High Protein Pregnancy Snacks for Nausea and Cravings

Some days in pregnancy, food sounds terrible. Other days, you are starving ten minutes after lunch. And on the long days, when you are on your feet or running between appointments, a proper meal just does not happen.

That is where a good snack earns its place. Protein is the part that helps a snack stick with you, so you are not hungry again before you have finished the dishes. The trick is keeping it simple, because nobody has the energy for a complicated recipe when nausea or tiredness hits.

Below are thirteen high protein pregnancy snacks. Some are cold and gentle, some are salty, some are sweet, and a few travel well. Each one comes with a quick note on what is in it and an easy way to make it your own. Save the ones that sound good right now, because your cravings may change next week.

A Greek Yogurt Parfait With Seeds, Oats and Berries

White bowl of Greek yogurt topped with sliced strawberries, ground flaxseed, hemp seeds, oats and chopped nuts on a checkered wooden board — Source: fullwellfertility

This is a snack that looks like a treat and works like a small meal. Thick Greek yogurt sits at the bottom, with fresh strawberries on one side and a mix of ground flaxseed, hemp seeds, oats, walnuts and pumpkin seeds on the other.

Yogurt gives the base its creamy, protein rich body.
Seeds and nuts add crunch and keep you full for longer.
Berries bring a little sweetness without needing honey or sugar.

Build it in a bowl and eat it slowly. If mornings are rough, mix the dry toppings in a jar ahead of time.

🥣

Base

Greek yogurt

🍓

Fruit

strawberries

🌰

Crunch

seeds and nuts

A Protein Power Bowl With Eggs, Cottage Cheese and Tomatoes

White bowl with halved boiled eggs, cottage cheese, cherry tomatoes and diced avocado sprinkled with sesame seeds — Source: fullwellfertility

When you want something savory and cold, this bowl is hard to beat. Soft boiled egg halves sit next to a scoop of cottage cheese, with halved red and yellow cherry tomatoes and a little diced avocado. White and black sesame seeds go over the top.

Nothing here needs a stove once the eggs are boiled. Cook a batch at the start of the week and the bowl takes two minutes to put together.

Build this bowl

✅Two eggs, boiled until the whites and yolks are fully cooked.

✅A scoop of cottage cheese made with pasteurized milk.

✅A handful of halved cherry tomatoes.

✅Diced avocado and a pinch of sesame seeds.

A Nourishing Breakfast Bowl With Eggs, Spinach and Sweet Potato

White bowl with scrambled eggs, cooked spinach, diced avocado and roasted seasoned sweet potato rounds — Source: fullwellfertility

This one is warm and gentle, which helps on mornings when cold food is unappealing. Soft scrambled eggs, wilted spinach, a few cubes of avocado and thick roasted sweet potato rounds all share one bowl.

Roast the sweet potato slices on a tray while you do something else, then reheat them the next day. The eggs and spinach cook in a few minutes in one pan.

💡 Quick tip

Cook the eggs until they are set all the way through, with no runny parts, which is the safer way to eat eggs in pregnancy.

A Pumpkin Seed and Grape Smoothie for Days Chewing Feels Like Too Much

Top view of a pale green frothy smoothie in a glass with a label listing one third cup pumpkin seeds, one cup grapes and 13g protein — Source: prenatal.dietitian

Sometimes you can drink a snack when you cannot face eating one. This pale green smoothie uses just two main ingredients: one third of a cup of pumpkin seeds and one cup of grapes, which the post lists at 13g of protein.

Pumpkin seeds bring the protein and a mild, nutty flavor.
Grapes add natural sweetness and plenty of liquid.
Blend with ice or water until it is very smooth.

Sip it cold and slowly. A chilled drink is often easier to handle when you feel queasy.

A Greek Yogurt Cup With Blackberries and Chia

Hand holding a passion fruit skyr yogurt cup stirred with blackberries and chia seeds, with a spoon resting in the cup — Source: prenatalnutritionist

This is the easiest snack on the list. A single serve skyr cup, stirred with a handful of blackberries, becomes something a little more special. The cup shown lists 16g of protein, and you can see small chia seeds mixed through it.

Keep a few cups in the fridge for the days nothing else gets made.

💪

Protein

16g per cup

🫐

Add

blackberries

⏱️

Time

under 1 minute

Hard Boiled Eggs and Avocado, Because Avocado Counts as Fruit

Small plate with half an avocado and halved hard boiled eggs on a white background — Source: prenatalnutritionist

Sometimes the best snack is the plainest one. Two hard boiled eggs and half an avocado on a small plate take almost no effort and need no cooking on the day. The eggs bring protein, and the avocado adds soft, creamy richness.

A pinch of salt and pepper is all it needs. Peel the eggs ahead of time so they are ready when hunger hits.

✅ Do this

Boil eggs until the yolk is firm.

Keep peeled eggs in the fridge and eat within a few days.

🚫 Skip this

Runny or soft yolks.

Eggs that have sat out for hours.

Cottage Cheese With Strawberries and a Honey Drizzle

Small bowl of cottage cheese topped with sliced strawberries and a drizzle of honey on a wooden table — Source: prenatalnutritionist

Cottage cheese with fruit tastes a bit like dessert, which makes it a good pick when you want something sweet. A scoop of cottage cheese is topped with sliced strawberries, and a thin line of honey runs across the top.

Make it in a minute

✅Spoon cottage cheese into a small bowl.

✅Slice a few strawberries and lay them on top.

✅Add a light drizzle of honey, or leave it off.

Sweet Cravings Answered With Yogurt, Strawberries and Almond Butter

Hand holding a lemon skyr yogurt cup topped with sliced strawberries, almond butter and hemp seeds, with a spoon in the cup — Source: prenatalnutritionist

When a sweet craving hits, it helps to have a plan that is not just candy. This lemon skyr cup, which lists 11g of protein and 9g of sugar on the label, is piled with sliced strawberries and a spoonful of almond butter, with hemp seeds underneath.

The almond butter makes it feel rich, and the fruit keeps it fresh. It satisfies the craving and still gives you protein.

💡 Quick tip

Pick a plain or lightly sweetened yogurt and let the fruit do the sweet work. It keeps the sugar lower.

Salty Cravings Answered With Celery, Peanut Butter, Cheese and Pickles

Metal lunch box holding celery sticks, a block of cheddar cheese, a small cup of peanut butter and two pickles — Source: prenatalnutritionist

Salty cravings are real, and this little lunch box has a good answer. Celery sticks line the top, with a small cup of peanut butter, a block of cheddar and a couple of pickles tucked in below.

Dip the celery in the peanut butter for crunch and protein.
Cheese adds more protein and a salty bite.
Pickles scratch the sour and salty itch.

Pack it in a container with compartments and it is ready for your bag.

✅ Do this

Choose cheese made with pasteurized milk.

Wash celery well before cutting.

🚫 Skip this

Soft cheese made with unpasteurized milk.

Eating pickles all day if you are watching salt.

A Plant Based Protein Shake for the Days You Are Out All Day

Hand holding a bottle of vanilla bean plant based protein shake with 18g protein on the label, with a small dog on green grass behind it — Source: prenatalnutritionist

Some days there is no time to sit down. A ready to drink shake fits in your bag and needs nothing but a cold bottle. The vanilla bean one shown lists 18g of protein and 4g of sugar on the label, and it is dairy free.

💪

Protein

18g per bottle

🍬

Sugar

🌱

Type

dairy free

Check the label and ask your doctor or midwife if a shake suits you, since products differ in vitamins and added ingredients.

Sourdough Toast With Nut Butter, Banana, Granola and Chia

Blue plate with sourdough toast spread with nut butter and topped with banana slices, granola and chia seeds — Source: prenatalnutritionist

Sometimes the craving is for something crunchy. A slice of sourdough gets a layer of nut butter, then banana coins, a handful of granola and a shake of chia seeds. Every bite has a bit of crunch, a bit of creaminess and a bit of sweetness.

💡 Quick tip

Spread the nut butter all the way to the edges. It holds the toppings on and adds most of the protein.

Mixed Nuts and Kiwi When You Want the Basics

Pale blue plate with a pile of mixed nuts including almonds and peanuts next to two halves of a kiwi — Source: prenatalnutritionist

This is the no fuss option. A small pile of mixed nuts sits next to a halved kiwi on a plate, and that is it. Nuts bring protein and healthy fats, while the kiwi adds a juicy, fresh bite.

Portion the nuts into small bags so a handful is easy to grab.
Scoop the kiwi out with a spoon, straight from the skin.

It keeps well in a bag or desk drawer, which makes it a good backup.

Turkey and Avocado Roll-Ups With Black Pepper

Plate with slices of oven roasted turkey breast topped with avocado slices and black pepper, one slice already rolled up — Source: prenatalnutritionist

Here is a low carb option for when bread feels like too much. Thin slices of turkey breast are topped with avocado slices and cracked black pepper, then rolled up. They are cool, soft and savory, and ready in two minutes.

Before you roll

✅Lay out one slice of turkey on a plate.

✅Add a slice or two of ripe avocado.

✅Finish with a little black pepper and roll it up.

⚠️Deli meat is usually advised to be heated until steaming hot in pregnancy, so check the guidance from your doctor or midwife first.

Final Thoughts

You do not need a perfect snack plan. You need a few easy options that you can reach for when you are tired, queasy or starving, and protein is a good thing to keep in the mix.

Pick two or three of these high protein pregnancy snacks and keep the ingredients on hand. If a food stops sounding good next week, swap it for another. And check with your doctor, midwife or a registered dietitian about what is right for your own pregnancy, especially if you have gestational diabetes, allergies or other health needs. Save this post to your Pinterest board so it is easy to find on a hungry day, and share it with a friend who is expecting.