Shop Smart: Your Baby will Thank You!!

I just hit my 16 week mark and I'm happy to say I haven't had TOO many horrible cravings! I have craved more red meat than usual, and it's been harder for me to turn my head on potato chips when they are near, but that has been the worst of it. As a nutritionist I talk to a lot of prenatal women who complain about craving and indulging in unhealthy foods which leads to an unwanted amount of weight gain. There is an easy fix to this...DON'T BUY THE JUNK! You don't have to ignore every craving all the time, but you also shouldn't give in to them all the time. Instead, fill your house with healthy foods to munch on!

When grocery shopping there is an easy technique to use that will ensure you are filling your cart with the most nutritious foods. Instead of heading straight to the aisles when you enter the market, try to stay on the perimeter of the store. You'll notice the perimeter of the store is where you will find all of your fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, and often times fresh baked whole grains. Sure you will need to wonder into the aislse for your cereals, soups, and some other healthy snacks, but you should be able to get the majority of your shopping done on the perimeter of the store.


I've also learned a very important shopping technique since I became pregnant; never let a pregnant lady shop hungry HAHAHA. I made that mistake once during my second month of pregnancy and came home will all sorts of crap that I wouldn't normally buy. My husband, Josh, loved it! So from now on, I munch on a snack before heading out to shop. Here are some of the delicious, nutritious foods I picked up this week.


 



I always load up on fresh fruits! At the beginning of my pregnancy when my heart burn was at it's worst I had to stay away from most citrus fruits. Now that my heart burn has subsided I indulge in sweet fruits like apples, oranges and grapefruits when I have a sweet tooth.

Avocados are a great source of healthy omegas, fat that is. Adding a small amount of avocado to your favorite sandwich or salad is a great way to increase the healthy fats in your diet.

I also keep baby carrots in the house for snack time. The crunch and slight sweetness of them usually satisfies my taste buds. The are also packed with fiber which helps you feel more satisfied.

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite starchy vegetables!!! Not only are they rich in vitamin A and potassium but they are also low in calories compared to many other starches. My grandmother taught me a great trick about sweet potatoes. She taught me to cook them ahead of time in the microwave and then freeze them. When you are ready to eat one just take it out of the freezer and pop it in the microwave for about 4 minutes. The freezing puts a lot of moisture back into the potatoes and they are SO creamy and moist when reheated!

 

Green peppers are another staple in my house. I use them in so many recipes! I try to buy them in bulk when they are on sale. If they start to go bad before I can use them up, I just slice and freeze them! They sauté up wonderfully for fajitas!

 

I don't cook eggplant too often, but I do love it! It makes a great meal for vegetarian night. Whip up an easy eggplant parmesan or roast some in the oven for a delicious side dish!

 

 

 

As I said before it's ok to listen to your cravings every once in a while, and mine has been potato chips. When I do listen to my cravings I do it in moderation and try to keep it somewhat healthy. Baked chips are lower in calories and fat compared to the normal chips and they still give you the taste you are looking for!

 

So I splurged and bought myself a treat. Yes, I opened them before I even got home, and yes, they were delicious! But I am happy to say one week later most of the bag is still in the pantry :)

 

Remember you can eat healthy and still enjoy all the flavors you love! Use the internet as a way to discover new healthy recipes. Cookinglight.com is one of my favorite websites!

 

 

EAT HEALTHY, LIVE HAPPY, HAPPY FRIDAY!!!