Pregnancy Nutrition for Beginners

What you will be able to do

• explain why you do not need to eat for two, and what changes instead.
• list the six first steps to take when you find out you are pregnant.
• build a balanced meal using the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the pregnancy plate guide.
• name good food sources of iron, calcium and iodine, and keep caffeine under 200 mg a day.
• check a prenatal vitamin label for 400 mcg of folic acid, iodine and vitamin D, and avoid extra vitamin A.
• name the main foods to avoid in pregnancy and the kitchen habits that keep you safe.
• plan a week of shopping on a budget and know when to contact your OB-GYN or midwife.

1. 1Start here: what changes and what does not

   Clear up the biggest myths about eating in pregnancy and learn the handful of first steps that matter most.

   • Eating for one, well
   • Your six first steps

   Pregnancy supplement tracker

2. 2Your pregnancy plate

   Use the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans to build balanced meals and snacks without counting or weighing.

   • The five food groups on your plate
   • Simple meals and snacks

   Pregnancy plate guideDaily pregnancy food checklist

3. 3Key nutrients made simple

   Learn which nutrients matter most in pregnancy, which everyday foods provide them, and what to drink.

   • Iron, calcium, iodine and fish
   • What to drink, and caffeine

   Daily pregnancy food checklist

4. 4Supplements: the simple version

   Understand what US guidance says about folic acid, prenatal vitamins and other supplements in pregnancy, which to avoid, and where to get help with food.

   • Folic acid and your prenatal vitamin
   • What to avoid, and help with food

   Pregnancy supplement tracker

5. 5Safe food: the short list

   Learn the main foods to avoid or take care with in pregnancy, and the kitchen habits that keep you safe.

   • Foods to avoid, the short version
   • Kitchen habits that keep you safe

   Daily pregnancy food checklist

6. 6Shopping, budget and your first week

   Plan a week of shopping on a budget, put everything together, and know when to get help.

   • Shopping well on any budget
   • Your first week, and when to get help

   Pregnancy starter shopping listDaily pregnancy food checklistPregnancy plate guidePregnancy supplement tracker

• BuilderPregnancy plate guideBuild a meal from the Dietary Guidelines food groups and get instant feedback on balance and on the foods that need care in pregnancy.
• TrackerDaily pregnancy food checklistCheck off the everyday basics of eating well in pregnancy, so you can see at a glance which days went well and what to add tomorrow.
• TrackerPregnancy supplement trackerCheck off your prenatal vitamin and folic acid each day so taking them becomes a habit, and keep a note of anything else your OB-GYN or midwife or pharmacist has advised.
• ListPregnancy starter shopping listA ready-made weekly shopping list built on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and CDC pregnancy food safety advice, which you can check off, edit and take to the store.