Pregnancy dessert recipes & ideas
Pregnancy dessert recipes & ideas
During your pregnancy, you’ll become familiar with what foods you can eat, what foods you need to avoid and what foods contribute to a healthy and balanced diet.
As your pregnancy progresses, you may find that you’re more hungry than usual, and dips in your energy levels can leave you craving foods that are high in sugar. In fact, research has shown that many women report a pregnancy craving for sweets and chocolate1, so if this is you, you’re certainly not alone.
Whilst it’s best to avoid foods that are high in sugar and fat, this doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy something sweet during your pregnancy. There are plenty of healthy pregnancy dessert recipes for you to enjoy and we’ll be exploring just a few of them below.
Pregnancy dessert recipes
From pregnancy-safe cheesecake to sweet treats you can enjoy, here are a number of tasty pregnancy dessert recipes for you to try.
As long as cheesecake is made with pasteurised ingredients like cream or mascarpone cheese and eggs, it’s not on the list of desserts to avoid when pregnant. However, there are lots of recipes for no-bake cheesecakes which don't require you to use eggs and that are super-simple to make. And as an added bonus, they’re healthy too!
One of our favourites is below and makes around 8 individual mini cheesecakes that you can pop in the freezer to enjoy at any time. Perfect for a tasty after-dinner treat!
Nothing says autumn like a slice of pecan pie. If you’re looking for healthy desserts during pregnancy, this recipe will fit the bill.
Pecans are perfectly safe to eat during pregnancy unless you have a known allergy. Not only are they delicious, pecan nuts are a great source of fibre, making them a good option when it comes to healthy dessert choices.
There’s nothing quite like a yummy biscuit for a midday snack, and when it comes to healthy pregnancy baking recipes, we’ve got just the thing - simple and tasty raisin and oat cookies.
Healthy desserts & sweet treats during pregnancy
There are plenty of pregnancy friendly desserts that are both delicious and healthy.
When it comes to taking the edge off those sweet tooth cravings, fruit is a simple way to help you do just that. Fresh strawberries, watermelon and other tasty fruits are full of vitamins and minerals. You might also want to try snacking on dried fruit such as raisins and apricots.
Other healthy sweet treats for pregnancy include:
- Wholemeal biscuits
- Yoghurt with fresh or tinned fruit in juice
- Peanut butter (not necessarily sweet, but tasty all the same!)
- Banana loaf made with wholemeal flour, bananas and natural yoghurt
Some of these are good options for a healthy snack during your labour too, so think about what you could pack ahead of time in your hospital bag.
If you’ve been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, it’s very important that you follow the dietary advice you’ve been given by your doctor, and it’s best to run any pregnancy dessert recipes by them before you make them.
What desserts can you eat when pregnant?
Once you’ve familiarised yourself with the foods that are off limits until your baby is born, you’ll find that there are plenty of desserts you can enjoy when pregnant.
Whilst the odd dessert here and there is unlikely to cause you any harm, and if you opt for healthy desserts during pregnancy, all the better. The above recipes are a good start, but you can also explore other healthy pregnancy dessert recipes and add them to our handy weekly meal planner. Get your free download here.
Last reviewed: 23rd November 2022
Reviewed by Nutricia's Medical and Scientific Affairs Team
