Bring This, Not That: The Hospital Edition
We started putting together a list of good snacks to have packed in your hospital bag (because hospital food kind of sucks) and in our research came across some, let’s say, not so good suggestions. It inspired us to share healthier swaps. Something to note – there is no need to concern yourself with counting calories when you’re going into labor (it’s the workout of your life). But not all calories are created equal, and if you can get your calories from whole, healthy, less processed sources – then you should do it. Here are our suggestions:
1) Coconut Water vs Powerade — Gatorade and Powerade are the leaders in the sports drink lines, and while labor requires a ton of energy it doesn’t call for electrolyte packed sugar bombs with chemical dyes. Opt for coconut water, or regular water instead.
2) All Natural Crackers with Justin’s PB vs Packaged PB Crackers — more protein, less sugar, and less ingredients in your healthier option.
3) Homemade Trail Mix vs Granola Bar — Granola and Breakfast bars are some of the biggest health food imposters. You are getting many of the same ingredients in your homemade trail mix – cashews, almonds, pepitas, raisins, without the added sugars.
4) Lara Bar vs Snickers Bar — A Lara Bar has two ingredients, cashews and dates, while a snickers has 18 ingredients and is packed with sugar. Another example of calories not being created equal – as with other whole fruits, the sugar from dates comes with nutrients. Dates provide a good source of fiber (which will help with that first ? post delivery) in a relatively small portion. They also contain natural plant compounds called polyphenols that are studied for their potential to support antioxidant defenses.
5) Dried Apricots vs Fruit Snacks — Now Dried Fruit not low on the sugar content, but if you need calories, opt for natural dried fruit, which is Loaded With Micronutrients, Fiber and Antioxidants. It’s a much better choice than the empty calories and impossible to pronounce ingredients pronounce that you’ll find in fruit snacks.
A few notes:
• We deliberately chose foods you could put in the hospital bag a few days before you head there so you don’t have to worry about what to bring. If you have fresh fruits and veggies in the house, those are obviously an excellent choice.
• These snacks are also great for Moms looking for snack ideas for their little ones, too.
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Juna is guided fitness and nutrition for your pregnancy and motherhood journey. Our content is designed to empower and support you through one of the most beautiful and challenging times of your life. #JunaMom#JunaMoms
