Your Ultimate Pregnancy Grocery List: What to Eat While Pregnant

Fatigue. Nausea. Swollen body parts. And now you’ve got to put together a pregnancy grocery list?

Okay. We’ll make a deal with you. We can’t do the nausea on your behalf, so we thought we’d at least help you out in the grocery department.

So, without further ado, let’s ask the age-old question: What should I buy at the grocery store when pregnant?

First things first, there’s no one-size-fits-all pregnancy shopping list, so don’t stress about getting this “right.” Different cultures, different tastes, different cravings — no shopping list for pregnant mothers is going to work for everyone.

Sure, there are nutrients that are highly beneficial to you while you’re pregnant, but there are all sorts of ways to include them in your diet.

So what do you need to keep your tank filled for the task ahead? Let’s take a look.

📝 In this article:

What’s the best pregnancy diet?

Before we get into any discussions about what to eat when pregnant, let’s take a moment here: your body is your body. There’s no single special pregnancy diet that everyone must follow. To assume that would be to assume that we all have the same needs, tastes, and cultural influences — and that’s just not true.

Yep, it’s important to take care of your body and get enough nutrients (at all times, not just when you’re pregnant.) And sure, pregnancy makes demands on your body that are out of the ordinary.

But no, you don’t have to listen to a single person who shames or judges you. So, now that we have that out of the way, we can approach this topic kindly.

What is the most important food to eat while pregnant?

The best foods to eat while pregnant are the ones that help with the whole growing-a-baby enterprise that you are currently engaging in. A variety of colors and types of food helps you get the right sort of combination of fuel for the job.

Here is a rough guideline to help you plan healthy pregnancy meals:

Folic acid

This one is somewhat of a celeb in the world of pregnancy nutrients. You may have heard the name uttered in all sorts of mama-to-be circles.

Some fast facts? Folic acid is the synthetic version of folate, the B9 vitamin that occurs naturally in food. This vitamin is an essential worker in our bodies, helping us convert food into energy. It’s especially important during pregnancy because it helps with your baby’s brain and spinal development.

Foods that are high in folic acid include:

• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Leafy greens
• Brussels sprouts
• Fortified cereals
• Peas
• Chickpeas
• Kidney beans

The CDC recommends a dose of 400 mcg, which is quite a lot to get from food alone. For this reason, taking some sort of prenatal vitamin is a great help as it can help you tick this very demanding box.

Protein

Protein is one of the key ingredients when it comes to growing a baby. Muscle tissue, bones, cell generation — yup, protein has its finger in a whole lot of important pies. It’s so vital, in fact, that when you’re pregnant, protein should account for as much as 25% of your calorie intake.

Some good lean protein sources include:

• Lean meats
• Eggs
• Tofu
• Fish
• Pasteurized dairy products
• Nuts
• Seeds

(Just make sure that everything is well cooked to avoid any dangerous bacteria getting into your system.)

If you’re vegetarian or vegan, chat with your healthcare provider about getting enough protein in your diet. There are various sources that may work for you, such as peas, nuts, beans, some soy, and yogurt.

Calcium

Look, you’re in the process of building human bones and teeth — sorry to freak you out, but it’s true — and that little one inside you is going to demand the calcium they need. If you don’t have enough to give them, they are literally going to suck it from your bones (the stuff nightmares are made of).

It's also essential to reduce the risk of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy — which are one of the main causes of maternal death and preterm births. So pretty important for you and baby.

So, without further ado, here are some good calcium sources:

• Pasteurized dairy products
• Sardines
• Salmon
• Dark, leafy greens
• Kale
• Anything that is calcium-fortified (some juices are)

The idea is to get approximately 1000 mg a day, so a prenatal vitamin is not a bad idea when it comes to meeting that quota.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. Getting about 600 IU a day should do the trick. Here’s where you can find it:

• Dairy products
• Dairy substitutes
• Cereals are fortified with vitamin D.

Check in with your doctor about supplements. Most prenatal vitamins will include D.

Iron

This handy mineral helps to get oxygen around your body. When you’re pregnant, you need around 27 mg of iron a day. It’s pretty tricky to get that from your food — think meats, pumpkin seeds, vegetables, legumes, and anything iron-enriched — so you may need some form of supplement.

Your body uses iron to create a protein in your red blood cells (called hemoglobin) that helps transport oxygen all over your body. When you’re pregnant, that oxygen needs to get to your baby.

So when you’re pregnant, you need double the amount of iron. That’s right: double. Iron deficiency anemia can leave you feeling super fatigued and can increase your risk of getting some infections) — so yes, this is a good one to pay attention to.

Iron-rich foods include:

• Leafy vegetables (they make their way onto a few lists)
• Broccoli and Brussels sprouts (also top of many of these charts)
• Beans
• Eggs
• Fish
• Iron-fortified cereal

It’s common to have some degree of iron deficiency when you’re pregnant (as in one-in-four kind of common), so if you’re feeling particularly pooped, it’s worth chatting with your doctor about this. An iron deficiency can have an impact on the development of your baby’s brain and nervous system, so best to check.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps you absorb iron — and it assists with all sorts of other functions too, like tissue repair and immune function. Also, it has a hand in making your baby’s bones and teeth. Think of getting about 85 mg a day.

Vitamin C is found in a variety of fruits. So which fruit is good for pregnancy?

• Citrus (oranges and grapefruits are a fave)
• Red and green peppers
• Kiwis
• Strawberries

Omega 3s

These help with the development of your baby’s brain and eyes. The best source is fish — but fish and pregnancy have a complicated relationship.

(It has to be cooked, and it has to be low in mercury.)

Supplements are not a bad idea to help you up your omega 3 intake.

What are good snacks for pregnancy?

Because you have to increase your calorie intake during pregnancy, snacks matter. Calorie-wise, the NIH recommends that you aim for, on average:

• 1,800 calories a day in the first trimester.
• 2,200 calories a day in the second trimester.
• 2,400 calories a day in the third trimester.

(Disclaimer: this is an average, please consult your doctor for calories specific to you and your pregnancy.)

And don’t stress, you don’t have to obsessively count calories. Adding some healthy snacks to your daily menu is all you need to do.

Here are some good snacking options that are roughly 400 calories:

• Whole wheat bagel with cream cheese
• About 100g of high protein trail mix with pumpkin seeds, nuts, and dried berries
• Chicken salad sandwich on whole wheat bread

And here are some good snacking options that are roughly 200 calories:

• Sliced apple or banana with some peanut butter on it
• Two hard-boiled eggs with a cut apple
• Plain greek yogurt with half a cup of berries

What is the best food to eat during pregnancy?

So here’s the deal. The best foods to eat while pregnant have so much to do with your specific preferences and how your body is feeling as you move through this insanely awesome (awesomely insane) journey.

If you’re feeling fresh out of ideas for options, don’t stress. You have enough on your plate right now.

Here are some healthy foods to eat while pregnant:

1. Avocado and hard cheese sandwich on whole-grain bread: Avocados are an excellent source of nutrition — including folate. Cheese has protein and calcium. And whole grain bread has fiber. It also gives you an extra dose of B vitamins.
2. Dried fruit and nuts trail mix: Packed with vitamins and minerals, this can be an awesome in-between snack. Pre-package a mixture to take with you when you leave home. And yes, if you’re struggling with constipation, that dried fruit can really help you move things along.
3. Yogurt and berries: Yogurt helps you meet those calcium requirements (while also offering a range of other nutrients) and berries are high in all sorts of wonderful things, including folates and vitamin C. They also help keep you hydrated. A perfect anytime-of-the-day snack.
4. Kale and chicken salad: Again, that folic acid thing. Kale has it in spades. Add some chicken to the mix and you have a pretty magic dose of nutrition right there. And if you don’t eat meat, try:
5. Lentil soup: Guess what? We’re going to talk about folate again. (So predictable.) Lentils are also loaded with it. Add some veggies to your lentil soup and you’ll have a nutrition powerhouse on your hands.
6. Scrambled eggs with (cooked) salmon: Yes, delish. Both ingredients offer you a dose of protein. Eggs swoop in with vitamins and minerals that are great for your baby’s brain development, and the salmon adds omegas to the party. Only caveat? Ensure that everything is cooked really well.
7. Buddha bowl with chickpea and sweet potato: A buddha bowl is a rather miraculous invention because you can put pretty much any plant-based wonders into it. Chickpeas (those folic acids again) and sweet potato (a good source of various nutrients, including the antioxidant beta carotene) are a wonderful duo.
8. Taco bowl with black beans: Did someone say tacos? Black beans offer so much in the way of nutrition — protein, fiber, iron, calcium, zinc, and folate. Also, add some guac to the mix. Remember the part about avocados being so nutritious?
9. Vegetarian stir fry with quinoa and broccoli: Quinoa is a bit of a wonder grain because it contains a fair deal of protein. Plus magnesium and vitamins — and, of course, some much-needed fiber. Broccoli has all the goods — folate (hey, there it is again), fiber, calcium, and antioxidants.
10. Grilled cod with a side of colorful veggies: Fish has omegas, protein, vitamins, and iron. Veggie wise? Go for whatever is feeling good to you at the moment. Leafy greens, yams, carrots — they’re all great. Of course, grill the fish well and wash the veggies thoroughly.
11. Chicken curry: If you love spicy food, go ahead. It’s safe for you and your baby. Be warned though — you may have some added heartburn and indigestion afterward.
12. Quinoa pasta with veggie sauce: If you’re craving pasta, quinoa is a good option because it adds a bit of extra protein and fiber to the mix. A sauce with added veggies will help up the nutrient intake.
13. Fruit salad: Include all your favorites — bananas, berries, apples, oranges, mangoes… they can all make the cut.
14. Dark chocolate: Yes. Yes. Yes. You can have chocolate throughout your pregnancy as a treat. Dark chocolate in small amounts may actually be beneficial. It can help lower your blood pressure and is rich in antioxidants. (Because chocolate doesn’t have much nutritional value, there are some risks in eating too much of it, so the idea here is more “treat” than “meal.”)

What should you avoid when pregnant?

Here are some foods to avoid when pregnant because they may make you sick.

Foods that may cause listeria

Listeria is a bacteria that can cause an infection called listeriosis which is very serious for the health of you and your baby. While this infection is super rare in the general population, it's nearly 20 times more common in pregnant women.

According to the FDA, these are the foods that can bring you into contact with listeria:

• Deli and luncheon meats
• Cheeses made from unpasteurized milk
• Anything else made from unpasteurized milk
• Pates and meat spreads
• Refrigerated, uncooked seafood

While pregnant, you're also more at risk of issues when contracting toxoplasmosis, which is an infection that can be caught from the fecal matter of cats or infected meat. To prevent this, make sure that all of your fruits, veggies, and salads are washed thoroughly before eating.

One food that’s come under scrutiny lately is hummus. There’s a chance that eating hummus when pregnant may expose you to listeria — it’s small, but it exists. If you have the energy to make your own hummus, you should be fine. And if you do buy pre-packaged, eat it soon after purchase.

Foods that are raw

Raw or undercooked seafood, meat, and eggs can expose the two of you to bacteria (like listeria) and parasites that can be harmful. You’re just a little more of an open playing field right now, unfortunately.

So, yes. Pausing the sushi intake for the next while may have to be the thing. Sorry.

Foods that could be high in mercury

So, the subject of mercury and pregnancy is an interesting one — and often a bit more nuanced than it’s given credit. And it’s all about seafood. Seafood can contain high levels of mercury. Too much mercury and your baby’s brain and nervous system could suffer.

BUT: Seafood is also a great source of protein and iron, both of which you need right now. So, here’s how we bring it all together:

• Stay away from uncooked fish
• Stay away from predatory fish (swordfish, shark, mackerel, etc.)
• Limit how much fish you consume.

Foods that may cause allergies

If allergies have been a thing in your life, avoid tree nuts and peanuts. Just in case.

Food that is actually booze

'Nuff said.

(And then, because it’s a hot topic, you can have some caffeine but limit your intake. Go here for details.)

➡️ Don't miss: 19 Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy

What should I eat during my first trimester?

Nausea and vomiting during the first trimester are real, so, seriously, listen to your body on this one. Bananas are often awesome to help calm things down. As is a lovely cup of ginger tea.

Your body will likely give you some pretty clear signals about what it wants and what it doesn’t.

And then there’s the dreaded issue of how much to eat. Once you get to the second trimester, think of increasing your daily intake by about 340 calories.

(If you’ve never counted calories in your life and don’t want to start now, 200-349 calories is about a muffin, a bowl of oatmeal, or a roasted veg salad.)

If you’re having twins, add 600 calories. If you’re having triplets, add 900 calories. (All roughly speaking and according to the specific needs of your body.)

Your pregnancy shopping list

Now let’s put that all together on a ready-to-go grocery list for pregnant mamas-to-be. Customize as needed.

• Veg
  • Spinach
  • Asparagus
  • Okra
  • Brussel sprouts
  • Broccoli
  • Kale
  • Butternut squash
  • Sweet potatoes
• Fruit
  • Berries
  • Apples
  • Bananas
  • Oranges
  • Mangoes
  • Watermelon
  • Peaches
  • Avocado
  • Tomato
• Dairy (All pasteurized)
  • Milk
  • Cream
  • Hard cheese
  • Cottage cheese
  • Fortified dairy substitutes (cashew, oat, almond)
• Chocolate — because it’s its own food group and can be consumed in moderation during pregnancy
• Protein
  • Fish
  • Turkey
  • Chicken
  • Lean beef
  • Pork
  • Lamb
  • Eggs
  • Tofu (in moderation)
  • Chickpeas
  • Kidney beans
  • Lentils
  • Nuts
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Chia seeds
• Grains
  • Fortified bread
  • Whole grain bagels
  • Whole grain tortillas
  • Fortified cereals
  • Oats
  • Brown rice
  • Barley
  • Quinoa

At the end of the day, the “best” pregnancy grocery list is the one that works for you — your cravings, your culture, your energy levels, your reality. If you’re stuck in a snack rut, suddenly hate foods you loved last week, or just want ideas that don’t involve another plain cracker, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Over on Peanut, you can swap snack recommendations, easy recipes, and real-life food wins with other pregnant moms who get it. Because growing a human is hard enough — deciding what to eat shouldn’t be.