What to eat at Christmas if you’re pregnant

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By pro_admin

Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you’re having a nightmare Christmas, as far as your diet is concerned. It is important that you know the foods you should avoid, but there are endless foods and delicious preparations that you can enjoy at this time. What to eat at Christmas if you’re pregnant? We’ll tell you!

Foods you won’t be able to eat at Christmas if you’re pregnant

Many of the Christmas dishes, especially those related to appetizers, are not exactly the most recommended for pregnant women. Yes, sorry, you will have to look the other way before certain delicacies, but do not worry because later we will offer you some alternatives. Safety for a pregnant woman comes first, so let’s focus on what you can’t eat:

Raw meat and fish: The risk of contracting the parasite Toxoplasma gondii or the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes with raw foods is too high, so avoid undercooked or raw seafood, as well as any type of smoking.

Sausages: Uncooked sausages and some types of deli meats can also have bacteria, so they are discouraged in pregnancy.

Unpasteurized dairy products: make sure of the origin of the cheeses, because if they are not pasteurized they could contain some bacteria, such as licteria, harmful to the baby. Remember that any dairy must always be made from pasteurized milk.

Alcohol: of course, you can not drink alcohol, this year will not be part of your parties.

Beware of sauces: before trying a sauce ask what it takes, because they can have raw egg, some unpasteurized cheese or be too spicy or spicy (which can cause indigestion). You can eat sauces but always knowing their ingredients and avoid processed ones, as they contain numerous carcinogenic and harmful ingredients for the baby.

  • You may be interested: “What to eat at Christmas if you are on a diet”

What can you eat at Christmas if you’re pregnant?

Well, everything else, as long as you take care of the variety a little and do not overeat. The ‘eat for two’ thing is a myth, it’s not really necessary. It is true that at the end of pregnancy the caloric need increases and the pregnant woman feels hungrier, so food intake increases. However, the ideal is that it is always with healthy foods.

Christmas snacks for pregnant women

If you notice, most foods you can’t eat are used to make appetizers and starters at Christmas. Therefore, you have two options, either avoid them at all costs or bring your own. We like the second option better, because the first involves too much willpower at this time, right? You should not go near the table or be late not to see them. With the second option you will feel more comfortable because you can eat at the same time as the other guests and you will feel just as included.

We propose some delicious snacks to eat this Christmas if you are pregnant (and if you are not they are also an ideal option for the Christmas menu):

+Fresh vegetable sticks with hummus: it is a delicious classic and is very easy to make. You can make hummus yourself at home (it can be chickpea, bean, lentil… the legume that suits you best) or buy it made (make sure it has natural ingredients and none of which you can not eat). Accompany it with carrot and cucumber sticks. It is a snack that will also help you remove food anxiety these days.

+Stuffed volovanes: it is a typical Christmas appetizer, but many times it is filled with foods not suitable for pregnant women. Therefore, if you like to cook, you can make them yourself. If you make the puff pastry, the base of the volovanes, you will control the ingredients much better and you can make it for example from whole wheat flour to make it a little healthier. But if you don’t like or don’t feel like cooking, you can buy made puff pastry or even frozen volovanes, you just have to fill them. Any ideas for filling? Curry vegetables to taste (mushrooms, onion, carrot, pepper …), cod with garlic and olives (always well cooking the cod), ground meat cooked with the spices that you like the most … First make the filling, then put it in the volovanes and put them in the oven until golden brown (you can brush the dough with beaten egg to make them shiny). It is a very delicious appetizer that you can eat perfectly at Christmas, although in moderation, since pregnant should not abuse the masses.

+Mini mushrooms stuffed with hollandaise sauce: Sauté the mini mushrooms with splashes, add some white wine, cover it and let it cook for 15 minutes. The hollandaise sauce is made with raw egg yolks, so your best option will be a vegan hollandaise sauce: take 150 gr of firm tofu (without water), 1/4-1/2 cup of water, 1 tablespoon of soy or tamari sauce, 1 tablespoon of Tahini or sesame paste, two tablespoons of mustard, a couple of pinches of turmeric (although this is to taste), A pinch of sea salt (watch out for salt as soy sauce has a lot of salt, try before pouring) and a pinch of pepper. Beat everything in the blender, first adding little water and adding more little by little if necessary, until you get a creamy mole-mayonnaise sauce. Fill the mushrooms with the sauce and gratify them. They are delicious! You can also use the sauce for other appetizers, for eggs, even for volovanes.

+Stuffed tomatoes: make a sautéed brown rice, with spices to your liking, meat or mushrooms … You can even put some cheese that is pasteurized (it can be a strong cheese to give it an intense touch of flavor and that you do not need to include much in the preparation). Once you have your delicious rice, stuff tomatoes cut in half and bake it all for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. One option is to put the vegan hollandaise sauce or mayonnaise on top (that is not homemade by the raw egg or that is vegan) and au gratin them (if you put mayonnaise remember to eat them in moderation).

Christmas Main Meals for Pregnant Women

In the main dishes for Christmas you have much more freedom: you can eat meatloaf, beef tenderloin, baked salmon, turkey … You will only have to be careful with the cooking point, which will have to be high (it is not recommended to eat undercooked meat). It is also recommended that the fish have been previously frozen, at least 24 hours. But otherwise, you can eat everything.

If you go to a party, talk to the hosts first to ask them what they will do as the main course, since some elaborations may take cheese, cold cuts, etc. And you know, you always have the option to prepare some dishes yourself, also bring enough food to share, that will make the guests understand your situation better. Remember that through the stomach you conquer people.

Christmas desserts for pregnant women

We arrived at the most complicated part of Christmas for some pregnant women. Can you eat Christmas desserts? Yes, most are suitable for pregnant women, but you should eat them in moderation. Binge eating Christmas sweets are not allowed, as excess sugar can affect your pregnancy in very negative ways.

Of course, you can try the desserts as long as your specialist doctor allows it. So you can eat nougat, but only a little piece, you can try the dessert of dinner, but only one serving. Instead of gorging on sweets, choose some more gourmet sweets this year and eat them in moderation. By the way, avoid sweets made with cheese if you do not make them yourself, because they are usually made with fresh cheeses that may not be properly pasteurized.

Christmas drinks for pregnant women

The consumption of alcohol is prohibited and canned beverages such as soft drinks are strongly discouraged because of the concentration of sugars and other substances. Therefore, the ideal is that you drink water or make a natural drink to your liking. They are delicious. You can make them from mango, watermelon, lemon… Do not add a lot of extra sugar or use this route, coconut sugar or a little honey, since the glycemic index of this type of sugars is lower.

Finally, and now that you know what to eat at Christmas while pregnant, remember that food is only a companion to the holidays, but that the important thing and what is really worthwhile is the company. Happy holidays!

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