You’re pregnant and fighting morning sickness. The thought of going grocery shopping turns your stomach and you don’t want the smell of food in your house.
Trader Joes always makes grocery shopping a little more enjoyable for me. When I was trying to survive morning sickness, this is where I shopped. Here are ten foods that I highly recommend to any pregnant person. A note: some of this stuff may not sound good to you, and you may need to find alternatives. Trader Joes is just one option if you have one near you.
1. Triple Ginger Snaps
If you get nothing else from this article here is the one food you should try: Trader Joe's Triple Ginger Snaps.
It is widely held that ginger is an excellent remedy for nausea. These cookies have a traditional ginger snap flavor, but they go a step further — fresh ginger chunks are also baked into the cookies.
During my first pregnancy, I tried ginger tea and ginger chews to help with nausea and found that these forms of ginger were too harsh on my stomach. However, two or three of these small cookies can give you the soothing ginger effect with enough carbohydrates to make it digestible. I shared these cookies with a pregnant friend and she exclaimed, “Oh my God, why have I not known about these?”
2. Peppermint Tea
I usually start the day with coffee, but during the first 13 weeks of pregnancy, coffee didn’t even sound good. So, I replaced my cup of Joe with tea.
Peppermint tea is touted as a way to relieve nausea, morning sickness, and ease a bloated stomach. In the morning I enjoyed it as a slower, kinder way to start the day than coffee. In the evening, a little honey transformed it into a nighttime treat.
3. Cereal
For the first 6 weeks of my pregnancy, one of the only things I could stomach was cereal. My favorite was Barbara's brand Spoonfuls. I would eat small amounts of dry cereal throughout the day as a way to stay full without bringing on nausea.
It wasn't until later that I discovered that in the US cereal companies are mandated to enrich their products with folic acid. Folic acid helps with a fetus's neural tube development and can prevent Spina Bifida. I don’t think it was any coincidence that my baby was developing her spinal cord right when I was obsessed with folic enriched cereal!
4. Acai Bowls
Blended frozen fruit has been my friend with all three of my pregnancies. The Trader Joe's Organic Acai Bowls don’t even require you to get a blender dirty! If you leave it a little frozen it can have the same soothing effect as a popsicle.
Acai berries are safe during pregnancy and are high in antioxidants and fiber. Because I work from home, I would eat a little before work and save the rest for a mid-morning snack.
5. Organic Super Bread
If you like oaty, seedy bread then you will adore this selection. It has 4.5g of protein per slice; always leaving me full. This bread makes a great small meal when toasted with some cream cheese or peanut butter on top.
Sometimes I could muster up the appetite for a grilled cheese sandwich or PB&J. Deli meat sandwiches generally aren’t recommended during pregnancy but you could read up on how to cook the meat to make it pregnancy safe.
6. Fruit Juice
Just like when experiencing the stomach flu, it can be helpful to drink fruit juice to help replenish your body with vitamins when dealing with nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. Some citric juices like lemon have neutralizing acids that can help calm your stomach. I really enjoyed this blend of pineapple, orange, and cherry.
7. Applesauce
My preschoolers and I were basically eating the same lunch every day: PB&J, juice, and applesauce. Trader Joe’s Applesauce has no added sweeteners and is full of fiber. Fiber is key to reducing bloating and is easy to digest during early pregnancy. It is a perfect way to end lunch, and if you’re at home you can put a little whipped cream on top to make it a dessert.
8. Omega Trek Mix
Trail mix of any kind is a great snack while pregnant. Nuts are packed with healthy fats, protein, and fiber. If you turn me loose with a bowl of trail mix, I will have no portion control. This mix comes individually portioned with bags containing 150 calories. I personally prefer this mix over others because it has cranberries rather than raisins and pistachios (my favorite!).
9. Granola Bites
Homemade granola is my favorite because it has less sugar than store-bought granolas. But I lost all desire to prepare any type of food while pregnant, so I looked for other options. Trader Joe’s Organic Chocolate Chip Granola Bites are gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan. They are a great quick snack by themselves, or you can pour them over plain yogurt and fresh fruit.
10. Chicken Fried Rice + Extra Peas
This freezer meal takes less than 10 minutes to make and can comfortably feed a family of four (okay, two adults and two picky toddlers). I had an easier time keeping down carbs like rice than meat or veggies, so this was a meal I could actually partake of with my family.
I would recommend adding some extra frozen vegetables to even out the rice/ veggie ratio. My kids love peas, so that is my go-to choice. You can cook a fried egg to serve on top of the rice or add Trader Joe's Orange Chicken for extra protein. Even if you just microwave this meal, it is a great option for a low-energy night.
What’s important is taking care of yourself
Feeling ill day after day can be discouraging. Hopefully, your morning sickness will subside after your 1st trimester. If you are struggling every day to function, talk to your doctor about a safe nausea medication.
I have found that the key to getting through the first 3 months of pregnancy is staying hydrated, finding prenatal vitamins that won’t make you queasy, and eating small, frequent meals. I hope this list helps you on your next shopping trip!
She Might is not affiliated with or endorsed by Trader Joe's. The use of trade names and or trademarks is for reference purposes only. All photographed items were bought for personal consumption by the author.