Cool Bites for a Healthy Pregnancy During the Dog Days of Summer

For those of us lucky enough to live in central Texas, the months between June and October can be unbearably hot. Triple digit temps are no joke, and when you’re pregnant, the heat can be a beast. Keeping light and healthy pre-made snacks ready to eat and within reach can be key to surviving the dog days of the Texas summer. These are a few of my favorite ultra healthy cooling snacks:

Frozen Banana Soft Serve

It’s like homemade ice cream, without the extra (less than healthy) ingredients. It’s healthy, dairy-free, and all natural. Just grab a few bananas, slice them and spread them out on baking sheet to freeze. Throw them in the food processor until smooth. Feel free to add fruit, cocoa powder or nut butter. Get the full recipe with all the details and get to freezing bananas.

Frozen Fruit

Grapes, watermelon, and pineapple are all super refreshing, but throw them in the freezer for a half-hour to make them extra cold with a nice little icy crunch, and they’re even better.

Fresh Fruit Slush

Mix one cup of your favorite frozen fruit combos with one cup of ice in the blender or food processor. It’s light. It’s fresh. It’s quick. It’s super healthy, and it’s great on the go. Take it with you to the office or to the pool.

Homemade Popsicles

Got some extra smoothie left over? Grab some popsicle molds next time you’re out so that after your next smoothie craving, you’re ready to pour the extra puree into the molds and freeze into tasty, healthy (beautifully vibrant) popsicles.

Chilled Soup

If you’re not already a fan of chilled soup, your summers don’t know what they’re missing. Fresh tomato gazpacho is one of the greatest delights of the summer season! For a healthy snack or light meal all summer long, serve yourself a bowl of delicious chilled soup made with cucumber, tomatoes, watermelon, or your favorite summer fruits and vegetables. Check out these 29 chilled soup recipes to get started.

Jicama with Lime

Don’t be intimidated by jicama if you’re not familiar with it. I think of jicama —sometimes described as a savory apple — as a mix between apples and potatoes. Snacking on strips of this vegetable gives you a juicy, crunchy snack you can eat like a carrot stick. Add a little lime juice for an extra kick. I dare you to get familiar with jicama and try it before Summer ends.

Fruit-infused Water

You know you need to stay super hydrated throughout your pregnancy. If you get bored with water, jazz it up by infusing your favorite fruits or veggies. Choose cucumbers, berries, citrus, herbs or even veggies, and keep it in a carafe of water in the fridge for cool fruity refreshment whenever you’re looking for something with a little more pizazz. Get inspired with these fruit and herb combos.

Coconut Water

Ice cold coconut water is incredibly hydrating and nourishes your body with electrolytes and minerals when those temperatures rise to ridiculous heights.

Summer fruits and vegetables including cucumbers, strawberries, tomatoes and watermelon contain mostly water which supports hydration. Want to know the top hydrating foods? Check out this list. Staying hydrated while pregnant is so incredibly important during the smoldering hot summer months, so go ahead and splurge on that fancy water bottle you’ve been eyeing. Get the largest size available, and challenge yourself to keep water in it all day long. Carry it with you wherever you go.

If you find yourself dizzy, light-headed, with a rapid heartbeat or dry mouth, you may be dehydrated. Get yourself into a cool area to sit down, and slowly sip on room temperature water.