As you complete your second trimester, you may notice that some pregnancy symptoms have subsided while others have become more noticeable. One associated change that stands out is the increased appetite at six months of gestation.
Your body is working overtime to create a new life, always making you hungry. But, you must keep in mind that whatever you consume contributes to the growth and development of your baby. So, it would be best to be mindful of your eating habits. The healthier, the better for you and your baby too.
Planning Meals during six months pregnancy
Since you feel hungry often, you should have mini-meals in between your main meals to keep up your energy levels. The key is to have a main meal that combines protein, carbs, and fat. This is healthy and ensures your energy levels don’t deplete too soon. When making healthy choices, don’t go overboard with too many salads and juices. You may not get enough nutrition from the greens or green juices, even if they are freshly made. Although you may have these as “mini-meals,” they are never your primary meals.
Try to include an excellent home-cooked dish with protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. You should listen to your mothers and grandmothers. The best advice often comes from experienced women and their traditional cooking habits. Even specialized dieticians may not be able to guide you well in formulating what’s best for your body.
What to include in six months pregnancy diet?
You must know that you need foods rich in iron, calcium, folic acid, omega-6 fatty acids, vitamin D, and other vital nutrients. Here’s how you can incorporate various foods to make a well-balanced main meal of the day:
For breakfast, you can have eggs, milk, fortified cereals, pasta, soups, whole-grain bread, oatmeal, and fresh fruits. Protein is a good meat sauce for developing baby bones. Eggs also fulfill your protein requirement. Whole grains, fortified cereals, and fruits such as avocados, bananas, strawberries, grapes, and oranges are rich in folic acid, vitamin C, and other minerals. You can also have a handful of peanuts, a healthy fat, with your breakfast or as a side snack.
For Lunch
Cook a hot dish using vegetables, chicken, lean meat, fish, or eggs. You may combine your veggies with a meat source or cook them differently. Vegetables contain a lot of nutrients. If you are a vegetarian, you can have a variety of beans and lentils to make up for protein. You may also have some rice, bread, or a tortilla sandwich to go with it.
For Dinner
You can have vegetable soup or meat soup to accompany your supper. Have any protein source along with vegetable stew or curry. Meatballs, mashed potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, frittata, stuffed spinach or zucchini, bread and butter, and other dishes are available. Make sure to add the necessary herbs and spices to make your meal more wholesome and relishable.
Mini Meals in six months pregnancy diet
Try to have a variety of seeds, such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and flax seeds. Dry fruits such as almonds, walnuts, and cashews are also healthy mini-bites. Cook up a hot dish using vegetables. Include lots of whole fruits of your choice. You can have fruit, and yogurt too, which is an excellent probiotic, and also grab a sandwich if you feel like it.
You should listen to your body and eat accordingly. When you balance your meals well and have mini-meals in between, you can observe that your cravings diminish. Plan ahead, prepare and eat on time, to avoid unnecessary binging.
