Today I had the privilege of speaking to a class room of kids from the North Clackamas PACE program about prenatal and pregnancy nutrition. Since 1995 the PACE program has served pregnant and parenting teens in the North Clackamas School District. With a focus on parenting, academics, careers and employment PACE strives to support students connecting high school to a bright future and career.
Teaching about healthy foods
I loved how engaged the kids were with me! Everyone participated and asked questions…we had great conversations about food!!
Here are some of the highlights of todays talk:
- Eating a healthy well balanced diet will help you and your baby get needed nutrients.
- You should eat a variety of foods to get all the nutrients you need for pregnancy.
- Don’t forget to take your prenatal vitamins.
- The extra calories you eat should come from nutritious foods like lean meats, low fat milk, fruits, veggies, and whole grains.
- All girls of child bearing years need to get about 600 micrograms of folic acid daily to decrease their risks of birth defects or cardiovascular defects.
Dairy: 3 cups daily, recommended low -fat or non-fat milk products.
Examples of one serving: 1 cup milk, 8 ounces yogurt, 1 1/2 ounces cheese.
Fruits: 2 cups daily or more, fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruits, and only 100% natural fruit juices.
Example of one serving: 1 medium piece of fruit, 1/2 a large fruit like a mango, 1 cup chopped, cooked, or canned fruits, 1 cup 100% juice, 1/2 cup dried fruit.
On the way home from Clackamas, I found a place I have always wanted to go so I stopped for lunch!! Soooo delicious!!
Grains: 5-7 ounces, ready to eat cereals that are fortified, Whole grain breads, Whole grain pasta, or rice.
Examples of one serving: 1 ounce= 1 slice of whole wheat bread, 1 cup fortified cereal, 1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice, or pasta, 1/2 bun, small bagel, or english muffin.
Meats and Beans: 5-6 ounces, cooked dry beans, nuts and seeds, lean beef, chicken, pork, lamb, turkey, shrimp, clams, oysters, crab, halibut, cod, tuna, etc.
Examples of one serving: 1 ounce= 1 ounce of meat, fish or pultry. 1 large egg, 1/4th cup tofu, 1/2 cup cooked beans, 1 tbs PB, 1/3 cup unsalted nuts.
Vegetables: 3 or more cups per day, fresh, frozen, canned vegetables, vegetable juice. 
Examples of one serving: 1 cup= 2 cups raw leafy vegetables, 1 cup cooked vegetables, 1 cup veggie juice (low sodium)
Avoid: Alcohol, excessive caffeine, herbal supplements not given to you by your doctor, fish with high mercury levels, unpasteurized foods like cheese or milk, tobacco, illicit drugs.
*hot dogs, lunch meat, bologna, and deli meats should be heated until steaming hot before consuming.
In health,
Tara Arnold, RN
Mrs. Oregon 2013
Heart For Health 