4 Great Foods for Pregnant Vegetarians

What to eat during pregnancy is a whoooole thing, and unfortunately the advice on the NHS website is seriously outdated and not fit for purpose. There is an excellent book called Real Food for Pregnancy by Lily Nichols which is full of brilliant advice using up to date research.

However I found it quite a hard read as a vegetarian, since it’s undeniable that some of the best nutrition during pregnancy comes from meat.

Many vegetarians (like myself) are a little flexible during pregnancy and breastfeeding, which is why I’ve included bone broth in this list.

Read on to find out some of the best foods to incorporate into your meals if you’re a pregnant vegetarian.

1) Eggs

For non meat-eaters, eating 3 eggs per day is a great way to get many of the nutrients essential for pregnancy. 3 eggs will provide you with:

70% of your daily Vitamin B12 requirement

35% of your daily Vitamin A requirement

75% of your daily choline requirement

40% of your daily DHA requirement

2) Seaweed

Seaweed is cheap, tasty and great for your baby!It's one of the best sources of iodine which is vital for your baby's brain development. It also contains iron and other beneficial nutrients. So get munching!

3) Full Fat Dairy Products

Full fat dairy contains calcium, protein (which can be lacking in a vegetarian diet), Vitamins A, D, E & K, some B vitamins, probiotics and iodine. Whew!

Try to add in some fermented dairy (yoghurt, kefir). Eating fermented dairy in pregnancy has been shown to reduce the development of ezcema and hayfever in infants.

4) Bone Broth

OK bone broth is absolutely NOT vegetarian, but it's a great choice if you want to be flexible with your vegetarian diet but can't stomach eating meat.

Bone broth is PACKED with basically every nutrient your baby needs for healthy development. And since chicken carcasses are a waste product, and the broth doesn't taste overwhelmingly meaty, it's a good option for us vegetarians.

I hope you found this useful - let me know what your favourite snack or meal has been during pregnancy!