Your Pregnancy Snack Selector

Hungry? While you don’t need more calories than normal (around 1600 for moderately active women aged between 18 and 50) during your first trimester, you’ll need an extra 280 kcal during your second, and 470 kcal during your third trimester. Getting these extra calories by eating nutritious meals and snacks from the five food groups (grains, fruit, vegetables, meat/fish/protein foods and dairy) will help your baby grow and develop healthily – both in your womb and in later life. But what does that number of extra calories look like in healthy food? Answer the question below then click on one of the six calorie-counted snacks for a quick, easy-to-make recipe that’s nutritious and delicious!

1st trimester, extra calories needed: 80 kcal per day

It may surprise you to know that, if you are at a healthy weight starting pregnancy, you don’t need much extra calories in your first trimester – but you can make every calorie count by choosing nutrient-rich foods. Eating a well-balanced diet from all food groups will have a positive impact on your baby today and in the future. Find out more by reading Food choices for a healthy pregnancy.

2nd trimester, extra calories needed: 280 kcal per day

Check what’s in your fridge or pantry then click on the snack you’d like to eat today…

Tasty turkey open sandwich (280 kcal)
- 1 slice (25g) whole grain bread^a
- half piece chicken breast^a
- 1 tomato^a
- unlimited kale^a
- 5g mayonnaise^a
- 3/4 cup of low-fat milk^a
Bread & Egg Jam selection (280kcal)
- 2 square slices wholemeal bread (60g per slice)^a
- 2 tbsp of cheese^a
- two tomatoes^a
- unlimited spinach^a
- 2 tbsp egg jam (seri kaya)^a
- 2 pieces of cashewnut cookies^a
Any-time-of-day breakfast (280kcal)
- 1/4 cup rolled oats^a
- half cup low fat milk^a
- 30g raisin^a
- one small banana^a
Cheese and cracker platter (280kcal)
- 4 piece cream crackers^a
- 2 tbsp cheese^a
- 1 Apple^a
- 1 small banana^a
Very berry yogurt (280kcal)
- 1/4 cup yogurt^a
- 30g Granola^b
- 75g blueberries^b
Second helpings
- Half-piece boneless chicken breast^a
- 55g wholemeal pasta^b
- 100g Boiled broccoli^b
- 1/2 cup milka^a

Not tempted by any of these six mini-meal ideas? Create your own mix-and-match snacks from The 100 List and make sure you're getting the extra calories you need the healthy way!

3rd trimester: 450 extra calories per day

3rd trimester: 470 extra calories per day

Check what’s in your fridge or pantry then click on the snack you’d like to eat today…

Tasty turkey open sandwich (470 kcal)
- 1 slice (25g) whole grain bread^a
- 1 piece chicken breast^a
- one tomato^a
- unlimited kale^a
- 5g mayonnaise^a
- 1 cup low-fat milk^a
- 1 apple^a
Bread & Egg Jam selection (470 kcal)
- 2 square slices wholemeal bread^a
- 2 tbsp cheese^a
- 1 tomato^a
- unlimited spinach^a
- 3 tbsp Egg jam (seri kaya)^a
- 2 pieces of cashewnut cookies^a
- 3/4 cup of low-fat milk^a
Any-time-of-day breakfast (470 kcal)
- 1/4 cup rolled oats^a
- half low fat milk^a
- 30g granola^b
- 40g raisin^a
- 1 small banana^a
Cheese and cracker platter (470 kcal)
- 3 pieces cream crackers^a
- 2 tbsp cheese^a
- 1 apple^a
- 2 medium banana^a
- 1 cup low fat milk^a
Very berry yogurt (470 kcal)
- half cup yogurt^a
- 50g Granola^b
- 70g blueberries^b
Second helpings
- 1 piece boneless chicken breast^a
- 100g wholemeal pasta^b
- 200g Boiled broccoli^b
- 1 cup milk^a

Not tempted by any of these six mini-meal ideas?

Create your own mix-and-match snacks from The 100 List and make sure you're getting the extra calories you need the healthy way!

The 100 List

Not tempted by any of the six snack or mini-meal ideas? Then mix and match from the foods below! Each one is around 100 calories, so choose three to reach your extra-calories target during your second trimester and 4 - 5 during your third trimester. Pick your favourites from across the five food groups to keep your diet balanced. Simple!

Around 100 kcal per item

Grains
- one slice white bread^a
- 1/3 cup Macaroni^a
- 4 tbsp rolled oats^a
- 1 round piece peanut/coconut biscuit^a
- 85g Cooked brown rice^b
- 80g wholemeal pasta^b
Meat / Fish / protein foods
- 50g Turkey breast^b
- 3 tbsp Canned Cheddar Cheese^a
- 4 tbsp egg jam (Seri kaya)^a
- 100g Canned Tuna^b
- 1.5 whole hen egg^a
Dairy
- 3/4 cup Low fat milk^a
- half cup Full cream Recombined Milk^a
- 1/4 cup yogurt^a
- 1/4 cup Evaporated milk^a
- 2/3 cup Frozen Yogurt^b
Fruits
- 3 small banana^a
- 2 small apple^a
- 45 strawberries^a
- 1 orange^a
- 13 grapes^a
Raw Vegetables
- 1 cup cooked broccoli + 1 cup spinach + half tbsp butter^a
- half tbsp corn oil + half cup broccoli + 2 cup cooked spinach^a
- 1.5 cup broccoli + half tbsp corn oil^a
- 2 cups salad + half tbsp salad dressing^b
- 1 small sweet potato^a
- half cup cooked peas^a
- 1 cup carrots^a
- 3 cups chopped yellow peppers^b
- 7 cups celery^a
- 6 cups radishes^a
- 7 cups raw peeled cucumber^a

Disclaimer:

a. Tee, E. S., Mohd Ismail Noor, Mohd Nasir Azudin, & Khatijah Idris. (1997). Nutrient Composition of Malaysian Foods (4th ed.). Malaysia, KUL: Institute for Medical Research.

b. Health Promotion Board. (2011). Energy & Nutrient Composition of Food. Retrieved from: https://focos.hpb.gov.sg/eservices/ENCF/foodsearch.aspx

Note that number of calories varies by brand and size/weight so always check the label.