What Is a Good Breakfast to Eat While Pregnant

Breakfast During Pregnancy

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on February 3, 2020

Find out what to munch on in the morning with this complete breakfast guide for the expecting set.

The day's first meal is a great opportunity to feed you — and your baby — right.

Remember those days when you'd wake up, bounce out of bed, swig a cuppa Joe and head out the door? Yeah, we barely remember, too. But when you're pregnant, breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day (although all meals are important — another great reason to love being pregnant!).

Aim to start off the day with a meal that's loaded with vitamins and minerals (we're looking at you, folic acid, calcium and iron), that keeps you, well, regular, and that fills you up with healthy energy. Sound like a tall order? So does assembling a crib, but don't worry — somehow we all get there. Here's what you need to know to start your day off right:

Breakfast foods to eat during pregnancy

A morning meal, or a series of mini snacks, depending on how queasy you feel, should star foods that check all of these boxes:

Fiber. Foods high in fiber help lower cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar, keep you feeling full for longer and prevent constipation. Since you need to aim for 25 to 35 grams of fiber for day, it's essential to start at breakfast. Look for ingredients that offer several grams of fiber per serving, such as oats in cereal, chia seeds in smoothies, spinach in omelets, beans in burritos and high-fiber fruit to pair with yogurt (think raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and guava).
Protein. Each of your daily meals should contain protein (aim for 75g a day), because your baby needs those amino acids to grow strong. Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, eggs, peanut butter, omelets with Swiss or Cheddar cheese and dairy-infused smoothies are all solid, tasty options.
Calcium. You need about 1,000 mg of calcium a day to help your baby's bones grow and keep yours strong, so start off the morning with calcium-rich yogurt, cheese, fortified orange juice, sesame-seed bread, bean burritos, almonds, figs or scrambled tofu with spinach.
Whole grains. Feel full with these complex carbs, which are loaded with vitamin B, a critical nutrient for baby's growth. They also have healthy doses of fiber, iron and other minerals. Whole grains are easy to love, especially for those who have a delicate tummy, as they are fairly bland and filling. Try whole-wheat breads, cereals (choose ones with less sugar), oatmeal, granola and porridge with wheat germ.
Iron. As a pregnant mom, you'll need about twice the amount of iron (27 mg a day) as nonpregnant women to supply oxygen to your baby. Iron-rich foods for breakfast include dried fruit, oatmeal, spinach, eggs, tofu and iron-fortified cereals.

Best Foods to Eat While Pregnant

Breakfast foods to avoid during pregnancy

Avoid these, not just in the morning but throughout the day:

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Too much caffeine. More than 200 mg of caffeine a day is a no no — the equivalent of two cups of brewed coffee. So, for those who get a headache without starting your day with caffeine, revel in your morning cup and leave room for a small afternoon pick-me-up if you need it. Watch out for caffeine hidden in some decaf coffee and sodas as well as certain teas and protein bars. Opt instead for decaf lattes, hot cocoa and herbal teas like chamomile.
Unpasteurized dairy. Listeria, salmonella and other harmful bacteria can be found in raw milk and soft cheeses like Brie, Camembert, goat, ricotta, feta, blue cheese and queso blanco. Listeria exposure during pregancy, in particular, can be dangerous, potentially causing miscarriage early on and premature labor and other complications closer to term.
Smoked seafood. Are you a lox and bagel girl? As delicious as smoked salmon is, steer clear of it for now, as it could contain listeria.
Sugary foods. Pregnant or not, starting the day off with a sugar-filled cereal, cinnamon bun, yogurt with high-sugary fruit, donuts or sweet breakfast bars will just send your blood sugar crashing to the floor — and during pregnancy too much of it could lead to gestational diabetes.
Raw eggs. No soft-boiled eggs for you. Eggs are a perfect food for moms to be, but only if they're fully cooked, as raw eggs and runny yolks could contain salmonella.

Breakfast food safety tips for expecting moms

As with every meal, it's important to keep optimum food safety habits:

Keep fresh food fresh. Make sure eggs and milk haven't reached their sell-by date and that foods are properly stored.
When in doubt, throw it out. If you have leftover breakfast and you can't remember when you made it, chuck it — don't chance it. You don't know if it is growing bacteria or mold.
Wash your hands before y ou eat. It's easy to remember to wash your hands during the day, but if you've just gotten up from a sleepless night and forget to wash before you reach for that yogurt, stop, wash and roll.

Healthy eating breakfast tips

Keep these in mind when deciding what to eat in the a.m.:

Mastering the morning. If you can't handle a big breakfast first thing, have it in stages, with liquids first (water is critical all day long). Then eat your first solid food slowly to help with digestion, eating until you feel comfortably sated.
Go for 5. Whether you're experiencing morning sickness, have busy days or are just fighting fatigue, eating 3 full meals plus two small nutrient packed snacks is the way to get through the day feeling as good as possible.
Know and go with your body. If you can't stomach breakfast, eat foods when you're ready that you're craving (unless they're unsafe for your baby, like unpasteurized cheese or sushi with raw fish). It's more important to get some nourishment than none.
Fat is good. A certain amount of healthy fat (think avocado, nuts, fatty fish like salmon and olive oil) is important for both you and your baby, enabling vitamin absorption and essential fatty acids to be delivered to your little one. Add them to your breakfast foods, by throwing some avocado into a smoothie, nuts into oatmeal or sautéeing in olive oil when making eggs.
A banana a day will keep the doctor away. Bananas are a total superfruit: prebiotic, filled with potassium, fiber, protein and vitamin C and easy to pack for a snack on-the-go. Throw them in smoothies, cereals, yogurt, in a peanut butter sandwich or in a fruit salad.

Delicious breakfast recipes for pregnancy

Drinks

Strawberry Slushie
Raspberry Slushie
Just Peachy Breakfast Shake
Banana-Berry Smoothie

Muffins & breads

Banana Walnut Bread
Glorious Carrot Muffins
Double Cranberry Muffins
Ginger and Carrot Muffins
Lemon-Ginger Muffins

Pancakes

Sunday Blueberry Pancakes
Ginger Blueberry Whole Wheat Pancakes
Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

Eggs

Classic Egg Salad
Breakfast Burrito
Huevos Rancheros con Frijoles
Broccoli-Cheddar Omelet
Spinach-Ricotta Scramble

Cereals, bars, parfaits & fruit

Fruit and Oatmeal
Power Breakfast Bars
Good Morning Granola
Momma's Muesli
Any Day Breakfast Parfait
Ginger Melon Salad

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author ofWhat to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

What to Expect When You're Expecting, 11th edition, Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Nutrition During Pregnancy, February 2018.

FDA, Listeria from Food Safety for Moms to Be, September 2018.

Mayo Clinic, Caffeine: How Much Is Too Much?, March 2017.

WhatToExpect.com, Listeria Exposure During Pregnancy, March 2019.

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What Is a Good Breakfast to Eat While Pregnant

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