Best Pregnancy Snacks UK: Safe Ideas Checked Against NHS Advice
Written by Jordan Morley · Reviewed against NHS pregnancy food guidance · Last updated 28 October 2026
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Small, regular snacks can help with nausea and keep energy steady, and the NHS says you don't need to "eat for two". The ideas below are chosen because they need very little food-safety thinking: no raw egg, no mould-ripened cheese, nothing cured. Each one links to its own pregnancy page, so the verdict you see here is the same one you'd get there.
Snack ideas at a glance
| Snack | Our pregnancy verdict | Why it works | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oatcakes with cottage cheese | Safe if pasteurised | Slow-release carbohydrate plus protein and calcium | Check the cottage cheese is pasteurised (nearly all supermarket tubs are) |
| Greek yoghurt with fruit | Safe | Protein and calcium, no cooking | Choose pasteurised; wash any fresh fruit |
| Unsalted nuts | Safe | Protein, fibre and healthy fats | Fine unless you are allergic (the NHS no longer advises avoiding peanuts); watch the salt in flavoured packs |
| Hard-boiled egg | Safe | Protein and choline, ready in minutes | Cook until white and yolk are solid; keep boiled eggs chilled |
| Hummus and vegetable sticks | Caution | Fibre and plant protein | Shop-bought chilled hummus, in date and kept cold; avoid buffets and deli counters |
| Fruit: bananas, dates, apples | Safe | Portable fibre and vitamins | Wash fresh fruit; dried fruit is sugar-dense, so keep portions modest |
| Porridge or toast | Safe | Warm, bland and filling, good for queasy mornings | Make porridge fresh rather than leaving it sitting out |
| Seaweed snacks | Occasional only | Light and crunchy | Brown seaweeds such as kelp are very high in iodine, so keep to the occasional packet |
Our picks
Oatcakes with cottage cheese
Slow-release carbohydrate with protein and calcium, and no food-safety fuss: cottage cheese (Safe if pasteurised) is fine in pregnancy as long as it is pasteurised.
Check Price →Greek yoghurt with fruit
High in protein and calcium. Greek yoghurt (Safe) is fine; pasteurised is the only requirement, and almost every shop-bought pot is.
Unsalted nuts
Protein, fibre and healthy fats in a handful. The NHS says you can eat peanuts in pregnancy unless you are allergic to them, and eating them does not raise your baby's allergy risk. If you are worried about allergies in the family, ask your midwife or GP.
Check Price →Hard-boiled egg
Complete protein that keeps well in a lunchbox. Hard-boiled eggs (Safe) are fine when cooked until the white and yolk are solid; British Lion eggs can also be eaten soft or raw. See our eggs and pregnancy guide for the Lion rule.
Hummus and vegetable sticks
A fibre-rich dip. Our verdict on hummus (Caution) is a caution only because of how it has been stored: chilled shop-bought hummus, in date and kept refrigerated, is generally fine, but skip hummus that has been sitting out at a buffet or deli counter.
Fruit to carry in your bag
Bananas, apples and dates need no preparation. Wash fresh fruit before eating. A small leakproof pot keeps cut fruit or nuts from ending up loose at the bottom of a bag.
Check Price →Porridge or wholemeal toast
Warm, bland and slow-burning, which many people find easier than a sweet snack when queasy. Porridge (Safe) is fine; make it fresh instead of leaving it out.
Crispy seaweed snacks (occasional)
A light, crunchy option if you are tired of sweet snacks, from the UK snack brand MORiSH. Our verdict on seaweed (Occasional only) is occasional only because brown seaweeds such as kelp are very high in iodine, so keep it to the odd packet and check the label for the type of seaweed and the salt content.
See MORiSH seaweed snacks →Snacks to skip or swap
These are common grab-and-go snacks that the NHS-based verdicts on this site flag. Each has an easy swap.
| Snack | Our verdict | Swap for |
|---|---|---|
| Salami, chorizo and other cold cured meats | Cook until steaming hot | Cooked ham or cooked chicken, or cured meat that has been cooked through, such as on a hot pizza |
| Brie and camembert | Avoid | Cheddar or other hard cheese; cooked brie is fine when piping hot |
| Pâté | Caution — keep chilled, use by the date | Hummus, or a vegetable pâté (see our vegetable pâté page) |
| Raw or runny eggs without the Lion mark | Safe only with the British Lion mark | Lion-marked eggs, or eggs cooked until solid |
| Raw fish and shellfish | Caution — cooked or vegetarian only | Cooked or vegetarian options |
Common questions
Do I need to eat extra when I'm pregnant?
No. The NHS says you do not need to "eat for two". You need no extra calories in the first six months, and only a small amount (around 200 calories a day) in the last three months, so snacks are about steady energy and nutrients rather than eating more.
Can snacking help with morning sickness or heartburn?
Many people find small, regular meals and snacks easier than three big meals. Plain starchy foods such as toast, crackers or oatcakes are a common choice when you feel sick, and ginger is also suggested by the NHS for nausea.
Are shop-bought snacks safe in pregnancy?
Most are. The things to check are the ones on the NHS avoid list: unpasteurised dairy, mould-ripened and soft blue cheese (unless cooked), cold cured meats, pâté, liver products and raw or undercooked eggs not marked with the British Lion. The label usually tells you.
Are nuts safe in pregnancy if allergies run in the family?
The NHS says you can eat peanuts and other nuts in pregnancy unless you are allergic to them, and that eating them does not make your baby more likely to develop an allergy. If you have concerns, particularly if you have a severe allergy or eczema or asthma in the family, ask your midwife or GP.
Related guides
Based on NHS pregnancy food guidance. We do not test or rate individual products, quote prices or publish user reviews. Affiliate links do not influence what we include.
General information only, not medical advice: see the medical disclaimer. Feeling unwell after eating something? Contact NHS 111 or your GP.