Small changes to your diet can make a big difference
Changing what you eat can feel daunting, especially during pregnancy when you may not feel your best or might be craving very sweet, bland or salty foods. The swaps below might help you to find some changes that work for you.
| Meal | Current Choice | Try Instead |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | White toast with jam | Granary toast or 50/50 bread with a teaspoon peanut butter |
| Fruit juice | A piece of fruit or bowl of berries | |
| Snack | Bar of chocolate | 1 chocolate biscuit or 1-2 plain biscuits |
| Lunch | Sausage roll, crisps, fruit juice | Wholemeal ham sandwich, plain or salted popcorn, piece of fruit |
| Snack | Crisps | Palmful of nuts Carrots and hummus Crackers or oatcakes with soft cheese |
| Evening meal | Spaghetti Bolognese with garlic bread | Drain fat from mince Add vegetables to the sauce Have a side salad with a few crunchy croutons instead of garlic bread Bigger swap: Try half mince, half lentils, chickpeas or Quorn |
| Evening meal | Fish fingers, chips and baked beans | Oven bake or grill fish fingers Oven-baked or air-fried skin-on chips or wedges No added sugar baked beans Swap baked beans for peas Bigger swap: Jacket potato with tuna and salad |
| Ice cream | Handful of fresh or frozen fruit with Greek yoghurt or small amount of custard made with sweetener | |
| Evening snack | Sugar frosted cereal with milk | Weetabix, Shredded Wheat, Bran Flakes or other high fibre cereal with milk or a small yoghurt |
| Drinks | Sugary drinks | Sugar free drinks |