Lunch. It’s an easy meal to miss. You might be in the office, running from meeting to meeting, and look up and see it’s past 2 p.m. Or, you’ve had a day packed with errands and family obligations and the most you could do was grab a banana as you ran to the car. 

But don’t give lunch the short shrift: It provides a moment not just to feed you and your baby critical nutrients, but a moment of calm, relaxation and mindfulness.

When choosing what to pack in your brown bag, pick up at the cafeteria or order in a restaurant, remember the optimum pregnancy diet: a balanced mix of lean protein, whole grains, produce and healthy fats. 

As you know, not only will you be eating for your baby’s benefit (to help ensure a healthy birth weight, improved brain development and a lower risk of certain birth defects), you’ll also be paving the way towards a safer, more comfortable pregnancy. 

In fact, women who eat well while they’re expecting can minimize a host of pregnancy symptoms, including morning sickness and mood swings, and are more likely to deliver on time and have a speedier postpartum recovery. Now that’s definitely easy to stomach!

Lunch foods to eat while pregnant

Because this is the midday meal, when energy might be flagging, it’s important to eat a variety of foods, including:

Lunch foods to avoid

In addition undercooked eggs, smoked seafood and other breakfast foods to avoid, here are some to skip at lunch while pregnant: 

  • Lunch meats: If not stored properly, salami, bologna and other deli meats as well as hot dogs and pâté, can potentially harbor listeria. Plus, many have additives and preservatives like nitrites, so branch out from the packaged meats for now.

  • Some fish and sushi: It’s fine to have up to 12 ounces of canned light tuna or salmon weekly, but skip shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish, which have high levels of methylmercury. The same goes for any type of sushi involving raw fish, which can be a source of  bacteria.

  • Sugary yogurts: A strawberry yogurt may sound healthy, but a lot of fruit-flavored yogurts contain almost as much sugar as a small candy bar. Look for plain, low-fat varieties and add your own sliced fruit instead. 

  • Soft cheese: No chip and cheese dip for your lunch. Skip the soft varieties like blue cheese, Camembert, queso blanco, queso fresco, brie and feta, which can carry listeria.

  • Undercooked meat: To feel well, order it well. Forgo raw or undercooked meat and eat only well-cooked meat to lower your risk of stomach upset.

Tips for healthy lunches for pregnancy

When deciding what to eat at midday, focus on eating something that provides a good dose of protein and fiber to keep you feeling full and energized. 

Think a small smoothie for calcium, a salad for fiber and vitamins, and a sandwich on whole grain bread for protein and carbs. Throw in some good fat from olive oil, nuts or avocado and you’ve got yourself a perfect meal. 

Here are some other tips to keep in mind:

  • Take the pressure off: Don’t try to squeeze every possible nutrient into your lunch. You still have snacks and dinner to round out the day.

  • Quality, not quantity: Eating too much in the middle of the day may leave you feeling sluggish and sleepy, something you might feel already without eating. So focus on the produce, whole grains and lean protein  for more energy and skip the saturated fats and deep-fried menu items .

  • Hydrate: Aim to drink at at least 10 8-ounce glasses of water per day, including a couple at lunch. It’ll help reduce bloating and keep bladder infections at bay.

Delicious lunch recipes for pregnancy

Check out some of these simple, wholesome and delicious recipes for the perfect lunch.

Soups

Sandwiches

Salads and crudites