Avocado and pumpkin seeds on wholemeal seeded toast

First trimester meal plan

The beginning of your pregnancy is an exciting time and a great opportunity for you to nourish your growing baby.

The importance of good nutrition in the first 1000 days (from conception until your child’s second birthday) is huge. Recent research shows that sound nutrition in the first 1000 days can help minimise risk of obesity later on in life as well as impact brain development.¹

You might be surprised to know that you do not actually need any extra calories during your first trimester, but it’s rather more important that you focus on nutritionally dense foods.

This meal plan will help you meet your body and your baby’s requirements during this special time. It may also help you manage common pregnancy symptoms such as morning sickness, by splitting your main meals into 5 smaller meals, and, addressing fatigue by minimising energy dips.

Meal	Food:	Calories	Carbs	Protein	Fat
Breakfast	Smoothie & Milk Try this: Lemon & ginger smoothie bowl 1 cup of milk	465kcal	68g	14g	15.4g
Snack	Hummus & crudités 2 tbsp hummus 1 carrot, cut into sticks ¼ of a cucumber, cut into slices	215kcal	11.4g	5g	16.6g
Lunch	Salad Try this: Roasted squash, quinoa and kale Asian salad	165kcal	22g	5.9g	4.2g
Snack	Chocolate & fruit 3 squares of chocolate, 70-84% Cocoa 1 apple, medium	147kcal	22.4g	1.9g	5.3g
Dinner	Avocado on toast 2 slices of wholemeal bread, toasted ½ mashed avocado 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds	361kcal	31.7g	11.4g	21g
Total:		1,353kcal	156g	38.1g	62g

Meal

Food:

Calories

Carbs

Protein

Fat

Breakfast

Smoothie & Milk

Try this: Lemon & ginger smoothie bowl
1 cup of milk

465kcal

68g

14g

15.4g

Snack

Hummus & crudités

2 tbsp hummus
1 carrot, cut into sticks
¼ of a cucumber, cut into slices

215kcal

11.4g

16.6g

Lunch

Salad

Try this: Roasted squash, quinoa and kale Asian salad

165kcal

22g

5.9g

4.2g

Snack

Chocolate & fruit

3 squares of chocolate, 70-84% Cocoa
1 apple, medium

147kcal

22.4g

1.9g

5.3g

Dinner

Avocado on toast

2 slices of wholemeal bread, toasted
½ mashed avocado
1 tbsp pumpkin seeds

361kcal

31.7g

11.4g

21g

Total:

1,353kcal

156g

38.1g

62g

Meal plan to be used as a guide. The amount of calories needed depend on pre-pregnancy weight, height and exercise levels.

Advice is for information only and should not replace medical care. Please consult a doctor or healthcare professional before trying any remedies.

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Sources

1. Cusick, Sarah E., and Michael K. Georgieff. “The role of nutrition in brain development: the golden opportunity of the “first 1000 days”.” The Journal of pediatrics175 (2016): 16-21.