Healthy Eating for Pregnant Teens

Ten Ways to Make Healthy Food Choices During Pregnancy

Being pregnant, and a teenager, doesn’t mean eliminating your favorite foods from your diet. However, pregnancy does mean that you are providing nutrition for two. Both you and your baby are dependent on what you put in your mouth for nutrition. By learning to make healthy food choices you can increase your baby’s chance of being born healthy.

1. Most teens eat lots of sandwiches and hamburgers. Be sure to put lettuce, tomatoes, and other sliced veggies – the more the better – on your sandwiches and burgers when you are pregnant to increase the nutritional value of your meal.

2. If you are trapped in a “white bread world,” pregnancy is a good time to learn to use only whole-grain breads and rolls.

3. Pizza is not always an unhealthy choice for pregnant teens. Make your pizza healthier by adding lots of vegetables and extra cheese instead of fat-laden meats such as pepperoni and sausage.

4. Fruit juices and milk are an especially important component of a pregnant teen’s diet. Sodas and coffee consumption should be minimal during pregnancy.

5. Eat lots of fresh veggies and fruit when you are pregnant. Just don’t try to make them “tastier” by adding additional fat such as butter, creams, or sauces.

6. Always a good idea for reducing fat and particularly important for pregnant teens is to prepare meats by baking, broiling, or grilling instead of frying.

7. Calcium is vital for the healthy development of your baby and the health of your own growing bones and teeth. Instead of eating ice cream when you are pregnant, try eating more low-fat yogurt and cottage cheese.

8. Baked potatoes without butter or sour cream are a far healthier choice during pregnancy, or anytime, than french fries.

9. Instead of eating candy bars or cookies for snacks, try eating fresh dried fruits or raw veggies.

10. Everyone loves desserts, but traditional desserts such as pies, cakes, and cookies are not a healthy choice for pregnancy. Make dessert time a healthy choice by choosing fresh fruit or yogurt next time.