quick clicks

recipes today articles

recipes today q&a

community & groups

research baby names

prepare a birth plan

content channels

ip channel rss feeds

read birth stories

read parenting stories

recommended books

e-newsletters

safety recalls

ip diaries

ip store

mom of the month

dad of the month

editor's letter

letters to the editor

The Pregnancy Pantry

Get Healthy by Taking Stock

By Kelly Burgess

Whole-grain cereals instead of white cereals.

Other staples that can be kept on hand to expedite fixing healthy meals are:

• Canned salmon, tuna and anchovies
• Frozen vegetables
• Yellow cornmeal
• Barley
• Dried beans
• Lentils
• Canned tomatoes
• Low-sodium chicken broth
• Egg substitute
• Whole-wheat tortillas
• Tofu
• Yogurt (without artificial sweeteners)

One point that both Bauer and Dr. Ricciotti make is pregnancy is a good time to start thinking outside the box for healthy snacks. Instead of pre-packaged cookies or snack bars, try one of the following:

• String cheese
• A wide variety of fruits
• Hummus as a dip or spread
• Canned soups (low sodium preferred)

Janicek helps his wife keep a healthy variety of snacks around by chopping up vegetables and putting them in single serving bags so she can just grab one when she's hungry. Elise also makes little single-serving fruit salads by cutting up whatever fruits are available.

So now that you have all this healthy food, what do you do with it all? In addition to recipes from the Internet and those good cookbooks, try some of these suggestions for a quick, healthy meal:

• Whip a cup of egg substitute and cook like scrambled eggs, adding leftover vegetables (those with more talent can turn it into an omelet). Serve with whole-wheat toast and yogurt with fruit.
• Add a cup of frozen vegetables to canned soup. Heat thoroughly and serve with whole-wheat crackers and fruit.
• Roll leftover chicken or turkey in a whole-wheat wrap with lettuce and tomato. Serve with fruit and canned soup.

For something a little more substantial, Dr. Ricciotti offers thes two easy meals from her cookbook. Both are nutritious and delicious and sure to please the whole family.

Want to see more?

• Cook's Library: Great Books for Your Cookbook Collection
• Substitution Chart
• Recipes!
• Talk about it!
• Proper Nutrition Pre- and Post-Pregnancy: Why Eating Right Is Key to Preparation and Recovery

Post As:
Enter your comment below:
Title
Comment Text
CAPTCHA
Please note that any comments submitted become the property of Disney Family / iParenting and can be edited and posted at our discrection.