Healthy Pregnancy Diet Plan for the First Trimester

These are the recommended dietary goals for daily intake of the five healthy food groups. No diet is right for everyone. Work with your healthcare provider or registered dietitian to develop a healthy eating plan that’s right for you.

Don’t worry if you can’t meet your goal of making healthy food choices every day. Morning sickness, loss of appetite, fatigue, and limited fresh food intake can make it difficult to eat a nutritious diet during pregnancy. Here are some ways to incorporate healthy foods when you’re feeling unwell:

• Make meal prep simple and easy with meals and snacks that save you time and energy.
• Make smoothies using fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. Smoothies are quick to make, nutritious, and can help relieve morning sickness symptoms.
• Carry a variety of healthy snacks on hand, especially for those times when you feel like you can’t eat a meal.
• Find a balance between home-cooked meals, store-bought foods, and even takeout. Moderation is key.

3-4 servings of fruit

Choose 3 to 4 servings of fresh, frozen or canned fruit each day. If you choose canned fruit, make sure it’s packed in natural juice rather than thick syrup. Dried fruit and 100% fruit juice are also good options for variety, but be aware that they may contain more natural and added sugars than fresh (fruit juice also lacks the healthy fiber found in fresh fruit).

Here are some examples of servings of fruit:

• Medium-sized fruits such as apples and oranges
• 1/2 banana
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh, cooked, or canned fruit
• 1/4 cup dried fruit
• 3/4 cup 100% fruit juice

3-5 servings of vegetables

Choose 3-5 servings of vegetables each day. To maximize your nutritional intake, think of the colors of the rainbow when putting vegetables on your plate. Here are some suggestions for vegetables you should have on your table every day:

• Dark green vegetables such as broccoli, kale, and spinach
• Orange vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and winter squash
• Yellow vegetables such as corn, yellow peppers, wax beans, and yellow summer squash
• Red vegetables such as tomatoes, red peppers, beets, radishes, rhubarb, and red cabbage

One serving of vegetables would look like this:

• 1 cup raw leafy greens such as spinach or lettuce
• 1/2 cup chopped cooked or raw vegetables

When measuring food, a standard serving size will be 4 to 6 ounces.

3 cups of milk (or fortified plant milk)

Choose three healthy servings of dairy each day. Milk provides the calcium your baby needs to grow and helps strengthen your bones. If you can’t eat dairy or prefer only plant-based foods, look for calcium-fortified alternatives (although not all plant-based foods are the same, so be sure to read the labels).

One glass of milk is equivalent to:

• 1 cup milk, yogurt, or fortified plant-based milk (such as oat, soy, or nut milk)
• 1 1/2 ounces natural cheese, such as cheddar or mozzarella, or enhanced plant-based alternative

When choosing cheese, stick to natural cheeses made from milk, salt, and enzymes. Try to limit your intake of processed cheeses, which are often made with oils, flavorings, and sugar. But if your craving hits and you crave that bright orange American cheese, don’t despair: a balanced diet doesn’t mean a “perfect” diet.

While many doctors recommend choosing low-fat dairy products, adding full-fat products to a balanced diet is also a healthy option.

2-3 servings of protein

A balanced diet during early pregnancy should include protein. Aim to have two to three servings of protein per day. Some good protein choices include:

• Lean meats, such as chicken, fish, and eggs (cooked with minimal fat)
• Legumes such as pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, and chickpeas
• Lentils, peas, nuts and seeds

One serving of protein is equivalent to:

• 2-3 ounces of cooked meat, poultry, or fish (about the size of a deck of cards)
• 1 cup boiled beans
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 ounce (about 1/4 cup) nuts

3 servings of whole grain

You should eat six servings of grains each day, with at least 50% of them being whole grains – for example, choose whole wheat bread and brown rice instead of white bread and white rice.

Compared to refined grains, whole grains offer a broader range of nutrients, including dietary fiber, healthy fats, B vitamins, and minerals such as magnesium. Refined grain products are often fortified to replace some of the nutrients removed during processing, but manufacturers cannot add back healthy fiber.

Whole grain breads, cereals, crackers and pasta contain dietary fibre, which is important during pregnancy. Eating a variety of fibre-rich foods can help keep your bowels functioning properly and reduce the risk of constipation and haemorrhoids.

One serving of whole grains would be:

• 1 slice of whole wheat bread
• 1 ounce of ready-to-eat whole grain cereal (about 1 cup of most cereals)
• 1/2 cup cooked steel-cut oats, brown rice, or whole-grain pasta