Pregnancy Nutrition Information
Nutrition Rich Food Choices
In consideration of MyPlate food groups, pregnant women have some food options that they could choose from to fulfill their daily nutritional needs. So it would be important for women who plan to become pregnant or who are pregnant to check the amount of calories that can be consumed for each trimester. For a general checklist of the total calories to be consumed and the amount of food consumed per food group, women can find the necessary information at the www.choosemyplate.gov or at the following links below.
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Healthy Considerations in Each Food Groups​
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According to MyPlate, the foods that are listed below are some recommended items to be included in a pregnant woman's diet. It is important to choose foods that contain the necessary nutrients for pregnant women and their babies to maintain a healthy status. Also, an ideal nutrition can promote proper body growth for the developing baby.
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Vegetable
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Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Spinach, Kale, Tomatoes​
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Contain Vitamin A and Potassium.
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Fruit
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Oranges, Bananas, Prunes Honey Dew, 100% Fruit Juice​
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Contain potassium and many fruits can contain vitamin A.
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Dairy
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Fat-free milk or yogurt​
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Contain calcium, potassium, and vitamins A and D.
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Grains
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Whole grain choices and fortified cereals (contain iron and folic acid)​
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Protein
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Beans, Nuts, Seeds, Lean Beef and Pork, Salmon​
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Seafood provides omega-3 fatty acids.
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Things to be Aware of When Buying Food and Proper Cooking Techniques
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It is important to have an understanding of the nutritional values of the food that you eat and the proper food safety to prevent foodborne illnesses. Pregnant women must be mindful of handling food properly because foodborne illnesses can cause serious issues to newborns. According to MyPlate (n.d.) and Food Safety (n.d.), the following information discusses some of the considerations that pregnant women should know when they are grocery shopping. Additional food safety information can be found at "Food Safety for Pregnant Women" on the Food Safety website.
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Canned Foods
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Avoid canned products that contain high amounts of sodium.​
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Choose canned fruits with 100% fruit juice rather than syrup.
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Do not eat seafood that contain high amounts of mercury.​
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Also, avoid eating raw seafood.​
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Ensure the meat is cooked thoroughly.​
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Recommended to use a thermometer to check internal temperature.​
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Mac and Cheese Recipe
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Once you have a child, he or she may grow to be a picky eater and it can be tough to get your child to eat certain foods. Children can be stubborn to eat their vegetables so mothers or future mothers may need to be sneaky when incorporating vegetables into meals. The mac and cheese recipe was published by Vicky who is the founder of Mess for Less website and it could be found here (Vicky, 2015). Mac and cheese may be loved by most children so it could be one of the few meals to trick your children with. The recipe calls for the use of puree which can help hide the vegetable in the appearance of the food while potentially masking the taste of the vegetable too.
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The ingredients that will be used are:
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16 oz package of elbow macaroni
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6 tablespoons of butter
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2.5 cups of a mixture of shredded cheddar and jack cheeses
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1 cup of milk
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1 cup pureed carrot
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1/4 teaspoon of salt
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Add pepper to individual's taste
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Directions:
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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Boil pasta according to the directions stated on the package.
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Drain and return the pasta to the pot.
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Stir in the butter over low heat until it is melted. Then remove the pot from the heat.
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Stir in the cheese.
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Add in the defrosted carrot puree and stir to combine the ingredients.
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Add milk, salt, and pepper.
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Transfer the mixture to a 2.5 quart greased baking dish and bake it for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.