I’ve been able to stuff my face with fruit a lot, which makes me feel better about the other terrible things on that list. I’ve had black licorice only a couple of times, but it sounds good most of the time. Because we live so far away from everything, I have only had cheeseburgers twice, (within 24 hours of each other). If anyone lives near IN-N-OUT, please send me a burger. I don’t buy ice cream, but my in-laws do, and they conveniently live next door. I’ve sent my husband over a few times to satisfy that craving, but didn’t end up eating all of it anyway. As for chips and salsa, I’ve found some good stuff to replace the usual horrible chips and store-bought salsa. Costco sells organic corn chips with 5 ingredients, all of which are real and even though one of them is vegetable oil, I forgive them. It’s better than any other label I’ve read, so I’m going with it. They also sell a fresh garden veggie salsa that is to die for. Good ingredients (minus sugar appearing at the very bottom) and you have to store it in the fridge, so you know there’s real fresh veggies involved. It’s delicious. I feel okay eating it, like I’m not harming myself, and fulfilling a craving is always really rewarding, especially if it doesn’t make you sick afterward (ice cream). Cottage cheese is always good, so I eat it a lot and hope it squashes some of the other cravings!

It’s been hard for me to try and eat everything clean while pregnant because of these cravings. Like I mentioned, I don’t live close to ANYTHING where I could purchase items on a whim, which makes my life a lot easier and healthier. However, when I am at the store, if a craving hits . . . watch out. I’m very happy with the diet I’ve kept thus far. I’ve still been careful, and I know that eating junk doesn’t make me feel good, so I stay away . . . mostly. When I eat ice cream or some licorice, I get a stomach ache. Sadly, cheeseburgers don’t have the same affect which makes me want them even more! 

I’ve learned that it’s okay to give in sometimes, as long as you’re prepared to live with the consequences. If you start a pregnancy eating super healthy like I did this time, I believe it makes it that much easier to stay away from the usual pitfalls. During my previous two pregnancies I craved doughnuts and chocolate milk constantly, on top of all of the other horrible food (french fries, burgers, candy, ice cream, chocolate, etc). I haven’t wanted chocolate this time. I haven’t had it in so long that it doesn’t really appeal to me in the same way anymore. Right at this minute if I had to splurge, it would probably be a burger! Or some salsa. I figure it could be a lot worse! 

Cravings are cravings, pregnant or not. We all have them, and it’s hard to stay away. I suggest making a deal with yourself that if you eat something healthy first (veggies, fruit, yogurt, smoothie, etc) then you can have what you thought you wanted. Doing this makes time pass, and also puts something else in your stomach. By the end, you might be too full or too satisfied to down that bag of chips anyway, saving you regret later. It’s hard. But the more we put good food into our bodies, the more we crave those good things, and not the bad.