Can You Eat Ice Cream While Pregnant?

It goes without saying that when pregnant you want to do everything you can to support optimal fetal development and a lot of that begins with healthy eating. Pregnancy is a time of changing nutrition needs and it requires extra calories.

According to What to Expect, you'll need an extra 300-350 in your second trimester and by your third trimester, you should eat an additional 450-500 calories a day. Pregnancy is definitely not the time to restrict food (though food restriction is not a healthy practice even when not pregnant). Typically, people allow themselves to indulge a bit more when pregnant, and that's a positive mindset.

Ice cream is not a food that is without benefits. It contains many necessary nutrients, including calcium and phosphorus to build a strong skeletal system; Vitamin B12, which is vital for brain development and in preventing birth defects; and Vitamin C for a healthy immune system (via SFGate).