How to Cook For a Pregnant Partner
Ultimately, cooking for a pregnant partner is all about the simplicity of preparation that ensures maximum nutritious value. Processed foods are out of the window and so are the elaborate recipes that often entail the loss of important vitamins and minerals due to overcooking.
While there are some foods to avoid out there, it comes down to a balanced mix of lean proteins accompanied by an eclectic array of veggies and fruits. Healthy fats, calcium-rich foods, and whole grain take center stage as well, as the bun in the oven needs such essential growing-pain minerals to develop properly.
The important thing to avoid
A pregnant partner eats what a pregnant partner craves, that much has been known for hundreds of years, but there is a small preamble that needs to be addressed first.
While a widely-accepted safety measure of avoiding seafood after the 40th week of pregnancy holds, it may be more prudent to take it off the menu list as soon as the woman is 20 weeks pregnant.
The main reason for this is that seafood is not nearly as regulated or safe as it used to be. The polluted state of the oceans has grown particularly dire over the last decade, and eating your last prune or raw sushi as early as 20 weeks into pregnancy ensures diminished intake of toxins.
Only certain types of sushi
Of course, you don’t have to swear off all kinds of sushi, especially since it’s fairly easy to make. Veggie sushi is very healthy, especially if you are imaginative with mixes of fruit and veggies slices accompanied by ginger and mild sauces. Cooked sushi is also somewhat safer, though fish – and especially salmon – should still be avoided as suggested, just in case.
What about those lean proteins?
Tofu and lentils are also a good variant, though beans can make a lot of people feel bloated, which is especially awkward (or downright unpleasant) feeling during pregnancy. If you rarely feel bloated from beans, you should give them a trial run in any case since they are just so immensely nutritious, energy-filled and incredibly easy to prepare.
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Brunchy snack sessions
The pantry should be stocked with fruits all the time, as well as some durable oatmeal snacks and maybe a jar of honey and peanut butter. Brunches are especially useful during pregnancy because they can be small vitamin-bombs that quench the hunger and refill the energy wells without being overbearing.
You can cut up a few bananas, kiwis and strawberries and mix them up with Greek yogurt and oat in a little over two minutes to get a perfectly healthy meal that fills.
A freezer is the greatest ally
Since a pregnant partner is eating for two, storing canned foods, packs of fruit mixes, veggies, pork butts and other types of meat is a true lifesaver. You practically have a treasure trove of food in hand’s reach, and thawing typically doesn’t take long these days. Furthermore, most frozen foods do not only last longer, but they also retain their nutritious value and vitamins along the way.
Ultimately, you can always rely on making slow-stirs. All you need is a fairly big pot. Fill it up with water in the morning and start throwing edibles in so they can be ready before evening. The sheer, exciting potential for, let’s say, veggie stews of different kinds is amazing.
Anything else to avoid?
Deep-fried foods, all kinds of pate, sauces made with raw eggs should also be avoided during pregnancy! Beyond that, the culinary world is out there for the taking, and it all comes down to the pregnant partner’s wishes and whims. Now and then, they will crave for something on the unhealthier side, and that is fine. A singular greasy, sinfully tasteful meal here or there will not do anyone harm, and it is important to see the forest, not the trees.