It's a good idea to eat a variety of foods throughout your pregnancy. Below is a list of daily servings from six food groups.
Dairy products—4 to 5 servings a day
Vegetables—at least 4 servings a day
Fruits—2 to 4 servings a day
Protein sources—3 to 4 servings a day
Carbohydrates (breads, cereal, pasta and rice)—6 to 11 servings a day
Fats/flavorings—3 to 5 servings a day
Dairy Products
Foods you might choose from this group, and their serving sizes, include:
 | 3/4 cup (336g) cottage cheese |
| 2 ounces (56g) of processed cheese (such as American cheese) |
| 1-1/2 ounces (42g) natural cheese (such as Cheddar) |
| 1 ounce (28g) hard cheese (such as Parmesan or Romano) |
| 1 cup (240ml) pudding or custard |
| 1 cup (240ml) milk |
| 1 cup (240ml) yogurt |
To keep the fat content low, choose skim milk, low-fat yogurt and low-fat cheese instead of whole milk and ice cream.
Vegetables
Foods you might choose from this group, and their serving sizes, include:
| 3/4 cup (180ml) vegetable juice |
| 1/2 cup (120ml) broccoli, carrots or other vegetable, cooked or raw |
| 1 medium baked potato |
| 1 cup (240ml) raw, leafy vegetables (salad greens) |
Eating a variety of vegetables gives you a good nutritional balance. Eat at least one vegetable a day that is high in folic acid, such as green leafy vegetables.
Fruit
Some foods you might choose from this group, and their serving sizes, include:
| 1/2 cup (120ml) canned or cooked fruit |
| 3/4 cup (180ml) grapes |
| 1/2 cup (120ml) fruit juice |
| 1 medium banana, orange or apple |
| 1/4 cup (60ml) dried fruit |
Include one or two servings of a fruit rich in vitamin C, such as orange juice or orange slices. Fresh fruits are also a good source of fiber. Fiber is important during your pregnancy if you suffer from constipation. Orange juice is high in folic acid.
Protein
During pregnancy, you need protein for growth and development of the embryo/fetus and growth of your placenta, uterus and breasts. The recommended amount of protein in pregnancy is 6 to 7 ounces (168 to 196g) a day.
Foods you might choose from this group, and their serving sizes, include:
| 2 tablespoons (30ml) peanut butter |
| 1/2 cup (120ml) cooked dried beans |
| 2 to 3 ounces (56 to 84g) cooked meat |
| 1 egg |
Poultry, fish, lean cuts of red meat, dry beans, eggs, nuts and seeds are all good sources of protein.
Carbohydrate—Bread, Pasta, Cereal, Rice
There is no recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for carbohydrate intake during pregnancy. Most physicians believe carbohydrates should make up about 60% of the total number of calories in your diet. If you eat 2000 calories a day on average, you would consume about 1200 calories as carbohydrate calories.
Foods you might choose from this group, and their serving sizes, include:
| 1 large tortilla |
| 1/2 cup (120ml) cooked pasta, cereal or rice |
| 1 ounce (28g) ready-to-eat cereal ' 1/2 bagel |
| 1 slice of bread |
| 1 medium roll |
Fat/Flavorings
Foods you might choose from this group, and their serving sizes, include:
| 1 tablespoon (15ml) sugar or honey |
| 1 tablespoon (15ml) olive oil or other type of oil |
| 7 pat butter or margarine |
| 1 tablespoon (15ml) jelly or jam |
| 7 tablespoon (15ml) prepared salad dressing |
Everyone's diet has to include a little fat. Don't avoid all fats, but include them only in moderate amounts. Measure how much you use of each, and use them sparingly!
Inadequate fat intake is rarely a concern for most people; usually fat intake is excessive. There is no recommended daily amount for fat intake during pregnancy.
