8 Dinner Recipes for Pregnant Women

Today, we'll present eight practical dinner recipes for pregnant women. But of course, you can enjoy them at any time.

Reviewed and approved by the nutritionist Saúl Sánchez Arias.

Written by Saúl Sánchez Arias

Last update: 12 April, 2023

Eating when we’re pregnant is easy, but we can’t say the same thing about cooking. Although in most cases we can eat pretty much anything, we usually take extra care of ourselves at this stage. For this reason, at dinner time, it’s common for us to run out of ideas in the kitchen. “What can I have for dinner today?” is a common question. Fortunately, today we’ll present eight practical dinner recipes for pregnant women. But, of course, you can enjoy them at any time.

8 Dinner Recipes for Pregnant Women

1. Cream of spinach

This preparation is characterized by its vitamin C content, which has a positive impact on the immune system, as stated in a study published in Nutrients.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of liquid milk cream
• 2.2 pounds (1 kilo) of spinach
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic

Preparation

First, wash the spinach very well, then boil it for a minute. After this time, drain it and cut it. Meanwhile, heat a frying pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Cut the garlic into thin slices and sauté them in the oil, along with the cut spinach.

After sautéing for a few minutes, add the cream, salt, and pepper, and mix. Serve and decorate with a boiled egg.

2. Tuna salad with yogurt sauce

With this recipe, you’ll make sure you get the necessary proteins to guarantee proper muscle health.

Ingredients

• 1 pound (1/2 kg) of fresh tuna
• Lettuce or spinach
• A glass of natural yogurt
• The juice of ½ lemon
• Parsley
• Salt
• Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

Steam the tuna for about ten minutes. Meanwhile, clean the lettuce or spinach and cut it roughly. In a salad bowl, mix the yogurt with the chopped parsley, the oil, and the lemon, then season.

When the tuna’s cooked, remove the skin and bones and cut it into cubes. To the previous mixture, add the lettuce and, on top, place the chopped tuna.

3. French omelette with turkey

It’s not a good idea to abuse cold cuts during pregnancy. However, turkey, in adequate proportions, is capable of providing health benefits derived from its protein content.

Ingredients

• Cooked turkey bits
• 2 eggs
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt

Preparation

Beat the eggs in a bowl and then add the turkey pieces. Also, add some salt. At the same time, heat a frying pan and add oil. When it’s hot, pour the mixture and cook for a couple of minutes on each side. To accompany your main dish, you can make a carrot and tomato salad.

4. Baked sea bass with potatoes

Fish is essential in any healthy diet. It has in its composition fatty acids from the omega-3 series, which have been shown to be capable of exerting a positive effect when it comes to modulating inflammation.

Ingredients

• 2 fillets of seabass
• 2 large potatoes
• 1 onion
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt

Preparation

Turn the oven to 350ºF (180°C) and let it preheat. Wash, peel, and julienne the potatoes and onions. Then, place the oil on a baking tray, and on top of it, the potato slices and onions. Take the preparation to the oven for about ten minutes and, after this time, add the sea bass and let it bake for an additional 20 minutes. To serve, you can add some finely chopped parsley.

5. Boiled broccoli, potato, and carrot

Vegetables are a safe bet in any meal plan. Try to introduce many different kinds of them.

Ingredients

• 1 potato
• A carrot
• 1 small broccoli
• Salt
• Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

Boil salted water in a saucepan. Meanwhile, we clean and cut the broccoli, potatoes, and carrots, preferably in cubes. Place your vegetables in the boiling water and let them cook for about 30 minutes. When this time has passed, remove them from the water with the help of a slotted spoon. When serving, add olive oil or some light mayonnaise.

6. Healthy dinner recipes: Creamy lentils

Legumes, apart from minerals, provide high-quality fiber and carbohydrates.

Ingredients

• 14 ounces (400 grams) of lentils
• 8.5 cups of water
• 2 turnips
• 1 ham bone
• 2 leeks
• Two tablespoons of cheese spread
• 2 carrots
• Extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

Boil the water with the ham bone and a little oil. When the preparation is boiling, add the cut vegetables. Cook for 45 minutes covered over medium heat. After the cooking time has elapsed, remove the vegetables and add the lentils to cook until soft. Then, add the vegetables and beat until you achieve a puree consistency. Serve with cheese spread, oil, and salt.

7. Grilled vegetables

Be careful when cooking vegetables on the grill. Avoid burning, otherwise toxic compounds could be generated.

Ingredients

• Zucchini
• Leek
• Asparagus
• Carrot
• Tomato
• Onion
• Mushroom
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt

Preparation

The first thing you do is preheat the grill or griddle. Then, begin to wash the vegetables and cut them into slices, except for the carrots and the leek that go diagonally. The asparagus is served whole and the mushrooms rolled.

Begin to roast each of the vegetables separately, the hardest ones first. Roast on both sides, making sure they’re cooked golden brown. Lightly salt with coarse salt to taste, without going overboard.

8. Broccoli cream

Vegetables and vegetable creams are always excellent options for dinner during pregnancy. Therefore, we’ll tell you how you can prepare this delicious broccoli cream so that you get a delicious and nutritious dinner for you and your baby.

Ingredients

You must bear in mind that the amount of ingredients mentioned will make 4 servings, making it a dish that you can enjoy as a family.

• 10 ounces (300 grams) of broccoli
• 1 medium onion
• 1 large carrot
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 cup of cream for cooking
• Oil
• 3.5 grams of grated cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

First, you must place the oil in a pan together with the garlic, onion, and carrot chopped into small cubes. Let them fry over medium heat for approximately 15 minutes and reserve.

Then, you need to prepare the broccoli. In this case, everything will depend on how you feel more comfortable doing it. One option is to cut the vegetables into florets and place them in the microwave at maximum power for 7 minutes. You can also steam or boil them.

When you have the broccoli, onion, carrot, and garlic cloves ready, you must add them to the blender along with the vegetable broth. Blend everything until you obtain a homogeneous cream without lumps. Later, place the mixture in a saucepan, add the cream, the grated cheese and cook everything for 10 minutes over low heat until the ingredients are incorporated.

Tips for a healthy dinner in pregnancy

All the dinner recipes for pregnant women mentioned in the article are quick and healthy options that will provide you with nutrients during your pregnancy. However, you should know that they’re not the only options available. There are a large number of foods that you can consume during pregnancy and prepare incredible dinners with them.

You just have to keep in mind that dinner should be light and easy to digest in order to avoid nighttime discomfort. In this sense, it’s a good idea to avoid complex carbohydrates such as pasta, rice, or white bread. Also, you should increase the consumption of greens and vegetables at this time of the day.

At the same time, try to eat at least 2 hours before going to sleep. This way, the body will begin digestion and improve the quality of sleep. Other foods to avoid are undercooked meats and some fish such as swordfish, as these can be harmful to your baby.

Prepare healthy dinner recipes for pregnant women

If you follow the dinner recipes that we’ve offered you, you’ll know that you’re preparing healthy dishes during your pregnancy. A good diet at this time in life is crucial in order to improve the health of the mother and the fetus.