Gestational Diabetes Snack Ideas
Before we jump in… hats off to you! Pregnancy is a blessing and it is CHALLENGING. When it comes to eating, not only are you worrying about each ingredient, dealing with morning sickness, food cravings, food aversions, but you are also worrying about the blood sugar on top of it all. You deserve a gold medal for each day of your pregnancy.
This article is here to help make eating and managing your blood sugar easier. You will learn why snacking is important, why carbs are important during pregnancy, how to enjoy carbs without spiking the blood sugar, and a LONG list of snack ideas.
Snacking helps manage blood sugar levels
Snacking helps stabilize blood sugar levels. Instead of going on a crazy rollercoaster ride each day with the blood sugar, snacking helps smooth out that ride.
Ideally, it can be helpful to eat every 3 to 4 hours to help stabilize blood sugar levels. This may be SUPER easy or VERY challenging to do depending on where you are at in your pregnancy. All you can do is your best given the situation. No shame if you aren’t following the advice to a T!
Carbs are important
Baby needs carbohydrates to grow. The Institute of Medicine recommends at least 175 grams of carbohydrates daily during pregnancy(1, 2). 175 at minimum! Carbohydrates are important for fetal growth and brain development, provide important micronutrients, and provide fiber to help keep those bowels regulated during pregnancy(2).
Not only that, but in the uterus the baby relies on glucose (from carbohydrates) for ~80% of its energy requirements (2). Meaning, eating a diet too low in carbohydrates may compromise fetal growth.
So, carbohydrates are very important, but they do impact the blood sugar. How do we enjoy them without a blood sugar spike?
That is where food pairing comes in!
Food pairing with gestational diabetes
We just discussed why carbohydrates are important during pregnancy but we have to know how to enjoy them without spiking the blood sugar. We do this with food pairing.
Here’s the secret… pair your carbs with protein, fat, and/or fiber. When you do this, you’ll minimize the blood sugar spikes in your body AND feel more satisfied after your meals and snacks.
For example, a glass of apple juice will increase the blood sugar faster than enjoying an apple with peanut butter.
Want more tips on how to enjoy carbs without the blood sugar spike? Check out our Carbohydrates E-book!
Pre-Packaged Gestational Diabetes snack ideas
Chobani Complete Yogurt Shake
Sargento Balanced Breaks
Sabra Guacamole Snackers
Easy Snack Gestation Diabetes Snack Ideas
Chips and Dip
Cheese and Crackers
Trailmix
Bell Pepper slices and Hummus
Avocado Toast
Caprese Salad
Apples and nut butter
Berries and cheese
Edamame
Clementine and cheese stick
Chips and Salsa
Tzatziki sauce and veggies
Greek yogurt with fruit
Fruit and cottage cheese
Nut butter on toast
Banana and nuts
Pretzels and nut butter
Rice cakes and nut butter
Popcorn
Gestational diabetes Snack Recipes
Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowl - by Laurel Ann Nutrition
A refreshing and nutritious smoothie bowl that packs a ton of flavor without the blood sugar spike! Check out more Smoothie Recipes for balanced blood sugar here.
Banana Protein Muffins - Recipe by Registered Dietitian Elysia
These delicious muffins are a perfect snack made with protein powder, Greek yogurt, and naturally sweetened with banana.
Energy Bites - Recipe by the To Taste Team
These easy no bake energy bites are the perfect snack to grab on the go. They are made with an oats and nut butter base with other tasty ingredients to add flavor and nutrition!
Cashew Chai Nut Butter - Recipe by Laurel Ann Nutrition
This recipe combines robust Chai spices with creamy cashew butter to make the perfect snack! Pair it will an apple or spread on your favorite toast.
Chai Yogurt Fruit Dip - Recipe by Laurel Ann Nutrition
Have extra chai spice from the recipe above? Utilize it in this SUPER tasty yogurt fruit dip.
Berry Cheesecake Ice Cream Bars - Recipe by Laurel Ann Nutrition
In this recipe, we take frozen berries and all of the amazing cheesecake ingredients to make your next favorite summer snack without the blood sugar spike!
Collagen Chia Pudding - Recipe by Laurel Ann Nutrition
This recipe is perfect to make ahead of time and grab when you need a quick snack! This Chia pudding is full of omega-3 with an extra protein boost from collagen peptides.
Let’s summarize it all up…
Snacks are helpful to help stabilize blood sugar levels and can help you and baby meet those extra nutrient needs.
Ideally, we want to eat every 3-4 hours.
Carbohydrates are important for growing baby.
You enjoy carbohydrates and minimize the blood sugar spike by pairing carbohydrates with fat, fiber, and/or protein.
These are just tips. Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t follow everything perfectly. At the end of the day, the goal is to reduce stress around eating!
Written by: Laurel Deininger-Kimmerly, MS, RD, LDN, CDCES