What to Eat While Pregnant & Breastfeeding: Handy Diet Chart
Follow this easy to use chart to make sure you’re getting the proper nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
How to calculate your recommended servings:
P=pregnant (2nd and 3rd trimesters)
L=lactating
| PROTEIN P=4 L=33 C milk 1 1/4 C evap.skim milk 1 C nonfat dry milk 1 3/4 C yogurt 3/4 C low-fat cottage cheese 3-3 1/2 oz cheese 3 eggs 5 egg whites 3 1/2 oz canned fish 5-6 oz seafood 3 oz poultry or meat 2/3 C miso* 5-6 oz tofu* 3-3 1/2 oz nuts/seeds 5-6 Tbls peanut butter |
Veg PROTEIN Combos (1A+1B = 1 Protein) measured cookedA 2/3 C lentils/split peas A 3/4 C beans A 1 1/3 C green peas A 1/2 C miso A 4 oz tofumeasured before cooking unless notedB 2-4 oz ww pasta B 1/3 C wheat germ B 2/3 C oats/whole grain barley B 1 C wheat flakes B 1 C wild rice B 1 1/2 C cooked brown rice B 1 1/2 C bulgur, millet, kasha B 4 slices whole grain bread B 2 ww pitas B 2 ww english muffins B 1/2 C soy flour B 2/3 C ww flour B 1/4 C tahini B 1/3 C peanuts B 3 Tbls peanut butter B 1/2 C black walnuts B 2/3 C english walnuts B 1/2 C almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews B 1 1/2 C pine nuts B 2 oz sunflower seeds, pistachio nuts B 1/4 C brewers yeast |
CARBOHYDRATES P/L=4-51/2 C brown rice 1/2 C wild rice 1/5 C WW flour 1/5 C soy flour 1/4 C whole rye flour 1/2 C millet, bulgur, triticale 1/2 C kasha 1/2 C unpearled barley 1/4 C whole-grain cornmeal 1 serving whole-grain cereal 1/3 C rolled oats or other whole grain 2 Tbls wheat germ 1/4 C bran 1 slice whole grain bread 1 small ww pita 1/2 ww bagel or English muffin 1 ww tortilla 2-6 whole grain crackers 2 brown rice cakes 6-8 small ww bread sticks 2/3 C black-eyed peas 1/2 C beans, lentils, split peas 1/2 C soybeans 1 oz ww pasta 2 C popcorn 1 oz pumpkin seeds 1 Tbls brewers yeast |
| GREEN AND YELLOW P/L=32 medium apricots 1/2 C canned apricots 1/8 cantaloupe 1/4 large mango 2 med nectarines 1 large peach 1 C asparagus 1/2 C bok choy 3/4 C fresh broccoli 1 1/2 C peas 1/3 C cooked kale, chard 1/2 C mustard greens, collards 1/4 C dandelion, turnip greens 1 1/2 C endive 1 1/2 C dark leafy lettuce 1/2 C raw spinach 1/4 C cooked spinach 1/2 small carrot 1 Tbls canned pumpkin 1/4 C winter squash 1/4 small baked potato/yam 1 large tomato 3/4 C cooked tomatoes 1 1/2 C tomato juice 3/4 C vegetable juice 1/2 large red pepper |
OTHER FRUITS AND VEGETABLES P/L=1-21 med apple 1 C apple juice 1/2 C applesauce 1 small banana 2/3 C cherries 3 figs 2/3 C grapes 1 med peach 1 med pear 3/4 C diced pineapple 2 med plums 5 dates or prunes 3/4 C prune juice 1/4 C raisons 1/4 C currants 5-6 asparagus spears 1/2 avocado 1 C bamboo shoots 3/4 C green beans 1 C bean sprouts 1 C beets 1 C shredded Savoy cabbage 2 ribs celery 1 small ear corn 1 C cooked eggplant 1 C sliced Jerusalem artichoke 1/2 C sliced mushrooms 1 C sliced onion 2/3 C cooked parsnip 2/3 C peas 1 small potato 2 oz cooked seaweed or kelp 1/2 C summer squash |
VITAMIN C FOODS P/L=21/2 C fresh strawberries 1 1/3 C black- or raspberries 1 1/2 C blueberries 1/4 cantaloupe 1/8 small honeydew 1/2 grapefruit 1 small orange 1/2 C fresh/frozen fruit juice 1/2 guava 1 large tangerine 2/3 med kiwi 1/2 large mango 1/2 C papaya 1 C asparagus 1/2 C fresh broccoli 1/2 C brussel sprouts 2 C cooked green cabbage 2/3 C fresh cauliflower 1 C cooked collards 2 C cooked dandelion greens 3/4 C fresh kale 1 1/4 C mustard greens 3 C raw spinach 2 C cooked spinach 1/2 med green pepper 1/3 med red pepper 2 small tomatoes 1/2 C cooked tomatoes 1 C tomato juice 1 1/4 C tomato sauce 3/4 C vegetable juice |
| IRON P/L=40-80mg5 dried apricots 1.7 1 avocado 2.1 1/2 C currents 2.3 1/4 C wheat germ 2.6 1 C ww pasta 1.5 5 dried peaches 5.3 5 dried pears 3.7 1/2 C raisins 1.7 1/2 C kidney beans 2.5 1/2 C lentils 3.3 1/4 C almonds 2 1/2 C coconut milk 3.9 1 oz sunflower seeds 1.9 1 Tbls molasses 3.2 1/2 C yellow beans 2.2 1/2 C roasted soybeans 3.4 1/2 C black beans 2 |
ZINC P=20mg L=25mg1/2 C roasted soybeans 4.1 1/2 C sunflower seeds 2 1 oz sesame seeds 2.9 1/4 C pumpkin seeds 2.1 2 Tbls p. butter 1 1/2 C coconut milk 1.6 1/2 C yellow beans 1 1/2 C split peas 2 1/2 C ww pasta .5 1/4 C wheat germ 4.7 1 egg .7 |
CALCIUM P=4 L=51 1/2 oz hard cheese 2 oz soft cheeses 1 3/4 C low-fat cottage cheese 1 C milk 1 C buttermilk 1 C yogurt 1/2 C evaporated skim milk 1/3 C nonfat dry milk 1 C enriched non-dairy beverage 2/3 C almond 1 3/4 C fresh broccoli 1 C cooked collards 1 1/2 C cooked kale 1 1/2 C fresh turnip greens 1 C chickpeas 3 C beans 1 1/2 C roasted soybeans 10 figs 3 Tbls blackstrap molasses 9 oz tofu (prepared with calcium) 4 oz canned salmon with bones 3 oz canned sardines with bones 1 1/3 C oysters |
Stacelynn Caughlan is a Clinical Nutritionist and Certified Herbalist who specializes in Prenatal and Pediatric Health.
