What Mama Eats In An Average Week (Pregnancy Edition)

A lot of people have asked me, “What do you eat during pregnancy?” So I took photos of all my meals for a week. See them all here.

What mama natural eats in a week while pregnant, natural pregnancy diet.

A lot of people have asked me, “What do you eat?” So I took photos of all my meals over an average week, and in this video I share them with you.

Keep in mind that I’m five months pregnant! So my diet may look a little different than yours 🙂

Breakfast

Breakfast is probably my favorite meal and definitely the most important – I need to have it. I would say like five times a week I have eggs. I love eggs, they hold me over they’re super nurturing to my body and I heard somewhere that’s like pregnant moms should have two to three eggs a day so I try to shoot for that.

  • Eggs on sprouted corn tortilla with brocolli salsa on side
  • Eggs with greens
  • Eggs with quinoa and zucchini, salsa on side
  • Sprouted spelt wafftle topped with apple, cinnamon and butter
  • Banna bread
  • Eggs with grapefruit

Breakfast is also when I take my cod liver oil so that’s actually an added fat that kind of keeps me full pretty much all morning.

Mid Morning Snack

  • Grapefruit
  • Orange Juice mixed with seltzer water
  • Red raspberry leaf tea with coconut milk and stevia
  • Decaf iced tea

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Lunch

So what I end up doing for lunches is leftovers and it actually works out better because Griffin and I are running around all morning doing something so we just come back when we need something quick. So leftovers do the trick.

  • Hearty Thai seafood soup
  • Turkey burger on sprouted wheat bread topped with avocado and a side of homemade slaw
  • Homemade chicken salad with pecans and grapes on butter lettuce and toast
  • Chicken sausage with quinoa and tomatoes with large side salad
  • More leftover chicken and vegetables with side salad

Afternoon snack

Mid-afternoon is the time that I actually do need a snack because I go pretty long until I have dinner by the time Mike gets home so for that I really kind of shake it up.

  • Cubed mango
  • Handful of walnuts
  • Raw veggies
  • Cheese, basil and grape tomatoes
  • Organic popcorn topped with olive oil and sea salt

Dinner

Dinner is really where I like to cook and kind of just explore my creativity. Cooking is one of the greatest ways that I can just be free. I don’t like to follow recipes, I like just make things up. So I kind of just look in the fridge see what I can combine and I get Griffin in at his highchair, he starts playing with play-doh and mom just starts cooking. I also just like to Mike to come home to a delicious nutritious meal.

  • Grass-fed steak, celery root mash, and asparagus
  • Grass-fed beef tastadas topped with slaw and avocado
  • Roasted chicken on rice with yellow tomatoes
  • Roasted chicken with root vegetables
  • Quinoa crusted pizza with onions and olives
  • Smorgasboard dinner

Desserts

I don’t eat many desserts because I don’t need any refined sugar, so most of the time, Mike and I after Griffin’s been put to bed we’ll just dive into fruits. So we’ll pick a couple of pieces, chop it up in a big plate and just it together. Occasionally I do like a little dessert. I usually have it a couple times a week so for me that would looke like..

  • Coconut-rolled dates
  • Gummy Men
  • Honey vanilla Ice Cream topped with Walnuts
  • Natural fruit pie

This pregnancy diet video includes info on the prenatals I take. Here’s a whole post on the best prenatal vitamins.

Also, if you want to see more food photos, be sure to connect with me on Instagram, where I post food and family photos nearly every day. My user name is MamaNatural.

How about you?

Do any of these foods look familiar? Do you have any go-to foods that you have each day? Let me know in the comments.

Genevieve Howland

About the Author

Genevieve Howland is a childbirth educator and breastfeeding advocate. She is the bestselling author of The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth and creator of the Mama Natural Birth Course. A mother of three, graduate of the University of Colorado, and YouTuber with over 130,000,000 views, she helps mothers and moms-to-be lead healthier and more natural lives.

51 Comments

  1. Help! You’re meals look like what we would generally eat before I was pregnant. I’m at 12 weeks now and I’ve struggled with sickness pretty bad so far. I normally love chicken and eggs, but now it has me rushing to puke at the sight, smell, or taste. I’m doing ok with most veggies although some turn me off day by day. Generally, Ezekiel bread and yogurt and granola are what I crave. I want to be so diligent at nourishing my body and this baby and I feel like I’m failing. HELP!!!

  2. I feel like I’m not eating enough during this pregnancy, Yeah I eat my 3 meals a day and have fruit and veggies for my snacks but for some reason I’m really not all that hungry. Kinda worried in a way, maybe I’m over reacting. on top of it I’m exhausted

  3. Hi, Im 31 weeks today and I was wondering how you transitioned into going natural? I have been trying to do the same but i dont know where to start.. 🙁

  4. Hi MamaNatural!!

    I’ve gotten off track on my eating lately. I’ve been eating too much and not enough good stuff. My biggest hurdle is breakfast before work. (I work at Whole Foods btw) I am not a morning person. I work 4 days a week, and usually start anywhere between 4am-10:30 am. Super early days, I usually can’t eat anything before work, and I don’t usually get a break until 8-9am.

    Later days, when I’m working at 8am, it feels like I have to get up so early just to eat breakfast. I don’t like having cereal for breakfast, as I end up hungry an hour or so later. I’m especially concerned about this since we have been trying to conceive for 4 years, and I might be pregnant. I know I can’t go without breakfast when pregnant.

    Any tips or idea on what I can make myself, and hopefully my husband, for breakfast?

    • BTW…I accidentally put my email address in the ‘website’ box. oops….

  5. Hi Mama! I am such a foodie and love love love learning about more healthier and natural ways eating. I am also Kosher so sometimes I have to improvise. Quick question though, I am 25 weeks pregnant with my first and I was told to be cautious of runny eggs like sunny side up etc.., what are your thoughts? Also, what does the cod liver oil do for you? never heard of it until now.

    Thanks again!

  6. Several studies reveal that stress releases certain enzyme in your body that reduces your chances of getting pregnant to a great extent. Although it natural to get stressed, if you are failing to conceive for a long period of time, but stress can actually make it harder for you. If you see signs of stress, try relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation and aromatherapy. These techniques may soothe your body making it easier for you and your body to get ready for the big work. Excessive stress may even lead to infertility, so it is better to avoid it. Try new hobbies or register yourself to the nearest yoga classes to keep yourself busy and help relieve stress.Many women find it hard to conceive easily but it is certainly not impossible. Considering the above factors will not only help you to know how to get pregnant fast, but also enable you to carry out your pregnancy in a healthier way. Remember, panic may even make it harder, so relax and enjoy the process. Let your body do the job in a natural and easy way.

  7. Being five months prego this was very encouraging! Thanks!

  8. can you share the chicken salad recipe, pleeeeeease?! 🙂

  9. Oh, how do you find time to cook such great stuff? I try and my little gal is getting grumpy at the end of the day and wants me to hold her. She doesn’t nap much, so that time is out, too. Thanks for sharing!

  10. Can you share the recipe for the Thai Seafood Stew please? It looks awesome! Thanks in advance.

  11. Weeks 7-13 were pretty rough for me. By late afternoon I felt very nauseous and couldn’t keep anything down besides saltines or plain rice or broth. It was difficult since I love salads and lean meats and fresh produce but the thought of anything “crunchy” made my stomach turn. Once I got over week 13 I was loving food again. My biggest must have was full fat Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and hubbies homemade granola. Sooooooo tasty as my mid-morning snack!

  12. I’m watching this video over and over. A great source of inspiration really!

  13. You mention that you take your cod liver oil in the morning, I believe you said “in your morning routine”, would you mind sharing what your morning routine consists of? Do you take prenatal vitamins? If so, what brand? What other supplements do you take on a daily basis, either pregnant or not?

    I’ve heard bad things about multivitamins, so I am currently taking nothing (although I should be taking Vitamin D, but I am about to begin taking cod liver oil (thanks to your brilliant advice)). Would love to know what your morning routine looks like as far as supplements and such go.

    • I just found your video on pregnancy supplements on YouTube. Never mind! You’re too awesome!

  14. man, i wish i could eat that healthy! I was straight up paleo and loving it before i was pregnant, and then got hit hardcore with HG. I’m almost 4 months now, and things are calming down a bit, but my diet is still everything i never used to eat! bread, pasta (at least i go for rice pasta!), potatoes, cheese, popcorn… and everything covered in butter.
    i can’t wait until my body starts letting me eat more greens! it’s killing me!

    • HG is tough and having suffered it myself I say eat what you can because it’s better than nothing which about all I could eat. It will end mama and you can get back to the way you were eating!!

  15. Delicious! I tried those dates because you mentioned them a while back. I get them at my co-op and really enjoy them. It’s fun to see that someone is eating eggs in the morning, too! I love my eggs 🙂

  16. Please share your gummy men recipe! That looks so fun!

  17. Genevieve, I’d love to hear more about your transition to eating healthier, giving up refined sugars. I’ve tried many times, but always fall back into the old habits. I’m so impressed with how healthy you eat in your pregnancy. I craved all the wrong things in mine!! Thanks!

  18. What yummy healthy meals! You inspire me to eat even more healthy!

    My go-to foods in my last pregnancy were homemade kefir smoothies for breakfast (w/banana and coconut oil), cheese, roasted garbanzo beans, lightly sweetened yogurt, spinach salads with cheese and meat, natural salami or turkey, and fruits. I ate banana chips and raisins or the occasional gluten free low-sugar baked goods, for sweet snacks, and I also ate a lot of leftovers. I tried to force down an egg almost every day, but unfortunately, both pregnancies have immediately rendered me grossed out by eggs (especially unfortunate since we have ducks and chickens that provide our own free-range eggs–super healthy!). I managed to cook with them and force them down that way 🙂

    • YUM! Your food sounds delish! Did you have a boy last time? Sounds similar to what I craved with Griff 🙂 XO

      • Yes, boy it was! And my first son is a boy too… I craved similar things and disliked similar things also. Lots of fat, dairy and sour stuff with both boys.

  19. weirdly enough when I am pregnant all I want is ice from the side of the freezer. Like I can smell it and I want it. There’s clean uncontaminated ice right next to it but no. I want the dirty ice. It’s one of the first signs that I am pregnant because I don’t like any ice at all when not pregnant.. I also want to kill every dog I see.. don’t know why because my dog is like a fur baby when not pregnant.. Other than the ice when pregnant I just have my normal diet with lots of vomiting it up (hyperemesis) and maybe McDonalds Big Macs, last pregnancy the only foods I could keep down was Beef burgers from fast food chains. It sucked for my clean living identity but it was all I kept down.

    • Poor dear! So sorry to hear of the HG. That’s brutal. I can’t remember where I heard that craving ice was a sign of iron deficiency? Not sure if it’s true but maybe that’s why the beef burgers stayed down. XO

      • I’ll have to look into it

  20. This all look so yummy, I’m going to refer back to it. I’m 19 weeks along and LOVE eggs in the morning as well. I’m big on breakfast but have lost inspiration for lunch/dinner. Thanks for some great new ideas! Looking forward to the pizza video, too!

  21. oh, and I have a 6 month old girl (my third child, first daughter) and I ate eggs + avo religiously! so good together on a slice of Ezekiel.

    • Must be those girls… they like the eggs 🙂

  22. dear mama natural, PLEASE share your healthy hair growth secrets! i’m dying to know and growing out a pixie. 🙂

    • Worked on the book today. Should be done soonish! Hang in there 🙂 XOXO

  23. Thank you!! I’m inspired to eat more greens and cut out those refined sugars!

  24. This is wonderful!! If I ever have another baby, I’m going to watch this video for inspiration 🙂

  25. I hear you mama! When I was pregnant with my now 5-month-old daughter, I ate eggs all the time! So filling and satisfying =)
    Good luck with your little girl, we have enjoyed ours so much!!

  26. I’ve been hoping you’d do a video like this! Thanks so much! I am 8.5 weeks pregnant and hungry all the time but not much sounds good – even things I love, or what I ate yesterday! It’s hard to stay on track and I’m trying to focus on just eating real food and not worrying too much about what exactly it is…I’ll make up for it in the later trimesters!

    • AMEN! I had some bad choice moments for sure in my first trimester. Weeks 7-10 were the worst. I went out to eat a lot and just did as best as I could. Hang in there as this will pass! Do as best as you can! XO

  27. I often do tea as my morning snack as well, I have quite a collection of blends. In the summer heat I’ve been doing the “ice cream” with frozen banana, 1 tbsp of peanut or almond butter. I also add about a 1/2 tsp of cocoa powder. My kids love it.

  28. Thanks so much for sharing this video! I love seeing what other folks eat on a daily basis. Your diet looks super clean and tasty! I’d love to see some of your tips on food prep. I’m 10 weeks, exhausted and still have a hungry husband to feed. Poor guy has been fending for himself which of course leads to less than healthy options. Thanks! 🙂

    • I hear you, mama! I was super low-key during weeks 7-13. Just didn’t have the energy or passion to do it. I made a lot of bulk stuff like a big pot of chili or a roasted chicken and then would eat on for a week. I also had my hubby cook a couple meals and I went out to eat a lot. Not ideal but I was in survival mode 🙂 and knew it was temporary. Whole Foods has a good salad and hot bar for to-go options.

      • I’ve always heard that salad bars are a no-no because of the potential of bacteria. Is this just being overly cautious and not something I should worry too much about? I used to love eating Byerly’s salad bar for lunch, but have been avoiding ever since I got pregnant!

  29. Wow looks good! I’ve never put olive oil on popcorn its always butter or coconut oil, do you use olive oil a lot in your cooking? Its hard to find really high quality EVOO.

    • Thanks Janelle! Olive oil is easier as sometimes I’m too lazy to melt the butter or coconut oil. LOL! I use either Bariani or Napa Naturals, which is organic and recommended by WAPF as a good kind. I put it in a Misto so it sprays really evenly on the popcorn. It tastes great!

  30. I loved having a look into your meals…gives me some ideas. 🙂 You know, I didn’t realize that there is non gmo/ organic pop corn. I thought all corn was contaminated! What is a good brand to buy from Amazon? I will go right to it. 🙂 Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy…what a miracle growing a little person is! You look beautiful.

    • I know that Eden Organics sells non-GMO (organic) popcorn kernels that you can pop yourself. Trader Joe’s also sells some, I believe, as well as bags of pre-popped organic popcorn with olive oil & sea salt.

    • I just learned this myself but ALL popcorn is non-GMO. But, it’s best to buy organic so that it isn’t loaded with pesticides, etc. I like Arrowhead Mills brand: http://amzn.to/11VnnyK

  31. Thank you for this interesting glimpse of your life! Eating is so much a part of what I focus on because we have 5 kids and I want them to have the best chance at a healthy life! We eat a lot of eggs too, but I’ll have to incorporate more veggies! Those breakfast plates look so yummy! Desserts are my weakness, so I am currently on a mission to make paleo desserts. I don’t want my children to grow up dissatisfied and longing for sweets, so I’m teaching them the difference in Real food desserts versus junk food! As always, I love your channel!

    • Thank you, Rebecca! Seeing other people’s food is fun! I like it too 🙂 Be sure to follow me on Facebook as I post lots of grain-free/Paleo-ish desserts 🙂 XO


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