*This is a list of my personal favorite first trimester meals during my current pregnancy! Please keep in mind that everyone is different and every pregnancy journey is different. The list below is a part of my story and is in no way medical advice. Also, please always consult your doctor for any medical advice regarding your pregnancy 🙂
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First Trimester Cravings and Aversions
I really struggled with wanting to eat healthy during the first trimester. I remember searching the internet (because the internet knows everything, right??) looking for tips on what to eat during the first trimester, but the answers I kept getting just weren’t realistic for me. I couldn’t fathom eating a salad and could hardly get vegetables down! While I wanted to give my little one the best nutrition possible, all I could seem to eat (and craved) were beef and potatoes, comfort food, and fried food (although I couldn’t stand the smell).
Thankfully, this list (with the help of steak + mashed potatoes and hamburgers + fries) really helped me make it through.
Here’s a list of my go-to recipes & meals during the first trimester!
Breakfast
Waffles – I craved these SO much during that season! I often made these Almond Flour Waffles and kept them in the freezer or used this pre-made waffle mix.
Pancakes – I typically only made these on the weekend, but loved these Healthy Sweet Potato Pancakes!
Eggs – Loved eggs for breakfast since they’re loaded with protein and help with that morning nausea (at least for me). I often ate these scrambled, fried (cooked fully), or made them in recipes like these 10-Minute Huevos Rancheros Breakfast Tostadas, Skillet Sweet Potato & Kale Hash, or The BEST Healthy Breakfast Tacos!
Lunch
Sushi – I know, I know. The FORBIDDEN. But I wanted it so bad. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of vegetarian sushi out there and it’s good! Gimme all the spicy mayo to go with it 😉 You do what you have to do, friend.
PB&J – Need I say more?
Quick Lunch Recipes – Loved easy, quick, and hearty lunch recipes like these Ground Turkey Pita Pockets, Slow Cooker Fiesta Ranch Chicken Wraps, and 10-Minute Margherita Pita Bread Pizzas!
Pre-Made Meals – These Steak & Potato Meal Prep Bowls saved the day sooooo many times in the first trimester!
Dinner
Beef – Beef Curry Rice Burger Bowl, Red Pepper and Kale Beef Burgers
Tacos – Slow Cooker Chili Lime Beef Tacos, Spicy Salmon Tacos, 30-Minute Blackened Salmon Tacos, Beef Carnitas Tacos
Comfort Food – Mushroom & Spinach Pasta Bake, One-Pot Basil Chicken Baked Ziti, Creamy Healthy Chicken Enchilada Skillet
Mashed Potatoes – Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes & Cranberry Mushroom Sauce, Vegan Loaded Mashed Potato Bowls
Snacks
Breakfast Sandwiches – I really liked keeping these breakfast sandwiches on hand for those times I was crashing. The protein and carbs really helped me during some of my most nauseated times!
Popsicles – Although I wasn’t a big fan of sweets during the first trimester, these Strawberry Chia Seed Popsicles were great for the nausea! I loved that they’re just a tiny bit sour and cold. Perfect for that season!
Peanut Butter – This is always a great snack, but I really loved eating peanut butter straight out of the jar or taking these peanut butter snack packs with me on-the-go. This Apple Cinnamon Peanut Butter Breakfast Toast recipe was also one of my faves!
Preggie Pop Drops – This isn’t a snack, but I HIGHLY recommend these for anyone who’s dealing with constant nausea during the first trimester. You can buy these Preggie Pops here! They were a life saver for me! Although they are basically candy, I do appreciate that the flavors are made with essential oils and the colors are made from natural sources.
Disclaimer: Please note that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. These are products that I know, trust, and love!
MyA says:
I wish I had advice for things to eat that didn’t involve chicken and eggs… Chicken and eggs have been my biggest food aversion which is so hard because there is so much protein in both. I’ve struggled trying to come up with meal ideas that have different sources of protein.
Cate says:
Thank you. I feel like all the “first trimester NVP recipes” out there are written by people who have never gone through this. Yours is the first site of things i think i might actually be able to eat. Thanks for keeping it real and not telling me to eat spinach (ugh) 🙂
Nat says:
It’s the rice in sushi that is the hazard. Cold rice carries. Lot of bacteria. Safest to make your own and eat fresh!
Jessica says:
10 weeks pregnant with my 4th… and all k want all the time is COMFORT FOOD and TACOS. Now I just need to feel well enough to whip this all up!
Kristina @ Love & Zest says:
I wish I had all of this durning my first trimester! They all look so good!
Rachel says:
I see so many tacos!! I definitely don’t need to be preggers to enjoy those 🙂
Alisa Fleming says:
This is such a good resource. I always assumed that the further along you were (and the bigger you got!) the more challenging it was. But most of my friends said that first trimester was the hardest.