Thanks to all the wild food cravings and unpredictable meal timings, sticking to a healthy diet during pregnancy may seem like a real struggle. Nevertheless, it’s a wise decision to include well-balanced and nutritious menus to ensure a healthy and stress-free pregnancy. However, consuming healthy meals during pregnancy is crucial as it forms the sole source of your baby’s nutrition and aids in their proper growth and development.
But if plain veggies and soups bore you, fret not, because, we are here to help you with some easy and delectable meal recipes to enhance your taste buds and also provide the essential nutrients your body needs during this time. These meal recipes will also boost your energy levels, and help meet your daily caloric requirements.
6 Healthy Meals To Consume During Pregnancy
Banana And Walnut Pancakes
Banana is rich in nutrients like folic acid and vitamins that reduce nausea and morning sickness during pregnancy, and also aid in improving your digestive health and preventing heartburn. Walnuts, on the other hand, are packed with omega-3 fatty acids that ensure healthy brain development in your baby. This recipe is easy to prepare and is a perfect option to have during breakfast.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of chopped walnuts
- 1/4th cup of banana puree
- 1 cup of whole-wheat flour
- ½ cup of milk
- 2 tablespoons of wheat bran
- 4 tablespoons of castor sugar
- ½ tablespoons of baking powder and vanilla essence
- 4 tablespoons of butter
How to prepare:
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
- Add ½ cup of water to the mixture and fold again.
- Melt butter in a frying pan and add a ladle of the mixture. Spread the mix evenly to make a pancake.
- Cook both sides until golden brown and serve with banana slices and honey.
Sprouts Cutlet
Sprouts have a high protein content, and they are also rich in essential vitamins and minerals that enhance your overall health. Additionally, they are packed with antioxidants, which improve your digestion and keep constipation issues at bay.
Ingredients:
- 100 gms of sprouts
- 2 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and boiled
- 10 gms of bread crumbs
- 8-10 cashews
- ½ cup of fresh coriander
- 1 tablespoon of corn flour
- Salt to taste
How to prepare:
- Mash the potatoes in a bowl. Add coriander, cashew, sprouts, salt, and cornflour, and mix well.
- Make small cutlets with the mix and coat them with bread crumbs. Brush some oil and shallow fry the cutlets until they turn golden brown.
- Garnish with ketchup, and enjoy.
Cabbage Rice
Cabbage is rich in calcium and folate and helps in boosting your immunity and prevent anaemia during pregnancy. It also helps enhance muscle and bone health in your baby. You can have this recipe during lunch or dinner to boost your nutrition levels and fulfil caloric requirements.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of shredded cabbage
- 1 ½ cups of cooked rice
- 1 onion and capsicum, finely chopped
- ½ tablespoon of pepper powder
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 2 tablespoons of grated cheese
- Salt to taste
How to prepare:
- In a wok, melt the butter, and add the onions to saute.
- Add the remaining veggies into the wok, and cook until tender.
- Mix the rice and seasonings. Serve the rice in a bowl, and garnish it with cheese.
Bean Soup
Beans are an essential food item that you should definitely include in your pregnancy diet. It helps meet your fibre requirements and also enhances your overall health. You can have bean soup during your dinner as an appetiser, or even as a light evening snack.
Ingredients:
- 3/4th cup of kidney beans (soaked overnight)
- 2 cups of chopped tomatoes
- ½ cup of chopped onions
- 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and vegetable oil
- ½ tablespoon of chilli powder
- Salt to taste
How to prepare:
- In a pressure cooker, heat vegetable oil, and then add chopped onions. Cook it until transparent.
- Add tomatoes, garlic, chilli powder, and salt, and saute for a few minutes.
- Add the kidney beans, and some water, and pressure cook for about 15 minutes.
- Let the kidney beans cool a little, and then add the mix into your blender and churn.
- Serve in a soup bowl, and garnish with lemon juice and coriander leaves.
Date And Banana Shake
This date and banana milkshake is a perfect pick-me-up when you are craving something sweet, and also helps satiate your hunger midday or mid-evening. The best part is that this recipe requires only two ingredients and is still very delectable and sweet.
Ingredients:
- 1/4th cup of dates, soaked
- ½ a banana
- 1 cup of milk
- Ice cubes, optional
How to prepare:
- Mix the ingredients in a blender.
- Pour it into a tall glass, add some ice cubes, and enjoy your yummy shake.
Peanut Butter And Chocolate Chips Energy Bars
This recipe is perfect for when you need a boost of energy in the middle of the day, or when you are craving something sweet. Peanut butter is packed with polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants that prevent the risk of neural tube defects in your baby and uplift your energy levels to keep fatigue at bay.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of roasted peanuts
- ½ cup of peanut butter
- 1 cup of oats
- 1 cup of chocolate chips
- 1 cup of sunflower seeds
- 20 dates, pitted
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla essence and Kosher salt
- ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
How to prepare:
- Add peanuts, oats, sunflower seeds, peanut butter, and dates to your blender and churn.
- In a bowl, mix the eggs, salt, and vanilla essence, and then add the chocolate chips and fold.
- Grease a baking pan. Transfer the mixture into it and spread it evenly.
- Bake it for 35 minutes at 200°F. Let it cool before you proceed to cut it into bars.
When you are pregnant, your body requires extra nutrition, energy, and care. This can be achieved by consuming healthy meals during pregnancy, like the ones that we’ve listed above. These recipes pamper your tastebuds, satisfy your cravings, and also deliver essential nutrients that keep you and your baby healthy.
Also read:
Third-trimester pregnancy diet: Check out this post to know about the essential food items to include in your third-trimester pregnancy diet.
Easy and healthy pregnancy snack recipes: Looking for some quick-to-make snack recipes to satiate your pregnancy cravings? We’ve got you covered with an entire list in this post.
Featured image: Pexels.com
