been working hard to supplement what I am getting in my prenatal vitamin through food – more specifically, food I actually want to eat during my cravings. Healthy foods tend to be much more expensive than processed foods and some women find it difficult to maintain and expensive, healthy diet. The following recipes are inexpensive, yet contain the nutrients that pregnant women most need.

Here are some of the tasty foods that help me and my baby get what we need:

Berry Parfait
Under $1 per serving. Rich in fiber, protein, calcium and antioxidants.

Antioxidant- and fiber-packed strawberries and blueberries tend to be on sale during the summer months, so stock up! For those living near a Kroger grocery store, Kroger-brand Carbmaster yogurt has 8 grams of protein and only 6 sugars – you will not find a healthier, great-tasting yogurt!

4 fresh strawberries, washed and cut into chunks
1/3 cup fresh blueberries
1 Kroger Carbmaster Vanilla yogurt (or substitute with a low-sugar brand of your choice)
1/3 cup cereal (Kashi Go Lean Crunch, Frosted Mini Wheats, Special K, or plain oatmeal)

Mix these ingredients together and enjoy!

Berry Waffles
About $1 per serving. Rich in fiber, protein, calcium and antioxidants.

Another use for the fresh strawberries and blueberries you bought for the first recipe is a detectible breakfast (or anytime) snack. Pre-made, frozen waffles often offer a healthy alternative to buttermilk waffles. Look for whole wheat, frozen waffles. Some stores, like Kroger, may have their own brand that costs $1-$2 less than Eggo’s.

2-3 frozen whole wheat waffles
4 fresh strawberries, washed and cut into chunks
1/3 cup fresh blueberries
1 Kroger Carbmaster Vanilla yogurt
2 tbsp honey

Pop the waffles in the toaster and heat the honey in a medium saucepan on the lowest heat. Put the blueberries and strawberries into the heated honey pan and stir until coated. Remove immediately from the heat – do not cook the fruit, just coat it. Top the toasted waffles with the fruit mixture and a generous dollop of yogurt.

One last suggestion – try not to eat more than three of these delicious treats in one sitting!

Homemade Chipotle Burrito Bowl
Under $3 per serving. Rich in fiber, protein, calcium and iron.

Many moms are a part of the WIC program which helps provide basic food that is healthy for pregnant women and their babies. Some of the ingredients in these recipes can be purchased using the WIC coupons. Mexican food is a summer staple, but many women who suffer from pregnancy, acid reflux would prefer to control the ingredients in their meals. This homemade burrito bowl recipe is full of nutrients, but helps to control the ingredients that cause heartburn.

1 cup of white or brown rice
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1 lime (or 1 tbsp of lime juice)
2 cups of water
1 can of pinto beans (or black beans if you prefer)
1 grilled chicken breast (diced) or 1 cup of homemade shredded pork
2 tbsp of sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
1/3 cup of shredded cheese

Optional:
sauteed green pepper and/or onion
shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large saucepan with the juice from 1 lime. Once the butter is melted add dry rice to the pan and coat the rice in the sauce for about 1 minute on medium heat. After one minute, add the water and leave to simmer until the rice is cooked. Heat the entire can of pinto beans on medium heat until hot.

Once the rice and beans are done layer the following into a dish: rice, beans, chicken/pork, shredded cheese, optional toppings and sour cream.

This tastes just like a $7 dish at Chipotle for under $3 per serving!

Pregnancy Popsicles
Under 50 cents per popsicle. Rich in fiber, calcium and antioxidants.

One more use for those strawberries! Whole fruit popsicles – while tasty – tend to be around $1 per popsicle. Control the ingredients in your frozen treats and save up to half the cost by purchasing a homemade popsicle mould at the dollar store.

1 carton of fresh strawberries, washed and cut into chunks
1 tbsp honey
1 Kroger Carbmaster Peach yogurt

Puree the ingredient in a food processor or blender, pour mixture into moulds and freeze. In about an hour or so you will be able to enjoy your treat!

Breakfast BLT
Under $1 per sandwich. Rich in protein, iron, calcium, potassium.

BLTs are a summer food! There is nothing better than harvesting tomatoes and lettuce from your own garden and making a fresh sandwich. I have always loved BLTs in the summer, but adding the eggs gives me and the baby an extra boost. These sandwiches pack a huge punch of protein! Because they are so nutrient rich, limit yourself to one, tasty sandwich per day.

1 strip of low sodium, turkey bacon
1 egg
2 slices of whole wheat or whole grain bread
3 tomato slices
10+ leaves of baby spinach
1 slice of cheese (I prefer American on this sandwich)
1 tbsp mayonaise (optional, substitute Miracle Whip or olive oil mayo)

Cook the bacon to your liking (some people like it crispy others like it soft – just make sure it’s steaming) and toast the slices of bread. Fry the egg until both the whites and yolks are completely cooked (you may want to break the yoke immediately after adding it to the pan).

Once these three items are finished cooking layer the egg, bacon and cheese onto the bottom slice of toast. Top with desired amounts of tomato slices, spinach, mayo and toast and you have a fabulous and nutrient rich sandwich for under $1.00 sure to satisfy your cravings!

Other great pregnancy foods

Frosted Mini Wheats – Frosted Mini Wheats contain 90% of an adult daily value of iron. My doctor allowed me to eat a bowl a day in place of taking an iron supplement. It digests and absorbs into your body much better, as well. Aldi sells a generic brand of frosted Shredded Wheat that tastes the same and costs half as much as the name brand.

Carnation Instant Breakfast – Contains the equivalent of 1/4 of a multivitamin. In addition, adding a cup of skim milk to the powder increases the shake’s calcium and protein content. The protein in the shake helped me particularly with morning sickness.

Chocolate Protein Bars – Hardcore protein bars contain around 20 grams of protein per bar and cost around $2 per bar. I like to cut them up into thirds and put them in a ziplock bag. I grab a piece when I feel morning sickness or when I know I haven’t gotten my necessary protein intake for the day. These bars also contain fiber, potassium, and magnesium. Do not eat a whole bar in one day in order not to get too many vitamins in one day. Be careful also not to get bars with added caffeine or that are labeled “energy”, with artificial sweeteners or high Vitamin A.

**I am not a doctor or licensed dietitian. These are recipes I make in my own home. Consult your doctor before you change your eating habits while pregnant.