Healthy and substantial snacks perfect for pregnancy
Need a snack? Try these healthy and tasty options
SNACK 1
Scrambled eggs on toast
Calories: 250 - 350 calories
With its protein-rich eggs and tasty brown bread that’s high in fibre, vitamins and minerals, this snack will keep you fuller for longer.
Ingredients:
2 eggs on one slice of brown toast with a light spread.
Method:
Beat together 2 eggs and 2 tablespoons of semi-skimmed milk in a microwave-proof bowl, using a fork to whip some air into the mixture.
Season with a touch of freshly ground black pepper.
Cook, uncovered, in the microwave on high for 1 minute, stir, then cook again for 30 seconds before mixing again – the eggs should be cooked but soft
Put some spread on your toast, pop the eggs on top and enjoy!
Top tip!
Making your eggs in the microwave saves time and avoids too much boring washing up too!
SNACK 2
Low fat yoghurt with seeds and fruit
Calories: 200-250 calories
With all the yogurt and seeds in this delicious snack, you’ll be stockpiling calcium, which is great for building bones. And berries are loaded with a diverse mixture of crucial vitamins and minerals too.
Ingredients:
One portion of yoghurt – a small pot (125 grams), or just a great big dollop
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
1 tablespoon of berries
Method:
If you’re feeling mighty ‘hangry’, just throw them in a bowl, stir and tuck in. Or if you’re feeling a touch creative, why not use a glass and layer yogurt, berries, yogurt, seeds, yogurt. For a final flourish, use a couple of berries to decorate the top.
Top tip!
For help choosing berries, just look for what’s in season or buy your favourites – we love blackberries and blueberries!
SNACK 3
Calories: 175 - 200 calories
Cottage cheese on yummy oatcakes
Thanks to all that calcium in the cottage cheese and fibre in the oatcakes, this lovely, light snack really packs a punch. And you can put it together quickly and easily, almost anywhere!
Ingredients:
1 serving of cottage cheese (75g)
2 oatcakes
Carrots, cucumber or pepper (if you feel like it)
Method:
Spread the cottage cheese on the oatcakes, and then (if you’re feeling adventurous) why not grate some carrot or cucumber on top, or serve with sliced peppers – they’re all great for an extra burst of vitamins and minerals.
SNACK 4
Smoked mackerel paste on rye bread
Calorie count: 400-500
This great snack combines the health benefits of oily fish with a nice filling, healthy bread. Oily fish is a great source of important omega-3 fats, which are linked to the baby's brain development and nervous system. While rye bread has a very low glycaemic index (GI) score, meaning it converts into sugar slowly, keeping you fuller for longer.
Ingredients:
One smoked mackerel fillet
75ml thick natural yoghurt
black pepper
lemon
Method:
Whip any bones or skin off the mackerel and pop it a bowl, add the yoghurt and mix it all up. Add some black pepper and a squeeze of lemon, and the paste is ready to spread on that delicious rye bread.
SNACK 5
Raspberry banana smoothie
Calories: 200-300
This smoothie packs a real health punch, combining the health benefits of three delicious fruits. Not only are bananas great for lifting your mood, easing morning sickness and boosting energy levels, but the vitamin C in oranges helps you absorb iron, while raspberries bring even more vitamins to the party, and make the smoothie a really cool colour too!
Ingredients:
85g raspberries
1 chopped banana
150ml orange juice
Method:
Whizz 85g raspberries together with 1 chopped banana and 150ml orange juice until smooth. And that’s it!
SNACK 6
A small bowl of porridge
Calories: 200-300
Porridge tastes amazing, fills you up for ages and helps prevent that pesky constipation too. Bring it on...
Ingredients:
50g oats
350ml semi-skimmed milk
Fresh fruit – whatever takes your fancy!
Pinch of salt
Method:
Mix the oats, milk and a pinch of salt in a large microwave-proof bowl, then microwave on ‘high’ for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through. Leave to stand for 2 minutes, then sprinkle some fruit – or even chopped nuts – on top and tuck in!
SNACK 7
Sesame Popcorn
Calories: 50-100
Low in calories and high in fibre, plain popcorn is a great snack – throw in some sesame seeds and it’s rich in calcium too!
Ingredients:
Plain popped popcorn
½ teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
½ teaspoon sesame seeds
Method:
Put a few handfuls of popped popcorn in a bowl, and mix with the toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds.
SNACK 8
Avocado Hummus
Calories: 200-300
Ingredients:
1/4 avocado
2 tablespoons hummus
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
chopped fresh chives
bell pepper
Method:
Puree 1/4 avocado, 2 tablespoons hummus, and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice in a food processor, then stir in the fresh chives too. Serve as a dip with 1 sliced red or yellow bell pepper.
SNACK 9
*Greek yoghurt and granola
Calories: 250-300 calories
Yogurt is chock-full of calcium and a good granola made from lots of oats will be loaded with fibre, vitamins and minerals too, so it’s a lovely nutritious snack all round!
Ingredients:
A portion of Greek yogurt - a small pot, (125g) or just a few tablespoons
A handful (roughly 25g) of granola
Method:
Mix them together to enjoy the crunchy texture of granola combined with a yummy, creamy yogurt.
Top tip!
Try and choose a healthy granola that’s high in oats and not too loaded with extra salt and fat.
SNACK 10
Tea loaf
Calorie count: 250-300
The perfect snack for those times when all you want is to flop on the sofa with a great slice of cake and a lovely cup of decaf.
Ingredients:
4 tea bags – of strong tea
500g mixed dried fruit
125g light brown sugar
250g self-raising flour
½ tsp mixed spice
1 medium egg, beaten
Method:
Pop the tea bags in a large bowl and pour 300ml boiling water over them. Leave for a good 10 minutes to infuse. Then squeeze them out and chuck them away.
Mix all that lovely the fruit into the tea and leave it to soak for at least 2 hours – overnight is ideal if you have time to really let them soak to the max.
When they’re done, it’s time to get baking! Set the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
Then stir the sugar, flour, spice and egg into the fruit and mix well. Spoon into the tin and level off the top. Bake for an hour, or until risen and firm to the touch. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn it out to cool on a wire rack.
If you can manage it, wrap in greaseproof paper and keep for 2 days to improve the flavour. If you’re mad for a snack though, don’t worry about waiting – you can tuck in straight away. Just cut off a slice, cover in spread and enjoy!
Pssst! If baking isn’t your thing, you can snap up a tea loaf in most supermarkets.
SNACK 11
Easy banana bread
Calories: 300-400 calories
Bananas can lift your mood and give you a great energy boost. Eat them whole, or if you feel like something a touch on the naughty side, enjoy them mashed into that much-loved treat - banana bread. It’s gloriously easy cake to make! (Or you can always dodge the baking bit and buy one ready made..)
Ingredients:
3 bananas
75g butter
150g of sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 dash salt
180g flour
Method:
Mix the butter, eggs, vanilla and bananas together in a bowl
Mix in the sugar, bicarbonate of soda, flour and salt
Pour into a 4x8 loaf pan (buttered)
Bake at 160c for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a knife comes out pretty clean
Cool on a rack
Cut yourself a slice, brew a cup of decaf – and sigh a big, happy sigh.