What to eat when breastfeeding? Top 10 quick & healthy snacks

“What to eat now that I’m breastfeeding?”, – I thought soon after my son took my breast for the first time. (Pretty amazing experience, speaking of which 🙂 )

Believe it or not, breastfeeding diet was one of my main concerns. I had the wrong idea that from the moment you give birth,  the list of products you are allowed to eat is quite limited, so I ignored many goodies brought by my husband to the maternity hospital and how wrong I was!

Actually, the point is there’s no specific breastfeeding diet. You just have to eat healthily and follow simple nutritious tips. Be sure to cut out fast food, gas-forming products and potential allergens.

Now, back to the topic! With constant hunger and lack of free time you get as a “free bonus” together with the newborn baby, it is essential to learn to prepare food fast (note the pun! You can cook food fast yet it won’t be bad as fast food, quite the opposite – you get a healthy and nutritious meal 😉 ). Here’s my list of quick and healthy snacks with detailed cooking description. I hope you will find something to your taste 😉

NOTE:

some food presented below contain potential allergens that can cause food allergies in babies. Make sure to check the list of foods your baby can be allergic to. Try introducing new products with small portions and see if your baby reacts to them. If not, you’re good to go. But remember: some products are tricky. They first need to be accumulated in your baby’s body to cause an allergic reaction. To be on the safe side, introduce one new product during 3 days. If no reaction spotted, add this product to your “Breastfeeding Diet” yes-I-can-eat-this list.

Homemade Oatmeal Cookies (my recipe)

These cookies are just amazing! When you try to make them once, you will want them every single day. 🙂 The recipe is pretty simple: mix 150 grams of cottage cheese with 40 grams of unsalted butter, add an egg, one tablespoon of raw honey, and a drop of pure vanilla extract. In another bowl mix the dry ingredients: 90 grams of whole grain oatmeal, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, and 30 grams of oats flour. Add your favorite spices (I add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, plus some sesame and pumpkin seeds). You could also add apple fiber and a handful of raisins into it. Now mix all the ingredients together, shape cookies with your hands, and put them into the silicone mat. Bake for 20 minutes in the pre-heated up to 180 centigrade oven.

Avocado on Rye Crisp with Ricotta

A super easy, fast-to-cook, and delicious healthy snack! Spread 1-heaped teaspoon of ricotta cheese over 1 x 75g slice of Whole Rye Bread or toast. Finely slice 1⁄2 a ripe avocado and 1 ripe tomato and toss with a squeeze of lemon juice, then season to taste and arrange on the toast.

Banana & Peanut Butter Sandwich (Cooking time: 5 minutes) 

Toast two pieces of bread. Spread peanut butter to the halves. Cover one of the halves with slices of banana. Top it with another slice of bread, and you’re good to go.

Plain Yogurt and Berries Smoothie (Cooking time: 5 minutes)

I take 200 ml of yogurt, mix it with 30-40 grams of blueberries (or any preferable berries), and add apple fiber together with some oatmeal bran. Blend it all together. If you are a sweet tooth, add up a tablespoon of honey. But make sure your baby is not allergic to it (start with a half tea spoon).

Cottage Cheese with nuts and honey (Cooking time: 2 minutes) 

It couldn’t be any easier. Take the cottage cheese (choose the low-fat one), add some walnuts to it and one-two teaspoons of honey. Enjoy! 🙂

Plain Oatmeal with fresh berries (Cooking time: 15-20 minutes) 

Put approximately 40 grams of whole grain oatmeal into a bowl, pour boiling water from the kettle into it and let it stay for 15 minutes. Add fresh berries to it. A perfect breakfast is ready! J I always start my day with different variations of oatmeal. I never put sugar or honey into it. I usually add bananas/dates/berries/dried fruits to make it sweet. Also, I always add extra fiber into it.

Steamed veggies (Cooking time: 15 minutes)

Put your favorite veggies into a steamer. Use frozen ones to safe time for peeling them. Set a timer for 15 minutes and leave it! When the vegetables are ready, add salt, pepper and sprinkle them with olive oil. Done. Easy peasy lemon squeezy! 😉

Handful of nuts with dried berries (Cooking time: 2 minutes)

I think there’s no need to explain how to prepare this one.

Hard cheese with dried fruits (Cooking time: 2 minutes)

My favorite is low lactose Parmesan with dried apricots. Delicious!

Poached eggs on whole-wheat toast (Cooking time: 10 minutes)

Toast a piece of whole-wheat bread (I do it in the oven since I don’t have a toaster), put some butter on top. Meanwhile poach an egg or two (here’s the video how to do it right). Put the eggs onto the toast. Add salt and pepper.

So that was my “life&time-saver” quick meals. Maximum efficiency with minimum effort. Way to go! 🙂 How about you share your favorite breastfeeding-diet-snacks with me as well?

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