The 20 Most Commonly Craved Pregnancy Foods To Stock Up On
Here's What Food Cravings To Expect When You're Expecting
You've probably heard of some of the wacky things women crave when they're pregnant (pickles and ice cream, anyone?) But your cravings might be indicating something more: they could be your body signaling its need for some specific nutrient. While you shouldn't necessarily bow to your every unhealthy desire, your body is intelligent, and it should be listened to. To save your boo from your hangry hormonal rage, here are the 20 most commonly-craved pregnancy foods to stock your house with ahead of your first trimester.
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1. Chocolate
Unsurprisingly to most women, chocolate is one of the most craved pregnancy items. We likely crave chocolate because our hormones are messing with our dopamine and serotonin levels, and chocolate's sugar and caffeine content give us a quick boost.
2. Ice Cream
Ice cream is another one of the most craved foods for when you're pregnant, as it delivers calcium, fat, and sugar, all of which are things you crave. What's more, because you're likely to feel warmer than usual due to hormonal changes, the refreshing coldness of the ice cream is a welcome sensation.
3. Potato Chips
Salty foods like potato chips are commonly craved during pregnancy because your body retains more water, throwing off your electrolyte balance and giving you a greater need for sodium. You also may be experiencing heightened sensitivity to taste, making salty foods that much more satisfying.
4. Cheese
Cheese is another one of those foods that tick many of the craving boxes as it's high in fat, calcium, salt, and protein. It also contains casein, which can stimulate dopamine production and leave you feeling relaxed and happy. However, steer clear of unpasteurized soft cheese as it may contain a bacteria that can be harmful to the baby.
5. Pickles
As vinegar and salt are both commonly-craved flavors for pregnant women, pickles score a double-whammy. Because pregnancy hormones can alter taste buds, you may be craving more intense, tangy, and weird flavors that pickles certainly deliver on.
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6. Steak
When you're pregnant, you need more iron and protein because your blood volume is significantly higher, so if you're craving steak, it may indicate a deficiency in one or both of these nutrients. Your boo might just have to take you out for a steak dinner.
7. Mac & Cheese
The ultimate comfort food, mac & cheese, leaves you full and satisfied with a nice dopamine rush. Being drenched in cheese, high in sodium, dairy, fat, and carbohydrates, it hits the spot on so many levels.
8. Spicy Foods
Do you find yourself suddenly craving Thai-level spicy foods? Desiring spice that's at the end or beyond your tolerance level is one of the most common pregnancy cravings. This is because your hormonal changes may be altering your taste buds, making you crave bold flavors.
9. Olives
Olives fit the bill as both a salty and vinegar-y food. The same hormonal changes that cause you to crave spice are making you want strong and tangy olives, too.
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10. Bread
In addition to being soft and familiar, bread is an easy-to-digest, bland food that many pregnant women desire, especially when they're experiencing morning sickness. It's also a simple carb that releases much-needed dopamine and administers a quick boost of energy.
11. Rice
Similar to bread, rice is a comforting, simple carb that's easy to stomach when you're feeling nauseous. Your craving for rice may also be in response to a subconscious signal from your body that it needs iron, folate, and B vitamins, all of which are found in rice.
12. Fries
Being pregnant is a pretty legitimate excuse to treat yourself to some fries. Pregnancy hormones commonly make us desire nostalgic and indulgent foods as well as foods high in carbs, salt, and fat, so fries are the perfect answer.
13. Citrus Fruits
Not every pregnancy craving has to be unhealthy. Citrus fruits are an extremely common food that women crave, probably due to their immune-boosting vitamin C content that your body subconsciously needs.
14. Seafood
Fish like salmon, sardines, and trout contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for the creation of your baby's brain and eyes. They also administer a healthy dose of much-needed protein and iron; just use caution due to potentially dangerous mercury levels found in some types of fish.
15. Chicken
Your extra need for protein may be causing you to crave chicken. It's also easy to stomach when you're feeling nauseous and lends itself well to many different cooking methods, so it can satisfy an array of different cravings.
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16. Yogurt
Yogurt is packed with many nutrients that your pregnant body needs, including calcium, protein, and digestion-supporting probiotics. Like ice cream, it's also cool and refreshing but doesn't have all that extra sugar and fat.
17. Candy
Candy like gummies and hard candies are commonly craved for the same reason spicy and vinegar-y foods are: your hormonal changes make you crave bold flavors. They're also high in sugar, which gives you a nice hit of dopamine, and for many, they're linked to childhood nostalgia, which can be comforting.
18. Milk
Pregnant women commonly crave milk because it's a good source of calcium, a crucial nutrient for your baby's bone development. Because it's cool and refreshing, many women find they want to drink cold glasses of milk more often.
19. Cereal
For many, cereal is comforting because it's strongly connected to childhood memories. It's also light on the stomach and easy to digest when you're feeling nauseous, high in carbs, and often enriched with iron, which your body needs more of.
20. Fast Food
Fast food ticks many boxes when it comes to common cravings. It's high in fat and sodium and usually contains protein, so be prepared to have your local McDonald's drive-thru favorited on your car's GPS.
