15 Healthy Recipes For The First Trimester of Pregnancy

Let me share with you 15 healthy recipes for the first trimester of pregnancy. These first trimester recipes are healthy, balanced, delicious and easy to eat during your first trimester.

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As a Holistic Nutrition Consultant for pregnancy, postpartum and babies and Mother of four, I know how hard it is to know what to eat during the first trimester of pregnancy. When you are dealing with pregnancy sickness, fatigue and all of the hormonal changes in early pregnancy, the last thing you want to do is plan what to eat or even KNOW what to eat.

Each new pregnancy got harder for me. I experienced hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) with my last two pregnancies that resulted in hospital visits and medication. Thankfully, it only lasted up until 13 weeks pregnant, but then my iron levels were so low in the duration of my pregnancy that I fainted a few times in my third trimester. So, I get how hard it can be.

In your first trimester, you may not know what to eat or have aversions to lots of foods. This was my experience. My advice is always to:

Just eat something, even if you don’t feel like it.
If you are craving something less balanced and healthy, try go for the healthy alternative first. If not, just eat the craving! (E.g. eat whole grain bread over white bread).

As I was preparing to write this blog, I browsed around for some other pregnancy food blogs and while so many have great suggestions, many offer food suggestions that are not well balanced or aren’t even an ideal option at all.

As a Holistic Nutrition Consultant, I always offer the best quality recipes and meal suggestions that are actually going to BENEFIT your pregnancy and growing baby.

So, let’s dive in and look at WHICH nutrients are even optimal for your first trimester of pregnancy.

What I will cover in this post

Which nutrients are ideal for the first trimester of pregnancy
15 healthy recipes for the first trimester of pregnancy

Which nutrients are ideal for the first trimester of pregnancy

Let’s look at the nutrients that are ideal for the first trimester of pregnancy and why.

Vitamin A is required for baby’s facial features (animal meat, animal organs and liver are the most nutrient-dense foods in the world).

Vitamin B9 (folate) is required to reduce the risk of neural tube defects (animal liver, lentils, chickpeas, strawberries).

Vitamin B12 is important for the synthesis of DNA and red blood cells (organ meats, tuna, salmon, cottage cheese).

Vitamin C supports mama’s immunity which is especially suppressed in trimester one (acerola cherry, camu camu are the highest forms of vitamin C).

Choline reduces risk of neural tube defects and supports infant brain development (eggs, liver, brussell sprouts, lentils).

Zinc helps to protect infant immune function and helps to reduce the likelihood of chronic disease (oats, beef, pumpkin seeds).

Now that we know which nutrients are optimal for the first trimester of pregnancy, let’s get to some delicious and nourishing recipes for your pregnancy.

Purchase my book on Pregnancy Nutrition here

Your Holistic Guide to Pregnancy Nutrition

15 Healthy Recipes for the First Trimester of Pregnancy

Meals

Anti-inflammatory Chicken Broth

Potato and Leek Soup

Chicken Fajita Bowls

Lentil and Vegetable Soup

Coconut Chickpea Curry

Nutrient Dense Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients:

500g grass-fed beef mince

3 cloves chopped garlic

1 brown onion

1 shredded carrot

1 shredded zucchini

½ chopped capsicum

2 cups Passata

1 cup bone broth

2 tbsp oregano

1 tbsp parsley

1 tbsp pepper

Salt to taste

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 packet organic spaghetti pasta

Method:

1. Chop onion, garlic and capsicum and set aside

2. Shred carrot and zucchini and set aside

3. Heat stove top at medium heat

4. Pour olive oil, then garlic and onion and let it simmer for 2 minutes

5. Add the other vegetables and cook for 5 minutes

6. Remove vegetables from pan and add another tablespoon of olive oil to pan 7. Increase heat to medium-high and add in mince and cook until fully cooked through (about 5 minutes)

8. Add in vegetables and stir through

9. Add passata, bone broth, oregano, parsley, salt and pepper and stir through 10. Let it simmer for 15 minutes

11. Drain pasta and serve with mince mixture once cooled.

Homemade Naked Burger and Chips

Ingredients:

Grass-fed Beef Patty

2 Iceberg lettuce leaves

2 slices of tomato

1 slice of cheese

2 slices of avocado

Other toppings and sauce of choice.

2-4 potatoes, peeled and sliced.

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to season

Method:

Preheat oven at 200 degrees celsius.
Lay out some baking paper on a baking tray for fries.
Peel and chop up the potatoes, coat in olive oil and season, spread on baking paper and pop into oven for 20 minutes.
Fry beef patty in frypan until cooked on both sides.
Assemble the rest of the ingredients on top and serve with the cooked fries.