A platter of a healthy diet is essential for every expecting mother. For lunch in particular, the diet must be good enough to provide adequate nutrition for the mother and baby. The lunch diet must not be too heavy or extremely light. A completely balanced diet is what you should eat. After all, it is about the wellbeing of the unborn. So, you cannot take risks.
We are here with some of the best lunch ideas for your pregnancy days. But before we introduce our recipes to you, let’s learn about the necessary elements that you should include in your lunch. Once you get to know this, you can modify the recipes safely as per the availability of the ingredients. Hence, without much ado, let’s have a look at what should be included in your pregnancy lunch platter.
What To Eat at Lunch: Ideas for Your Pregnancy Days
A wide variety of nutrients are available around us in the veggies, crops, and animal meat. Let’s learn which nutritional elements are essential for pregnant ladies:
- Protein: It is highly essential for the growth of the cell and also for blood production. So, if you have protein-enriched food during pregnancy, you can ensure low risks of anemia for you and your baby. Good sources of protein are beans, tofu, pulses, lean meat, fish, eggs, etc.
- Carbohydrate: If protein enhances the growth of the cell, carbohydrate provides the necessary energy. You will be super active throughout the day with a good amount of carbs in your lunch. But make sure you do not cross the daily intake limit. Otherwise, it may bring in the risks of obesity. Carb-based foods are rice, bread, pasta, etc.
- Fat: Wait! Fat is not always that bad. Although the excess amount is not recommended, a certain amount of fat is necessary to bring in the overall growth for the mother and baby. The foods which provide fat are milk, whole milk, butter, nuts, etc.
Other essential nutrients are:
- Calcium: If you want to see your baby as healthy as possible from every aspect, you must focus on the bones and teeth. Calcium is a useful nutrient to aid with it. Regardless of pregnancy or non-pregnancy, any woman should have adequate calcium to strengthen bones. Calcium-enriched foods are yoghurt, cheese, milk, spinach, etc.
- Vitamins: All types of vitamins are needed for the healthy growth of the baby and mother. You can get vitamin A from carrots, sweet potatoes, leafy vegetables, etc. For vitamin C, you can include different citrus fruits, green chilli, tomatoes, etc.
Here, in our lunch ideas for pregnancy days, we have included most of the necessary nutrients. Hopefully, you will find the recipes beneficial for you and your unborn cutie pie. So, let’s learn the recipes for healthy lunch ideas for pregnancy days.
Hainanese Chicken Rice: An Asian Delicacy
Whether you are in Malaysia or Singapore, a plate of chicken rice at least once a week is a must. And especially when you are pregnant, such a protein-enriched dish is the best lunch option for you. In different parts of the Asian countries, you will find different variations of it. However, the basics are the same for every variation. Here, we share a healthy chicken rice recipe that you can easily cook with ingredients available in our local Malaysian market.
Servings 4 people
Calories 618kcal
Ingredients
- 700 gms tender chicken breasts
- 1 onion
- 1 inch ginger
- salt as required
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- water as required
- 1 spring onion
- 250 gms rice
- garlic
- 2 tbsp oil
- lettuce for garnishing
- 80-100 gms cucumber
- 50-60 gms tomato
- light soy sauce for garnishing
Instructions
- Heat water in a large pot at medium heat.
- Add chicken, onions, ginger, salt, sesame oil to the water.
- Boil it for 5-10 mins until the chicken becomes soft.
- Take the boiled chicken out of the pot.
- Keep 1/3 amount of the water aside and keep the remaining water boiled.
- When the water gets the consistency of soup, turn the flame off and keep the soup aside for the final serving.
- Now, add the rice, garlic, ginger, and salt to 1/3 amount of the water.
- Stir well and let it cook for 10-15 minutes.
- Once the rice is cooked, add a bit of oil to it. Lower down the flame and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- Stir well. Close the lid and keep it aside for 10-15 minutes.
- Serve the rice with chicken breasts cut into small pieces.
- Arrange them properly with lettuce, cucumber, and tomato.
- Sprinkle soy sauce on top of it.
Nutrition
Calories: 618kcal
Mixed Curry with Spinach and Corn
Enriched with folate, spinach is the best option for pregnancy days. Especially in the first trimester, a pregnant woman should have a sufficient amount of spinach. It helps in the baby's overall growth. Here, we bring a delicious recipe that you may have not tried yet. The recipe includes corn and fenugreek leaves along with an adequate amount of spinach. You will find be able to find these ingredients in Malaysia easily.
Servings 2 people
Calories 119kcal
Equipment
- Pot
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup spinach blanched and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fenugreek leaves
- 1/4 cup sweet corn boiled
- 3 tsp oil
- 2 cardamoms
- 1 clove
- 1 bay leaf
- salt as required
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 1/2 inch ginger finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 green chilli finely chopped
- 1/2 tbsp cashew nuts broken
- 1/4 cup curd whisked
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a pan.
- Add chopped onion to it. Saute until they become transparent.
- Then add garlic, ginger, cashew nuts, chillies. Saute them for 1 minute. Keep the flame medium.
- Once it is done blend it finely with 2 tbsp of water.
- Mix salt and curd to the paste.
- Now, heat oil at a medium flame on a non-stick pot.
- Add cardamoms, clove, and bay leaf to the oil. Saute them on a medium flame for 1 minute.
- Add onion mix to it and stir well for 2 minutes. You will get a white gravy.
- Then, add spinach, corns, and fenugreek leaves to it.
- Also, add salt and water as per your desired consistency.
- Cook on a medium flame for 2-3 minutes.
- Once the spinach, fenugreek leaves, and corn are mixed well with the gravy, turn the flame off. Serve with roti or rice.
Nutrition
Calories: 119kcal
Nasi Ulam: A Malaysian Mixed-Herb Rice Recipe
Are you feeling nauseous since early morning? Then, you should definitely try nasi ulam for your lunch. The aroma from a plate of nasi ulam can lift up your mood instantly. And the elements in it keep you healthy and active throughout the day. You can have it during any of the pregnancy trimesters. Also, we have tried to keep the recipe as simple as possible. So you do not have to go a long way to collect the ingredients. Most of them are available locally.
Servings 4 people
Calories 153kcal
Ingredients
- 100 gms beef
- 150 gms prawns
- 1 cucumber medium-sized
- 50 gms beans long
- boiled rice brown, use white rice if brown rice is not available
- 2 cloves garlic
The herbs
- 5-6 basil leaves
- 4-5 turmeric leaves
- 5-6 lime leaves
- 2 tsp fresh coconut oil
Instructions
- Boil the beef and prawns for 15-20 minutes.
- Once they are cooked well, chop them into medium pieces.
- Now, put all of the herbs in a blender. Add coconut oil and blend well.
- Cut the cucumber and beans into square pieces.
- In a large bowl, mix rice, a blended paste of herb, cooked steaks, and prawns.
- Sprinkle some finely chopped herbs on it and place some fried prawns on top of the dish. Place the veggies at the side.
- Serve with your preferred sauce.
Notes
The regular recipe uses belacan but we prefer not to use them here. This recipe is meant for pregnant ladies, and any fermented ingredient may harm their digestive system.
Nutrition
Calories: 153kcal
Assam Laksa
If you visit the northwestern coast of Malaysia, you will find this exceptional dish. Assam laksa is often considered one of the staple foods in Malaysia. But, if you do not cook it with the right ingredients and techniques, you can never get the proper taste. So, here we are with an easy recipe for assam laksa. However, keep in mind not to eat it in the first trimester of your pregnancy. You can have it as your lunch in the second and third trimesters.
Servings 2 people
Calories 79kcal
Ingredients
- 8 ikan kembung or mackerel
- 3 bunga kantan or ginger bud
- 150 gms laksa noodles boiled
- 6 asam keping Use fresh tamarind skin as a substitute for first pregnancy trimester
- 2 stalks lemongrass
- 2 inches galangal
- 10 dried chillies
- 450 ml tamarind-soaked water
- shrimp paste or belacan
- 1 red chilli sliced
- 100 gms mint leaves
- 1/2 lime sliced
- 5-6 coriander leaves
- 2 shallots
- 1/2 cucumber
- water as required
- salt as required
- sugar as needed
- sauce for garnishing (any sauce you prefer)
Instructions
- Boil the ikan kembung with 3 asam keping for 12-15 minutes.
- Once it is cooked properly, place the fish into a large bowl.
- Remove the asam keping.
- Now, separate the flesh from the fish bones and prepare small pieces out of it.
- Then, put the galangal, belacan, dried chillies, and lemongrass stalks in a blender.
- Add some water and make it a smooth paste.
- Next. to prepare the broth, pour tamarind water into a large pot.
- Add the blended paste, remaining asam kepings, ginger bud, and mint leaves.
- Mix salt and sugar as per requirement.
- Add your preferred sauce to it.
- Now, add the boiled fish to it.
- Let it boil. Once it is boiled, put it on a medium flame and cook for 1 hour.
- To serve it, place laksa noodles in a bowl. And pour the hot broth and fish on it.
- Put the cucumber slices beside the noodles.
- Finally, garnish with red chillies, coriander leaves, lime, and shallots.
Notes
We have reduced the amount of dried chillies. Otherwise, it may cause stomach burning during pregnancy. Also, if you are in your first trimester, you should not use asam keping. Instead, you can use fresh tamarind skins.
Nutrition
Calories: 79kcal
Stuffed Millet Roti with Yoghurt: A Healthy Platter
Millet, being full of essential nutrients like antioxidants, dietary fibre, folate, is a healthy option to try for pregnant women. It has a high amount of iron that improves the level of haemoglobin. So, in short, it keeps the mother and the unborn super healthy. Let's know how to prepare the stuffed millet roti (round bread) with some easy steps. Follow the recipe below. Although it has an Indian origin, it is now popular in different areas of Asian countries. You can have it with yoghurt for your lunch.
Servings 4 rotis
Calories 117kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup millet flour
- 2 pinches salt
- 1/4 cup cottage cheese crumbled
- 1 tbsp fenugreek leaves
- 1 green chilli chopped
- 1 tomato large, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Pour the millet flour, salt, and hot water together.
- Mix all of them and make a soft dough.
- Knead well and make small round-shaped pieces.
- You can make 8-10 balls out of it. Roll them to prepare rotis.
- Now, saute the cheese, fenugreek leaves, tomato, and green chillies for 5-10 mins.
- Now the veggies and cottage cheese are ready to be used as stuffing.
- Put some stuffing on one roti.
- And then put another roti on top of it. Press well and roll lightly to make one single roti out of it.
- Prepare all of the rotis in this way.
- Now, brush butter on a flat pan. Then, place the rotis on it.
- Cook both of the sides well until they become golden brown in colour.
- Serve them with yoghurt.
Nutrition
Calories: 117kcal
Mushroom Kurma: Easy Malaysian Recipe
A bowl of creamy, spicy kurma can lift up your energy anytime. Especially if you are going to be a mother, you should include it in your lunch menu. In Malaysia, we have different kinds of kurma recipes. But most of them are not recommended for pregnancy days. Here, we share a simple yet healthy recipe for mushroom kurma. Mushroom comprises high antioxidants and is a good source of fibre and protein. Try it at home and enjoy your pregnancy days.
Servings 2 people
Calories 246kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 onion large, sliced
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1/4 cup soy yoghurt
- 20 ml coconut milk reduce the consistency by adding water or broth
- 2-3 cups mushrooms
- 1-2 potatoes
for making the spice
- 2 inches ginger chopped
- 1 onion large
- 5-6 cloves garlic minced
- 15 black peppercorns
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large deep pan.
- Add the onions, gingers, and garlic and saute on medium heat until soft.
- Make a paste of all of the spices.
- Add the spice paste to the oil and stir well.
- Cook it on a medium flame.
- Stir frequently to prevent the paste from sticking to the bottom.
- Cook for about 10-15 minutes.
- Add the soy yoghurt and stir in for 2-3 more minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and stir well.
- Add salt to it.
- Cook until the mushrooms become soft.
- Now, add the potatoes along with half of the coconut milk.
- Bring to a boil.
- Then continue to simmer for about 5-6 minutes.
- Add the rest of the coconut milk and stir well.
- Serve the dish with coriander leaves on top of it.
Notes
Do not use any random mushrooms. Only shiitake mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, chestnut mushrooms, maitake mushrooms are recommended.
Nutrition
Calories: 246kcal
Kung Pao Chicken Balls: A Mouth-watering Chinese Dish
If you are bored with your regular chicken curry and chicken salad, try this delicious dish. It is another option of a tasty and healthy lunch idea for your pregnancy days. The ingredients used in it are available in all Asian markets. So, you can easily prepare it and enjoy pregnancy time. With it, you can satisfy your cravings for spicy foods during the second and third trimesters. It is a good accompaniment for lemon rice or millet roti.
Calories 270kcal
Ingredients
- 500 gms chicken ground
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp fresh ginger grated
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1 egg large
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- kosher salt
For sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 8 dried red chilis
- 1 bell pepper chopped
- 1 green onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp Szechuan peppercorns for garnishing
Instructions
- Mix the chicken, garlic, ginger together in a bowl.
- Add eggs and soy sauce to it.
- Add bread crumbs and mix well.
- Season with salt and pieces of bell pepper.
- Prepare 8-10 chicken balls out of it.
- If the mix is too wet, add some more breadcrumbs.
- Now, place them in a freeze to avoid breaking.
- Heat oil in a pan.
- Once the oil is heated enough, drop the chicken balls and fry well.
- Make the balls golden brown and keep them aside.
- Now, combine broth, soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar.
- Add cornstarch and whisk well.
- Turn the flame on at a medium level and cook the sauce.
- When fragrance starts coming out, add dried chillies, green onions, garlic, peppercorns to it.
- Now, add the chicken balls. Coat them well in the sauce.
- Cook until you get your desired consistency.
- Serve hot with lemon rice or millet roti.
Notes
The regular recipe for this dish includes wine and hoisin sauce. We have removed both of them here as they are not recommended in pregnancy.
Nutrition
Calories: 270kcal
These are the delicious lunch ideas for pregnancy days we’ve shared with you today. Most of them are healthy and nutritious to meet your nutrition needs required during your pregnancy days. Also, it will help your taste buds embark upon a tasty journey.
The Takeaway
Now, before we end our discussion, let’s learn some quick do’s and don’ts during pregnancy:
- Avoid lying down for long hours after eating.
- Take a walk after every meal.
- Do not consume alcohol or nicotine.
- Avoid any raw foods.
- Drink water often to avoid dehydration.
We hope this will help you to enjoy your pregnancy days well. Click here for the recipes of some exclusive delicacies.
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