Momma munchies – Why do pregnant women get them and how can they satisfy their inevitable cravings in a healthful way that also meets their green goals?
A. Researchers still don’t know why pregnancy brings on all sorts of food cravings and aversions. Some scientists think that cravings are simply learned behaviors (if you’re expected to crave ice cream, you probably will), while others believe we crave foods that are rich in the nutrients we need for a healthy pregnancy. Most women (85 percent of us) do experience cravings during pregnancy. I encourage women to indulge their cravings! That’s why I created the recipes in the book. They all help satisfy the biggest cravings that women experience: sweet, meaty, salty/savory, spicy, and thirst-quenching. I took typical comfort foods like meatloaf and mac and cheese, and bumped up their nutritional value. It’s always best to cook your own food when you can, because that let’s you control the amount of fat and salt, and you can also use the healthiest organic and local ingredients. If you can’t cook up something healthy to feed your craving for something less than healthy — say salt and vine
