15 Healthy Snacks For Breastfeeding Moms That Are Easy To Grab

You need extra calories and nutrients when you’re breastfeeding. Here are 15 snacks for breastfeeding moms that are super nutritious and simple.

A graphic that reads "15 Snacks for Breastfeeding Moms" and includes photos for peanut butter sandwich, popcorn, cereal, and yogurt.

This is a guest post about breastfeeding snacks from my friend and colleague Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, author of Expect The Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy. She also blogs about how to live a nutritious life while staying sane over at Better Is The New Perfect.

By Elizabeth M. Ward, M.S., R.D.

As the sole source of nutrition for their babies for at least the first four months of life, breastfeeding moms are truly eating for two! Infants can be unpredictable, and when they’re ready to eat during your mealtime, it’s possible to miss out on the foods that nourish the both of you.

Noshing on nutritious breastfeeding snacks helps you meet calorie needs – about 330 more calories daily than when you’re not pregnant – and satisfy increased requirements for several nutrients including DHA, a healthy fat that supports baby’s brain development and vision, and your heart health, as well as vitamins A, C and K.

Snacks are often synonymous with highly processed foods rich in added sugar, fat, and sodium, and lacking in nutrients. In truth, any food eaten between meals is a snack. The best snacks for breastfeeding moms are simple to assemble, energizing, and balanced. Here are some suggestions:

15 Healthy Snacks For Breastfeeding Moms

1. Popcorn

Make a batch of popcorn. Empty it into a bowl and toss with Parmesan cheese.

An overhead shot of popcorn in a blue bowl sitting on a wood table.

2. Clean-Out-The-Cupboard Trail Mix

Combine ½ cup whole grain cereal, ¼ cup dried fruit, and 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds or chopped nuts. This is also delicious as a topping for yogurt.

3. Cocoa Oatmeal

Microwave oatmeal with milk instead of water. Stir in 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder and sweetener of your choice. Top with fruit or chopped nuts.

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4. Edamame

Defrost 1 cup frozen edamame in pods in the microwave.

5. Cheese & Whole Grains

Slice up 1-2 ounces cheddar cheese. Pair with a small whole grain roll, and baby carrots.

6. Half Sandwich

Make yourself half of a sandwich on whole grain bread.

A peanut butter sandwich is cut and stacked, sitting on a white counter in front of two packed lunch boxes.

7. Leftovers

Warm up leftovers. Or not. A small slice of cold pizza can do the trick!

8. “Frozen” Yogurt

Combine plain Greek yogurt with 1 teaspoon sugar or sweetener of your choice and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Top with frozen Wild Blueberries or other fruit. Allow the mixture to sit for 2-3 minutes, then stir for a frozen yogurt-like consistency.

A jar of yogurt and blueberries with a small cup of granola on top sits on a white countertop in front of other jars packed with snacks like fruit salad.

9. Chocolate Milkshake

For a creamy chocolate milkshake, place 1 ripe banana, 1 cup milk, 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar or other sweetener if desired, and 1 ice cube in a food processor or blender. Blend on high for 1 to 2 minutes. Or try this Pumpkin Spice Smoothie, which is packed with vitamin A.

10. Elevated PB Toast

Spread 1 slice whole grain bread with 2 tablespoons peanut butter, almond butter, or sunflower seed butter, and top with sliced banana, sliced, raisins, or fresh raspberries. (Note: While babies can develop allergies to foods in your breastfeeding diet, there are no expert recommendations that moms should avoid any food, including peanuts, to prevent allergies.)

11. No-Bake Cereal Bars

Here’s a simple make-ahead breastfeeding snack: No-Bake Peanut Butter Cereal Bars. They have 5 ingredients and take 5 minutes to make.

A stack of no-bake cereal bars sits with pieces of parchment paper between them.

12. Cheese & Avocado Toast

Spread 1 piece whole grain toast with ¼ cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese and top with ½ sliced avocado.

13. Tuna Plate

Arrange 4 ounces canned, drained tuna, 6 to 8 whole grain crackers, and sliced red bell pepper on a plate, and enjoy. Pregnant and breastfeeding women need 8 to 12 ounces of seafood weekly.

14. Cereal

Pour a bowl of whole grain cereal and top with milk.

A blue bowl of o-shaped cereal sits on a wood table.

15. Scrambled Egg Pita Pocket

Scramble 1 egg and divide equally between a small whole-wheat pita pocket that’s been cut in half. Add salsa, a handful of baby spinach, and ¼ cup shredded reduced-fat cheese, if desired.

Elizabeth Ward

Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian, writer, recipe developer, and mother of three who specializes in food and nutrition communications and believes in progress, not perfection. She is the author of Expect The Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy. You can find her at Better Is The New Perfect.

15 Snacks for Breastfeeding Moms

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