​Eating for a Healthy Pregnancy

The Canadian Food Guide recommends eating from all four food groups during
pregnancy. Remember to pay careful attention to serving sizes! The lower number of
servings for each category represents the minimum required.

​
Milk Products

You should have 3-4 servings a day.
Serving size examples: 1 cup of milk, a piece of cheese the size of your thumb, 1
cup milkshake, 2 c of cottage cheese, ¾ cup of yogurt.
Tip: use low fat options when available.
 Everything should be fully pasteurized in pregnancy

​
Grain Products

You should have 5-12 servings a day.
Serving size examples: 1 slice of bread, ½ cup of rice or grains (such as quinoa), ½
bagel pita or naan, 1 small mufn, ½ hamburger bun, 2 cups of popcorn
Tip: whole grain and complex carbohydrates take longer to metabolize than white
processes grains, which can help with nausea!


Vegetables and Fruit

You should have 5-10 servings a day. The majority of these servings should be
vegetables.
Serving size examples: ½ cup fresh fruit or a medium whole fruit (such as a banana,
apple or orange), 1 cup of salad

Tips: Wash all fruits and veggies to remove pesticides and help prevent infections
​(such aslisteriosis) that can affect your pregnancy.

Raw vegetables and the skins of fruits and vegetables contain the most nutrients to
help your baby grow!

Dark green leafy vegetables (like spinach and broccoli) contain lots of calcium.
Try to eat a variety of colors to get the most out of your food, such as yellow, orange,
red, purple, and green.

Please see our ‘How to get more Iron in your Food’ page to see which fruits and
veggies contain the most iron


Meat and Alternatives

You should have 2-3 servings.
Serving size examples: 2-3 oz piece of cooked lean meat (about the size and
thickness of your palm), ½-1 cup of peas, beans or lentils, ¼ c of nuts or seeds, 2
Bsp of peanut butter, 1-2 eggs, 1/3 cup of tofu, 2 hotdogs.

Tips: Ensure all meats are fully cooked in pregnancy.

Any meats, including hot dogs and lunch meats should be fully reheated every time
you eat them out of the fridge, to help protect against infections that can affect
your pregnancy. They also should be eaten sparingly as they contain nitrates.
Leaner types and cuts of meats should be used when possible.
Eating a meat or alternative can help slow your metabolism of sugars, which helps
with nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (even a few nuts or small piece of cheese).


Drinks

Aim for 1-2 litres of water a day during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Your body
needs extra fluids at this time and staying hydrated can help with a number of
discomforts of pregnancy!

Try to drink water over other beverages. Even fruit juices contain large amounts of
sugar, and little added nutrients. Coffee, tea and sodas contain caffeine, which should
be consumed in moderation.