Lunch. It's an easy meal to miss. You might be in the office, running from meeting to meeting, and look up and see it's past 2 p.m. Or you've had a day packed with errands and family obligations, and the most you could do was grab a banana as you ran to the car.

But don't give lunch the short shrift: It not only gives you the chance to get some critical nutrients for you and your baby, it can also provide a moment of calm and mindfulness.

When choosing what to pack in your brown bag, pick up at the cafeteria, or order at a restaurant, remember the optimum pregnancy diet: a balanced mix of lean protein, whole grains, produce, and healthy fats.

As you know, not only will you be eating for your baby's benefit (to help ensure a healthy birth weight, improved brain development, and a lower risk of certain birth defects), you'll also be paving the way towards a safer, more comfortable pregnancy.

In fact, women who eat well while they're expecting can minimize a host of pregnancy symptoms, including morning sickness and mood swings, and are more likely to deliver on time and have a speedier postpartum recovery. Now that's definitely easy to stomach!

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Key Takeaways
  • A basal body temperature (BBT) chart can help you spot ovulation by tracking subtle temperature changes over time. When your BBT rises and stays elevated for a few days, it’s a sign that ovulation has already happened.
  • BBT charting is affordable and simple, but it requires daily consistency and patience. You’ll need to take your temperature every morning for a few months before patterns start to emerge.
  • While helpful, BBT charts aren’t the most precise way to pinpoint ovulation. Factors like stress, sleep changes, or conditions like PCOS can affect accuracy, so ovulation test strips may offer faster, clearer results if you’re trying to conceive quickly.

Lunch foods to eat when you're pregnant

Because this is the midday meal, when energy might be flagging, it's important to eat a variety of foods, including:

  • Salads: Filled with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, salads make a perfect lunch. Boost the taste and nutrition value of a salad or grain bowl by adding some protein, like tuna, salmon, chicken, shrimp, beans, or lentils. Make sure to skip the Caesar though, as that dressing typically contains raw eggs, which are a no-go during pregnancy.
  • Soups: No matter the season, soups make a great midday meal. They can be as hearty as you want, can play well with others — we're looking at you, sandwiches — and can be filled with protein and fiber. Eat em' cold or eat em' hot and make a double batch so you can freeze some for another time.
  • Sandwiches: Wraps, paninis, double-deckers — no matter what type of sandwich you crave, make it a healthy one, with lean protein, fiber, and whole grains. Fill it to the seams with greens so you optimize your lunch. Just forgo any sprouts, as they can harbor bacteria, and skip traditional lunch meats for more creative solutions.
  • Smoothie bowls: The perfect vehicle for all things tastefully healthy, this meal can marry protein, calcium, and vitamin-rich foods like yogurt, fruit, nuts and seeds, and whole grains, all in one tempting bowl.
  • Leftovers: Have a healthy dinner on the menu? Make extras so you can enjoy them for lunch the next day. "That's always my go-to lunch, pregnant or not. Add some fruit and/or a veggie if your dinner leftovers are missing one of those, and there you go," says What to Expect Community mom laurawk1.

Lunch foods to avoid during pregnancy

In addition undercooked eggs, smoked seafood, and other breakfast foods to avoid, here are some to skip at lunch while pregnant:

  • Lunch meats: If not stored properly, salami, bologna, and other deli meats as well as hot dogs and pâté, can potentially harbor listeria. Plus, many have additives and preservatives like nitrites, so branch out from the packaged meats for now.
  • Some fish and sushi: It's fine to have up to 12 ounces of canned light tuna or salmon weekly, but skip shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish, which have high levels of methylmercury. The same goes for any type of sushi involving raw fish, which can be a source of bacteria.
  • Flavored yogurts: A strawberry yogurt may sound healthy, but a lot of flavored yogurts contain almost as much sugar as a small candy bar. Look for plain, low-fat varieties and add your own sliced fruit instead.
  • Soft cheese: No chip and cheese dip for your lunch. Skip the soft varieties like blue cheese, Camembert, queso blanco, queso fresco, brie, and feta, which can carry listeria.
  • Undercooked meat: To feel well, order it well. Forgo raw or undercooked meat and eat only the well-cooked variety to lower your risk of stomach upset.

Tips for healthy lunches during pregnancy

When deciding what to eat for lunch, choose something that provides a good dose of protein and fiber to keep you feeling full and energized.

Think: a small smoothie for calcium, a salad for fiber and vitamins, and a sandwich on whole grain bread for protein and carbs. Throw in some good fat from olive oil, nuts, or avocado, and you've got yourself a perfect meal.

Here are some other tips to keep in mind:

  • Take the pressure off: Don't try to squeeze every possible nutrient into your lunch. You still have snacks and dinner to round out the day.
  • Quality, not quantity: Eating too much in the middle of the day may leave you feeling sluggish and sleepy, something you might feel these days already without eating. So focus on the produce, whole grains, and lean protein for more energy, and skip the saturated fats and deep-fried menu items.
  • Hydrate: Aim to drink at least 10 8-ounce glasses of water per day, including a couple at lunch. It'll help reduce bloating and keep bladder infections at bay.

Make every bite (and week) count. Grab the What to Expect app for doctor-backed nutrition guidance, symptom trackers, and simple recipes you'll actually use.

Delicious lunch recipes for pregnancy

Check out some of these simple, wholesome, and delicious recipes for the perfect lunch.

Soups

Sandwiches

Salads and crudites