Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics
Healthy Eating for Pregnancy
During your teenage years your body is still growing and developing. You need extra nutrition to support
this, including extra energy, protein, vitamins and minerals. Good nutrition is also important for a healthy
pregnancy, to help your baby grow and develop properly. Eating a healthy, balanced diet while you are
pregnant will help to make sure you get enough of these nutrients for you and your baby.
What is a “healthy diet” for pregnancy?
1. During pregnancy most women need 3 meals per day.
It is a good idea to plan regular meals, at similar times each day. This reduces your chances
of grabbing fast-food or convenience foods, which aren’t as nutritious.
If you are hungry between your meals, include some extra snacks to keep you going!
Sample times for regular meals and snacks:
Breakfast Snack Lunch Snack Dinner Snack
2. Include some carbohydrate foods at each of your meals for slow-release energy. Try to choose
the “brown” versions as much as possible as these have extra fibre and vitamins.
Good carbohydrate food to choose:
Wholegrain or wholemeal breads, wraps, High fibre cereal e.g. Porridge, Weetabix,
pita bread, chapatti Bran, Muesli, Granola,
Boiled, baked potatoes or sweet potatoes Egg noodles (not instant or “Pot Noodles”)
Whole-wheat pasta Cous Cous, quinoa or rice
3. Include some protein foods at each of your main meals and snacks, for growth and development.
Good protein food to choose:
Lean meat – for example, steak or pork Lean chicken or turkey – for example,
chop without the fat or high quality mince. breast without the skin.
All fresh/ tinned/ frozen fish (not battered). Cheese (ideally choose “light” versions)
Try to eat oily fish (salmon, trout, mackerel) Cheddar, Edam, Emmental, Parmesan,
once each week. If you do not eat oily fish, Feta, Cottage, mozzarella, mascarpone
consider taking an omega 3 supplement. and Philadelphia® are safe in pregnancy.
Baked beans (ideally low-sugar versions), Eggs (e.g. hard-boiled/poached, fried,
kidney beans, mixed beans, lentils, falafel scrambled, omelettes)
Nuts, seeds, hummus and peanut butter Tofu/ tempeh
Created March 2020
4. Eat 5 or more fruit or vegetables each day for vitamins, mineral and fibre.
Fruit Vegetables
Fresh, frozen, tinned fruit (in natural juice) Fresh, frozen or tinned vegetables, which
and fruit salads can be boiled, steamed or roasted
Juices and smoothies Mixed salad
Note: limit to 1 x 200ml glass per day as juices and
smoothies are high in natural sugars.
Small amount of dried fruits Soup
5. Eat 5 or more portions of dairy or dairy alternatives each day to make sure you get enough
calcium for you and your baby’s bones and teeth.
1 serving of dairy: 1 serving of dairy alternatives:
200mls milk (choose fortified milk such as Calcium-enriched yoghurt alternatives
Supermilk® for added calcium) (e.g. soya)
Hot chocolate (made on milk) Calcium-enriched Soya, Oat and Almond
milk alternatives
125g pot of yogurt ½ tin sardines
2 thumbs size of cheese 400g tin baked beans
Nuts, seeds, bread and some vegetables also contain some calcium, but in lower amounts. Ask to
speak with the dietitian if you are concerned about your calcium intake.
6. Make sure you are taking vitamin D and folic acid supplements every day throughout pregnancy.
If you are taking a multivitamin for pregnancy, this will have enough vitamin D and folic
acid. Discuss with your midwife or doctor if you are unsure.
The plate model is a useful guide to plan nutritionally-balanced meals.
Sample Meal Ideas
Breakfast ideas:
Porridge made with milk topped with berries/banana and nuts/seeds
Scrambled/boiled egg with wholegrain toast +/- avocado/mushrooms/spinach
Beans on wholegrain toast
Wholegrain cereal with fruit and seeds
Wholegrain toast with nut butter and banana
Granola with yogurt & berries
And 1 glass of fortified orange juice or milk
Lunch ideas:
Sandwich on wholegrain bread with chicken, cheese & salad (or your favourite filling!)
Soup (chicken/lentil) with wholegrain bread
Beans and/or eggs on toast
Pasta with tuna, sweet corn and mayonnaise & side salad
Pitta bread/wrap filled with falafel, hummus and salad
Burrito bowl with beef/chicken/beans, rice, lettuce, tomatoes and guacamole/cheese & salsa
Couscous with roast vegetables and cheese
Leftover dinner
Add some fruit and a glass of milk or a yogurt to balance your meal.
Dinner ideas:
Spaghetti bolognaise with side salad
Chicken & vegetable stir-fry with noodles
Salmon cooked with cajun spice mix, served with homemade wedges and vegetables
Meat or bean chilli with rice, guacamole & corn on the cob
Chicken, roast vegetables and potatoes
Homemade burger in wholegrain bun with corn on the cob and homemade coleslaw
Add some fruit and a glass of milk or a yogurt to balance your meal.
Snacks ideas:
Yoghurt (with oats / nuts / seeds / berries) Trail mix or a handful of nuts
Glass of milk Apple slices & nut butter
Piece of fruit Small bowl of homemade soup
Hummus and snack peppers/baby corns/cherry Wholegrain crackers / small pitta/ oat cake with
tomatoes/carrot sticks/ mini cucumber cheese or nut butter or hummus or avocado
Cereal bar & glass of milk Rice cakes with banana and peanut butter
Bag of plain popcorn and handful of nuts
