5 Easy & Nutritious Pregnancy Breakfast Ideas

Introduction

Have you heard the saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It’s especially important during pregnancy! It helps fuel your body for the day and can help keep energy levels up. Did you know that eating a light breakfast can sometimes even help combat morning sickness? 

Simplicity is key! These breakfast ideas can be cooked/assembled quickly and easily.

1. Frittata 

A frittata is a great choice because eggs are full of protein which is a cellular building block supporting your baby’s growth and development. Eggs are also a good source of choline which supports early brain development. Milk and cheese add calcium and vitamin D. Including vegetables will add in fiber and other valuable nutrients. 

Frittatas can easily be reheated!  You can also portion out leftovers and freeze them. 

We like using a cast iron pan for our frittatas, but a baking dish works great, too. 

Ingredients:

• 6 large eggs
• ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ tsp sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
• Vegetables such as spinach, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, etc.
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Whisk the eggs, almond milk, garlic, and salt until well combined. Set aside. 
3. Add oil to a cast iron pan and brown your vegetables until translucent. 
4. Add your egg mixture and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until eggs are set. 

2. Layered Avocado Toast

We love layered avocado toast as it’s so simple to make, and contains healthy fats, fiber, and nutrients.. While a simple avocado toast will do, we like to add in arugula for some extra vitamins, and some seeds for a crunch. 

Avocados are a great choice during pregnancy because they are full of folate, potassium, fiber, and vitamins, B5, B6, C, E, and K! 

We like to start with a base of whole grain or multigrain toast and layer it up based on your preferences. 

Optional add-ons: 

1. Seeds (ex: sunflower, pumpkin, or sesame)
2. Reduced sugar-dried cranberries
3. Arugula or spinach
4. Everything bagel seasoning 

3. Green Smoothie

A green smoothie is so easy to make and customizable depending on your preferences or what you are craving. If you are prone to morning sickness, a green smoothie is a great choice as it’s light and you can add ingredients like ginger to help settle your stomach. 

Ingredients:

• 2-3 cups greens (spinach or kale)
• ½ avocado
• ½ cup almond or soy milk
• ½ cup of vanilla greek yogurt
• 1 cup frozen pineapple
• 1 green apple
• Juice of 1 lemon

Here are some excellent smoothie ingredients if you are struggling with morning sickness:

• Banana
• Pineapple 
• Greek yogurt
• Ginger
• Turmeric
• Chia seeds

4. Parfait

A parfait is one of the easiest breakfasts to assemble yet a great choice as yogurt is a good source of calcium and protein, and contains beneficial probiotics. We love parfaits because they are so versatile. 

Try using greek yogurt as the base. Greek yogurt contains less sugar than traditional yogurt and also contains more protein. Vanilla or your favorite fruit greek yogurt is delicious in a parfait, or plain greek yogurt can be sweetened with a bit of honey. 

Here are a few of our favorite parfait combinations: 

• Strawberry greek yogurt + bananas + chocolate granola
• Plain greek yogurt + honey +  bananas + peanut butter + walnuts + chia seeds
• Vanilla greek yogurt + baked apples + cinnamon granola 
• Cherry greek yogurt + blueberries + almonds + sprinkle of dark chocolate
• Plain greek yogurt + peaches + honey + granola + hemp seeds
• Peach greek yogurt + strawberries + muesli

5. Banana Chia Seed Pudding

Did you know that chia seeds are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and essential minerals and antioxidants? One ounce (2 tbsp) of chia seeds provides pregnant women with 15 percent of their daily protein needs and a third of their daily fiber needs. In addition, they contain calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. This banana chia seed pudding recipe is so simple to assemble and very delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of almond milk
• ¼ cup of chia seeds
• 2 ripe bananas 
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Instructions: 

1. Mash bananas
2. Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix
3. Place in the fridge for 4+ hours or until the chia seeds absorb the liquid. The mixture should be a gel-like consistency.