8 Super Healthy Snacks During Pregnancy

A healthy diet is an important part of a healthy lifestyle at any time but is especially vital if you're pregnant or planning a pregnancy. Eating healthy snacks for pregnant women will help your baby to develop and grow. Eating healthy snacks in addition to your regular meals can help you feel fuller longer, especially later in pregnancy when eating large portions becomes uncomfortable.                                                        

Snacks, too, are an intelligent form of nutritional insurance. While your calorie needs ramp up during pregnancy, using those extra calories to fill your body with critical nutrients that support your baby's development is more crucial than ever.                                    

So what should you be munching on these days to keep your energy up between meals and give your little one an extra dose of nutrition? Good and healthy snacks for pregnant women are delicious, healthy, and filling — and there is no shortage of ideas. No matter what flavors you're craving, here are some of the best snack ideas for pregnancy.

What snacks should pregnant women eat?

The best healthy snacks for pregnant women are both nutritious and satisfying. They should leave you feeling comfortably full but not stuffed and contribute to your overall pregnancy dietary needs.                                                                        

Most of the snacks in Cyruscrafts shop feature some protein, which can be a good choice for pregnancy. Click here to see more healthy snacks. And you can find pregnancy snacks to buy in Cyruscrafts. 

In addition to the energy boost, most of these snacks also offer other health benefits that are especially important for pregnant women—calcium or fiber.

Finally, pregnant women should try to choose pregnancy snacks to buy that have been minimally processed and don't contain added sugars.

But if you eat healthy foods that taste great, making the right choices is more accessible.

It's important to remember that eating a healthy diet is only one element of prenatal care. It would help if you also took one of the best prenatal vitamins daily. This is essential for your health and that of your little ones!

Healthy dry snacks for pregnancy

Sometimes you need a dry option that's easy to transport and can sit in your bag for hours without refrigeration.                                     

In addition to convenience, dry snacks often contain whole grains, nuts, Trail mix, and dried fruit, so they're a great way to get more fiber into your diet to help prevent pregnancy constipation and fill up on protein and B vitamins. Dry snacks are also pretty easy to eat when you're queasy.

The nut, seed, and dried fruit combo have protein, healthy fats, and fiber to keep you going for hours. Add fun mix-ins like cashews, pistachio, black or green raisins, or dark chocolate chips.

Fresh fruit with a nut butter packet. Options like bananas and apples can sit at room temperature. A dollop of nut butter (like peanut or cashew) on top will give you the protein and healthy fats needed to stay satisfied longer than if you had just fruit alone. Look for single-serving packets, which are easy to grab as an addition to your lunch bag when heading out the door.

Protein-rich snacks for pregnant women

Protein can help to grow a baby, but it can also help stabilize blood sugar levels. That means you'll have more energy to keep going throughout the day—without experiencing symptoms like headaches, nausea, and irritability that come with low blood sugar.

Nuts are packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats—making them nature's perfect snack. Each type of nut has its nutritional perks (almonds offer calcium; walnuts have omega-3s; peanuts serve up vitamin E), so aim for a variety when snacking on nuts. 

If you are reluctant to eat snacks like these, don't worry. Adding color and beauty to arranging nuts and dried fruits on a decorative plate can help overcome your reluctance.

Roasted chickpeas are crunchy, savory, and nutritious — they're full of protein, fiber, and iron. Bake canned, drained, and rinsed chickpeas with olive oil until crispy, or buy them pre-made; either way, they make a great snack! Roast chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese, then arrange them on a plate.

Hard-boiled eggs are easy to stay on track with your diet during the workweek. Research suggests that eating eggs can help boost your child's development by providing essential vitamins and minerals.

The best sweet pregnancy snacks

You can enjoy a sweet snack occasionally, but if you find that your cravings for sugar are out of control, think about making healthier food choices.

Medjool dates stuffed with almond butter. Dates are nature's candy—sweet, sticky, and full of fiber. Add an extra layer of deliciousness (and make them more filling) by dunking the dates into protein-packed almond butter!

Frozen banana "ice cream" with chopped nuts. Freeze a peeled, sliced banana for at least 2 hours until solid. (Or, if you have extra time and want to get fancy about it, prep this the night before by slicing up a bunch of bananas and throwing them into Ziploc bags so they don't brown/freeze together in one big chunk.) Process frozen bananas in a food processor or blender until creamy smooth—it'll take longer than usual since there are no dairy additives to help emulsify things here! Top off each cupcake liner with 1–2 tbsp ice cream scoop topping (below), then sprinkle* some crushed walnuts over everything, too*)

Whole grain toast spread with peanut or almond butter and topped with dark chocolate chips is a quick way to get your day off to a healthy start.

Dark chocolate and a clementine. Aim for chocolate containing 70 to 85 percent cocoa. The higher cocoa content means your chocolate will have more nutrients (like iron and magnesium) and less added sugar. Portion-wise, a one-ounce square is perfect. 

Saffron during pregnancy

Have you ever wondered why it is believed that expecting pregnant mothers must eat saffron milk? When you find out you are pregnant, the first thing that probably comes to mind is taking care of your overall health and the little one growing inside you. Being healthy becomes very important to you.

A balanced diet, good habits, and happiness are essential; however, saffron is highly recommended during the nine months. Saffron, aka Kesar, is an exotic spice derived painstakingly from the flowers of Crocus Sativus, which usually forms a part of several food recipes and has numerous health benefits.            

Daily intake of saffron during pregnancy makes the baby fair. A glass of milk with a few strands of saffron is a standard drink still encouraged to to-be-mom during their pregnancy. It is the most royal spice of all in the world. It is handpicked during harvesting season, making it a priced delicacy. Large numbers of saffron strands are needed to form even a small bunch, so it is priced very high in the spice market.

Besides its effects on complexion, many researchers have proven the sound effects of saffron when consumed during pregnancy.

• During the 9th month of pregnancy, saffron has a muscle relaxant effect, like the hormone oxytocin, which prepares the mother's body for delivery and aids in easy childbirth.
• Saffron helps in controlling colds and coughs. It helps in reducing a stuffy nose, which is common during pregnancy.
• The antidepressant action of saffron helps calm down mood swings frequently seen during pregnancy.
• Saffron helps in digestion and improves blood circulation.
• Saffron is rich in various active components like carotenoids, safranal, crocin, etc., minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants that boost the body's immune system, prevent cancer, and act as painkillers and anxiety relievers. They help in controlling diabetes, reducing inflammation, and increasing bone strength.

Consuming a small quantity of saffron during pregnancy is safe and beneficial. Too much saffron during pregnancy can cause side effects that can be serious in nature.

Pregnancy-friendly evening snacks

If you have trouble falling asleep, eat a light snack with nutrients that aid relaxation.

Whole wheat peanut butter toast with a banana. The complex carb-protein combo might be sleep-inducing, especially when you add a few slices of banana, another fruit source of melatonin.

Warm milk with cinnamon. Warm milk isn't just soothing — according to the National Sleep Foundation, there may be some link between the tryptophan and melatonin content of milk and improved sleep. Cinnamon adds a yummy sweet note, but you could also try other spices, like ground nutmeg or cardamom.

A handful of walnuts. In addition to their protein, healthy fats, and omega-3s, eating walnuts can boost your blood levels of melatonin and help you sleep more soundly.

What are some of your favorite pregnancy snacks to buy? Share your top picks in the comments below, and spread this post among other moms-to-be.