Nourishing Homemade Protein Bars for Pregnancy!
Learn how to make Homemade Protein Bars for Pregnancy. They're delicious, nutritious, and perfect for expectant moms.
Congratulations on your journey towards motherhood. During this special time, it's essential to take care of your nutrition needs and your growing baby's too. One key nutrient you should focus on is protein.
In this blog post, we'll discuss the importance of protein during pregnancy and the benefits of making homemade protein bars for pregnancy.
Plus, we'll provide some tailored recipes just for you! Here's to healthy snacks!
Benefits of Protein During Pregnancy
Protein plays a crucial role in your baby's growth and development. Here's what it does:
- Essential for the baby's growth and development: Protein is the building block of your baby's cells, tissues, and organs. It helps in creating a strong foundation for their overall well-being.
- Supports the mother's body changes: Your body undergoes numerous changes during pregnancy. Protein helps repair and maintain your muscles, bones, and skin, keeping you strong and healthy.
- Helps in the formation of the placenta, amniotic sac, and blood supply: These structures are vital for your baby's nourishment and protection. Protein ensures their proper formation and function.
Advantages of Homemade Protein Bars
Making protein bars at home comes with several benefits:
Control over ingredients
- No artificial additives or preservatives: You can be sure that your protein bars are free from harmful chemicals that might affect your pregnancy.
- Choose high-quality, natural ingredients: Handpick the best ingredients to ensure you and your baby get the most nutritious protein bars possible.
Cost-effective
- Save money compared to store-bought alternatives: Homemade protein bars are often more affordable than their store-bought counterparts. Plus, you can make them in bulk to save even more!
Customization
- Adjust recipes based on personal preferences and nutritional needs: Love almonds but not a fan of walnuts? Want to add more iron-rich ingredients? With homemade protein bars, you can easily tweak recipes to suit your taste and nutritional requirements.
Essential Nutrients for Pregnant Women
Aside from protein, there are other key nutrients that you should pay attention to during pregnancy. These include:
- Folic acid: Helps prevent neural tube defects in your baby
- Iron: Supports the increased blood volume in your body and helps deliver oxygen to your baby
- Calcium: Builds strong bones and teeth for both you and your baby
- Omega-3 fatty acids: Essential for your baby's brain and eye development
Incorporating these nutrients into your homemade protein bars will help ensure a well-rounded diet for you and your little one.
Recipe #1: Power Protein Pregnancy Bites
by Soulluna
Kimberly Snyder
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs. chia seeds
- 1 ⁄4 cup water
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed
- 1 ½ cup raw walnuts
- 1 ½ cups dried figs
- ¼ cup Goji berries
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 Tbs. raw honey or maple syrup
- 1 tsp. alcohol-free vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Soak chia seeds in water for an hour.
- Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper
- Add ground flaxseed, walnuts, figs, goji berries, coconut flakes, raw honey, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and sea salt into a food processor and process until mixed well.
- Pour the chia seed mixture into the food processor and blend until well combined. The mixture will feel slightly wet.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish and put it in the fridge and allow the mixture to sit for at least 30 minutes.
- Once it has been set, remove it from the refrigerator and cut it into 6 bars with a sharp knife.
- Serve the bars at once, or cover the bars and store them in the fridge or the freezer for up to 1 month.
Nutritional Information
Each Power Protein Pregnancy Bite contains approximately:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 414 |
| Protein | 6g |
| Carbohydrates | 30g |
| Fat | 24g |
| Fiber | 9g |
This gluten-free recipe caters to your pregnancy nutrition needs by providing a good balance of protein, healthy fats, and essential nutrients.
Recipe #2: No Bake Lactation Protein Bar Recipe
by WereParents
Larisha Campbell
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup almond butter (any nut butter would also work)
- 3/4 cup unsalted almonds, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup pistachios, shelled
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/3 cup cashews (roughly chopped)
- 1/3 cup raw honey
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup ground flaxseed
- 1/4 heaping cup of dried blueberries
- 1/4 heaping cup of dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 1/4 cup debittered brewer's yeast (omit if not breastfeeding)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.
- Mix well until everything is very well combined.
- Line an 8x8 pan with wax paper.
- Place ingredients in the wax-lined pan.
- Firmly press down with the back of a spoon.
- Place in the freezer overnight or at least 3-4 hours.
- Remove wax paper from pan and peel away from mixture.
- Cut in half, then cut each half into eight bars for a total of 16 bars.
- Place in a container or bag and put back into the freezer.
- Remove servings as needed 2-3 hours before consuming.
Nutritional Information
Each No Bake Lactation Protein Bar contains approximately:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 346 |
| Protein | 11g |
| Carbohydrates | 24g |
| Fat | 24g |
| Fiber | 7g |
This recipe is perfect for meeting your pregnancy nutrition needs and an added boost for lactating mamas.
Recipe #3: Easy Vegan Protein Bars (no protein powder!)
by PowerHungry
Camilla
Ingredients
- 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2/3 cup almond milk (or non-dairy/dairy milk of choice)
- 2 medium-large, ripe bananas (peeled)
- 2/3 cup peanut butter (or nut/seed butter of choice)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup (or honey, if not strictly vegan)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup coarsely chopped, toasted nuts or seeds (use any combination you like!)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease, spray, or line a 9-inch square baking pan.
- In a food processor or blender, process the chickpeas, milk, bananas, peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla until blended and completely smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
- Add the oats and nuts to the bowl, stirring until completely blended. Scrape batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
- Bake bars in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes until deep golden brown and the edges appear somewhat crispy. Place on a cooling rack and cool completely. Remove from pan and cut into 16 equal bars or squares.
Storage: Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days, in the refrigerator for 2 weeks, or in the freezer for 3 months.
Nutritional Information
Each Easy Vegan Protein Bar contains approximately:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 229 |
| Protein | 9g |
| Carbohydrates | 28g |
| Fat | 10g |
| Fiber | 4g |
This recipe is a tasty option to help you meet your pregnancy nutrition needs.
Recipe #4: High Protein Granola Bars
by C&G Baby Club
Ingredients
- 2 cups of nuts and seeds - this depends entirely on your preference so use whichever variety you prefer
- 1 ½ cups of oats
- A generous half cup of peanut butter
- A generous half cup of honey
- 10-12 pitted dates
- ½ a cup of shredded coconut (aim for an unsweetened variety)
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Put the dates in a blender and process until the chopped pieces easily stick together.
- Melt the peanut butter and the honey in a saucepan and add in the chopped dates.
- Stir until the dates have broken down and the mixture is smooth and spreadable.
- Add the vanilla extract and set aside.
- Blend the nuts and seeds into chunks and combine with the coconut, oats, and salt.
- Add to the peanut butter and honey mixture and mix well.
- Line a baking dish with greaseproof paper and add the mixture, spreading evenly.
- Bake at 180 degrees (160 if using a fan oven) for approximately 30 minutes until golden brown.
- Once baked, cut into 12 bars whilst still warm, before the mixture hardens.
This recipe makes 12 granola bars.
Nutritional Information
(May vary depending on your nut and seed choice)
Each High Protein Granola Bar contains approximately:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 295 |
| Protein | 8g |
| Carbohydrates | 31g |
| Fat | 14g |
| Fiber | 4g |
There's a hefty amount of peanut butter with added nutrients. This is a great option for those who love peanut butter. I personally enjoy these more than most peanut butter protein balls. You can even get creative and in some chocolate chips. Yum!
Recipe #5: High Protein Quinoa Granola
by Food Above Gold
Mackenzie Ryan
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 ½ cups popped quinoa, (aka puffed quinoa)
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ⅔ cup coconut flakes
- 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons flaxseed meal
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 Tablespoons water
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F
- In a small bowl, stir together the flaxseed meal and water. Let sit for 2-3 minutes or until thick and gelatinous.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, seeds, coconut, salt, cinnamon, brown sugar, and popped quinoa.
- Mix together the maple syrup, honey, mixed flaxseed meal, and oil. Stir it into the dry ingredients until well coated.
- Spread the granola mixture evenly on the baking sheet. Use the back of a wooden spoon to press it down, trying to keep the layer as thin as possible.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Rotate and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove and let cool completely to room temperature. Scrape the high-protein granola off the baking sheet with a spoon and transfer it to an airtight container.
This granola recipe is an alternative to the bar and goes great with yogurt for high protein nutritional snack.
Nutritional Information
Each High Protein Quinoa Granola contains approximately:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 507 |
| Protein | 9g |
| Carbohydrates | 59g |
| Fat | 28g |
| Fiber | 8g |
Tips for Storing Homemade Protein Bars
To keep your homemade protein bars fresh and delicious, follow these storage tips:
- Use airtight containers: Store your protein bars in airtight containers to prevent them from drying out or absorbing any unwanted odors.
- Refrigeration: Keep the protein bars in the refrigerator to maintain their freshness and extend their shelf life. This is especially important for recipes containing fresh fruits or ingredients that can spoil easily.
The shelf life of homemade protein bars varies depending on the ingredients used. Generally, they can last for 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator. However, always check for signs of spoilage before consuming them.
Bottom Line
We hope you feel inspired to try these tailored recipes and enjoy the benefits of homemade protein bars during your pregnancy. Not only are they delicious and nutritious, but they also provide an excellent source of protein and essential nutrients for you and your baby.
Remember, making your protein bars at home allows you to control the ingredients, save money, and customize recipes to meet your personal preferences and nutritional needs.
So, go ahead and give these recipes a try – your body and your baby will thank you!
We'd love to hear about your experiences with these recipes, or if you have any favorite high-protein recipes of your own. Feel free to share your thoughts and creations in the comments section below. Happy healthy eating!
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Ana Lyn
Ana Lyn
