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Eating Healthly? Breaking Habits

jac4315jac4315 member
in 1st Trimester

Ok so I just found out I am 3-5 weeks pregnant, we couldn't be happier! But now the question comes on how to keep this little one healthy! Supper isn't a big deal because

I normally cook foods like lasagna, tacos, homemade pizza, fettuccine alfredo, chicken & potatoes etc. (assume all that is ok if cooked properly) And I always try to do as much from scratch as possible for supper. But lunches is normally cheese & crackers, lunch meat sandwiches (which I read can carry bacteria), taco Johns, and so on with probably all unhealthy stuff. Sometimes I even would just eat a few chips for lunch. I did start taking a prenatal. Anybody have any ideas what I can eat for lunch at work? I've read so many do's and don'ts I'm now confused :/ It's our first so I guess I'm naturally scared.

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  • groovylocksgroovylocks member
    Answer ✓
    Don't read those. 

    I ate everything from sushi to deli meat and i'm 37 weeks. We're both fine. 

    If you read everything, you won't eat anything. Which is a) very unhealthy and b) likely to happen anyway for at least a period of time during the first trimester. 

    Every body is different and every pregnancy is different but one common thread running through many of them is aversion to food. Most people think of cravings but don't realize that aversions are just as common and even more powerful in many cases. My first trimester, i ate nothing but fruit, coffee, water and banana peppers. My second trimester, I was able to add cheese to that. That's about it. My third trimester, I eat everything I can get my hands on, including junk food, raw fish sushi, deli meats and potato chips. Kiddo is doing fine, just the right size and already pretty smart. 

    The idea is that a lot of the foods they warn you about MIGHT carry bacteria that could make you sick. And this is indeed a real risk. But the food that is the biggest culprit for food poisoning? Vegetables. Raw vegetables. But you need them so they don't warn you off of them.

    Here is a good rule of thumb. Eat what your body tells you to. Make sure it's from a source that is clean and reputable. Wash fresh fruit and veggies before consuming. And TAKE THOSE PRENATALS. Doing this ensures your baby AND you all get the balance you need. If you have trouble eating enough, or enough of the right stuff now and then, baby will take what she needs from you. Protein, fats, sugars. 

    And keep an eye on the "powerful eats" thread in the 2T board. 
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Re: Eating Healthly? Breaking Habits

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  • groovylocksgroovylocks member
    edited December 2015
    But my personal list of power foods?

    Swiss Chard - stewed and loaded in butter (NOT margarine!) and vinegar. 

    Vinegar - helps settle the stomach and reduces heartburn for many people

    Kale - packed with protein. Spinach too. Cram some of that in there.

    Blueberries - powerful antioxidant - also strawberries - lots of zinc, keeps the sex drive active and very healthy for baby. Zinc supplements can make you barf so zinc rich foods are great.

    Fish cakes or fish chowder - all the power of fish, less of the overt taste

    Chinese food - REAL chinese food - peapod leaves in garlic butter, turnip cakes, bok choi and spicy green beans are all favourites of mine. If you can stomach cooked tripe, EAT THIS. If you can't, drink the broth. It is powerfully healthy. Bitter melon is very good for you but not everybody can stand it. If you can stand it, eat it.

    Bitter foods in general. They have significant health properties. 

    Also Japanese food if you can handle the fishiness. If you're weird about sushi (and honestly? keep the raw fish to a minimum in 1T for peace of mind) eat vegetarian sushi or cooked fish sushi. Seaweed salad is VERY good for you and delicious too. Miso soup is warming on a cold day but be careful of the salt content. It's very high in salt. 

    Bone marrow soup stock - take your chicken or turkey carcass and boil in water with herbs and vegetable waste. Strain off the liquid and cook vegetables (and chicken if you can stand it) and make homemade poultry soup. The marrow from the bones is very good for you and baby. Marrow is a super food.

    Peanut butter. When you're pregnant and feeling lousy, food becomes a math problem. How can you get max calories with minimum bulk? Peanut butter and other nut butters. 

    And these last two are for moms who, like me, became pretty much vegan due to a severe aversion to meat: (I couldn't eat any meat for about half my pregnancy - nor eggs. Now i can handle the occasional egg and I like fish)

    NUTS. If you can stand them. Especially unsalted in the shell, like they sell around xmas. 

    Tofu - tofu is delicious in soups, fried crispy, boiled. Not everybody likes tofu but ask your favourite chinese food restaurant if they can do fried spicy tofu for you. it's delicious. 
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