When meal planning and grocery shopping, make it a priority to focus on clean, whole foods. What are clean, whole foods? They are those foods that are not processed (think field to fork items like meats, vegetables, fruits) or are minimally processed (think peanut butter, canned seafood, canned or frozen fruits and vegetables with no artificial colors, preservatives, sodium, or sugar).
Fruits: apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, berries, cantaloupe, cherries, grapes, kiwi, mangoes, oranges, papaya, peaches, pineapple, pomegranates, pumpkin, tomatoes, watermelon
Vegetables: asparagus, beets, bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, kale, mushrooms, spinach, squash, watercress
Nuts and Seeds: almonds, cashews, chia seeds, coconut, flax seeds, sprouted seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts
Beans, Grains, Legumes, and Rice: barley, brown rice, red rice, cannellini beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils, oats, sprouted grains, quinoa, whole-grain pasta
Eggs, Meats, Poultry, and Seafood: beef, chicken, pork, turkey, and low mercury fish like sardines, scallops, trout, wild-caught salmon (canned or fresh)
Milk and Some Dairy Products: milk, hard cheese like parmesan, yogurt
Minimally Processed Foods: meats, poultry, seafood, almond butter, peanut butter, and foods that are canned, frozen, or washed like fruits, vegetables, and seafood that contain no added ingredients, artificial colors, preservatives, sodium, or sugar
Food cravings and pregnancy-induced nausea have loud, clear voices that demand to be heard.
While you want to do your best at each meal to make clean eating a priority, be gentle and realistic with yourself. Food cravings and pregnancy-induced nausea have loud, clear voices that demand to be heard. Find what works for you while keeping in mind that your baby’s brain health begins with food, that clean eating is critical, and that being realistic about clean eating is going to keep you on track.