Fulltime Mama My name is Elizabeth, and I am the happy wife of ten years to Fabio and fulltime mama to four beautiful children: Joshua-9, Dominique 7, Israel- almost 5, Johann-3 and expecting a new baby in April 2012! We are currently living in Brazil as missionaries and life never ceases to be an adventure!!! I love motherhood with a passion and am passionate about providing a place here at MamaKnowsBest where mothers can learn, grow, and share ... pooling the wisdom of many into one big jackpot for mothers. View all articles | Contact author

My Favorite Protein Foods for a Healthy Pregnancy – for snacking on and packing in the protein

Did you know that pregnant women need 80-100 grams of protein per day for a healthy pregnancy?  That is a LOT of protein, and I, like a lot of women, would rather snack on carbs!! LOL.  It takes quite a bit of effort for me to get the protein that I need in, but I have definitely seen the results of it. I didn't have a clue with my first pregnancy. With my second pregnancy, I knew what I needed to do, but didn't always have the discipline to actually do it!  With #3, I was much better, and with #4 I did really well.  And each pregnancy, I have felt better, experienced less morning sickness and had more energy!

So, I started keeping a list of protein foods I like to eat for snacks and such, so I can try to have these things on hand and not always reach for carbs!

I'd love it if you would add your ideas too!

Happy Snacking on Protein, Mamas!

Snack Time Protein Foods:

-Meatloaf- use leftovers for sandwiches and snacks. If you use the recipe in the link, it is tasty enough to just eat a chunk of it for a snack. :) I love it!

-Salmon loaf – same as above

-Yogurt – plain is much better, and homemade is best! Here are some ideas for toppings: a banana, a little raw honey, some homemade granola, blueberries, almonds and a bit of honey, applesauce

-Baked Potato w/ protein toppings

-Bean Dip, with Crackers or Tortilla Chips

-"Pregnancy Salad"

-Handfuls of almonds or sunflowers seeds – this is nice for on the go. Tasty with a few raisins, or with a banana as well.

-Mix several kinds of nuts and seeds in a bowl, like almonds, sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts, sesame seeds, etc. and drizzle some honey over them. Mix and enjoy! Yum!

-Homemade Toast w/ slice of tomato and cheese on top- toasted so the cheese melts

-Chicken Salad or Tuna Salad – I like to eat on crackers

Eggs: Two Eggs a Day Keep The Doctor Away during pregnancy!

-Egg Salad – good on a sandwich or on crackers. I basically just mash some hard boiled eggs and mix with a little mayonnaise.

-Hard Boiled Eggs – we like these on the side of our plate with just about any meal

-Soft Boiled Eggs

-Scrambled Eggs

-Scrambled eggs with fresh cilantro, tomatoes chunks and ranch dressing on top

-Japanese style scrambled eggs: Mix in some soy sauce and rice vinegar, a pinch of sugar and a bit of water, then pan fry in dark sesame oil.

-Quiche – spinach, cheese, veggie, etc – I like to make several quiche at a time, in advance, and freeze. Then, I can just pull one out at a time, and heat up a piece in the toaster oven for a quick snack.

-If you have some leftover rice from supper, you can make some "fried rice" by sautéing it in a skillet and breaking a couple of eggs into in. If you like, you could add a little soy sauce for flavor. (best with brown rice!)

To Stave Off Sugar Cravings:

-Coconut Bark

-Homemade Granola Bars

-Handfuls of Blueberries –lower in sugar than other fruit

-Spoonful of blackstrap molasses

-Red Raspberry Leaf Iced Tea with some stevia to sweeten it a bit