Healthy Pregnancy Cravings

When I was pregnant, I craved orange juice like it was going out of style. OJ with breakfast, OJ with lunch, OJ with dinner. Before growing a child inside my body, I never liked orange juice. However, once the 2nd trimester hit, I wanted all the orange juice. And all the brownies, but that wasn’t just pregnancy. I want all the brownies all the time.

My friends, as yours do I’m sure, have plenty of stories of what they craved during pregnancy. Starbursts, Sweet Tarts, anything sour, pickles, potato chips, watermelon. If you are lucky, you will find that your cravings are for healthy foods that will keep your baby (and not your hips and booty) growing. However, if you are craving things like hot fudge milkshakes and giant pieces of red velvet cake, you might consider indulging your craving only a few times a month and trying out healthier alternatives on a daily basis. Between excessive weight gain and medical concerns like gestational diabetes, eating healthy can keep you and Baby healthy.

Something Sweet

Craving that ice cream sundae or piece of chocolate cake? Mama, we feel you. When the hormones are out of whack, the struggle is real. However, if you think that you can fool your body and are up for trying out a few healthier alternatives, we think that we have found a few options for you and Baby to try. Angel food cake with fruit on top is delicious. You can even add a dollop of whipped cream and still have a healthy dessert that tastes decadent. If ice cream is more your weakness, sherbet or gelato is a great option. For an even healthier alternative, blend a frozen banana. It tastes delicious and you can add some chocolate sauce or chocolate chips to make it even sweeter.

Something Soda

I have friends who upped their soda intake tenfold during pregnancy due to their cravings. Instead of buying stock in Diet Coke or Pepsi, you might be able to fool your body with other fizzy drinks. Try out seltzer water with a big squeeze of lemon and lime, or mineral water with frozen blackberries.

Something Salty

When my friend Stacy was pregnant with her second child, she was never without a bag of potato chips. In fact, I cannot find one photo of her during this pregnancy without a bag of chips in the photo, or in her hand. If you are craving something salty and crunchy, it can be difficult to find a good substitute. While I didn’t crave potato chips during my pregnancy, chips are often my go-to PMS craving. I understand that tortilla chips and salsa is not the same as sour cream and onion Lays. Obviously. But, if you are willing to try a few options, you might find that salty popcorn gives you the crunch that you need or that air popped chips satisfy you just the same.

Let me say, though, that while alternatives are often healthier and can fool your tongue into thinking that you are giving in, sometimes you need to eat cookie dough right out of the package while watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians. You know what’s best for you, Mama. So whether you are grabbing the fork for a piece of angel food cake or for a pan of brownies, I salute you. But I also think you should share your brownies with me.

About This Blogger

Haley Burress

Haley Burress is the proud Mama of Jackson, a 4 year old who was conceived after 4 years of injections, procedures, and more early morning internal ultrasounds than she cares to count. She spends her time writing for parents and educators while her son is at preschool or napping. Haley lives in the northwest Chicago suburbs with her (handsome) Principal husband, son, and a fish named Blue that somehow has not died in the past year. She's a Christian, an introvert, and a wanna-be yogi. You can usually find her reading a good book, dancing in the kitchen while cooking dinner, falling on her face while attempting crow pose on her yoga mat, and hiding in the bathroom eating a brownie so she doesn't have to share.