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Third Trimester Diet: Foods & Recipes

Third Trimester diet and recipes

Learn what to eat in your third trimester, including key nutrients, healthy foods, meal ideas and how to meet your extra 200-calorie daily needs.

9 min

Pregnancy diet

09/06/2026

HiPP

On this Page

What your body is doing
Breakfast ideas
Lunch ideas
Dinner ideas
Are there any foods that induce labour?

Best foods to consume in the third trimester

In the third trimester , your baby is growing quickly and you might find you are hungrier than usual. At last, you’re recommended to increase your daily calorie intake – you’re finally ‘eating for two!’ – but only by 200 kcal, bringing your total daily recommended intake to 2200 kcal/day. That doesn’t amount to much.

An average-sized banana is around 100 kcal
150 g of low fat or Greek style yoghurt is close to 200 kcal
A 50 g serving of hummus with carrot sticks amounts to about 150 kcal
An egg on whole-wheat toast would equate to around 200 kcal. (Remember that only British Lion stamped eggs are safe to eat with a runny yolk during pregnancy.)

You can expect to gain weight in this trimester – not just to your bump, but also to your breasts, hips and bum. According to the NHS, most women gain between 10 – 12.5 kg during their pregnancy, equivalent to 22 – 28 lb. Most of this will come during the second half of your pregnancy – from 20 weeks onwards. Remember that your body is storing fat, ready to make breast milk, and that you’re also growing an entirely new organ (the placenta) alongside your baby! You’ve also got more blood and more fluid in your body, which all adds up.

The balance of nutrients needed in this trimester is basically the same as in the second trimester, with an added emphasis on calcium to help support bone development. We’ll give you a few third trimester dinner ideas, but first: a quick breakdown of the essential nutrients.

Calcium & Vitamin D

Calcium and vitamin D are needed for normal growth and development of bone.

Dairy foods, such as milk, cheese and yogurt are a good source of calcium: try and opt for low fat varieties where possible. Other non-dairy sources include fortified plant-based milks and yogurts, calcium-fortified breakfast cereals, green leafy vegetables, almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts and sesame seeds.

You can get small amounts of vitamin D from eggs, oily fish, milk and yoghurt, but we get most of our vitamin D from the summer sun. As the British weather doesn’t always deliver, pregnant and breastfeeding women are advised to take a supplement of 10 ug/day.

Iron & Vitamin C

During pregnancy your body needs extra iron to ensure that baby has sufficient blood supply and oxygen levels. To keep levels topped up, increase your intake of iron-rich foods like red meat, pulses, green leafy vegetables, fortified breakfast cereals and bread. Munching food high in vitamin C in the same meal, like oranges, strawberries, peppers and tomatoes, helps your body to absorb the iron.

Omega 3

Maternal omega 3 (DHA) intake contributes to the normal brain development of babies.

Oily fish are particularly good sources of omega 3 to include in your third trimester, so make sure you follow healthy eating guidelines and include at least one portion of oily fish per week – but no more than two.

Other sources of omega 3 include nuts, seed and oil spreads made from them (e.g. nut butters – unless you have a nut allergy or have been advised to avoid eating peanuts by a healthcare professional.)

Fibre

Constipation can be an issue in the later stages of pregnancy. Opting for wholegrain varieties of starchy foods can help increase the level of fibre, which in turn is beneficial for digestion and aiding constipation.

Tips to increase fibre intake include opting for:

Higher-fibre breakfast cereal such as plain wholewheat biscuits or plain shredded wheat or porridge as oats are also a good source of fibre.
Wholemeal or granary breads
Wholewheat pasta
Brown rice.
Snacks of fresh or dried fruit, vegetable sticks, unsalted nuts and seeds.

Other considerations

You may hear advice around incorporating vitamins and nutrients such as Vitamin B6, B12, Choline, Folate, Folic Acid, Fat, Oils, and Iodine. However, there is no need to actively eat foods rich in these nutrients as a healthy balanced diet will provide enough of each of these through your third trimester and beyond.

What your body is doing in the third trimester

In the last trimester, eating will become harder as your growing baby and uterus squash your internal organs. Your stomach can no longer manage big meals, causing symptoms like heartburn and indigestion, while the rest of your gastrointestinal system is likewise afflicted by a combination of lack of space and pregnancy hormones. You might find you’re suffering with trapped wind and constipation, which can cause other problems, like haemorrhoids (piles).

At the same time, you might be feeling hungrier than usual, and certainly your body is working much harder. Even walking takes more energy than it used to now that you’re carrying around this additional weight.

You can help manage your symptoms by eating smaller but more regular meals, staying hydrated and sticking to your balanced diet.

Breakfast ideas for third trimester

You need your energy now more than ever, so start with a hearty breakfast like this vegetable omelette.

Omelette with vegetables and feta

Contains vitamin B12, vitamin D and protein
About 345 kcal per serving
Preparation time: 30 min
Difficulty: easy

Ingredients for two people

4 eggs
50 ml semi skimmed milk
Salt and Pepper to season
100 g cherry tomatoes
1 courgette
1/2 aubergine
1 clove garlic
30 g black olives
2 tbsp olive oil
2 sticks of basil
25 g reduced fat feta

Preparation

Whisk eggs with milk, pepper and salt.
Cut the tomatoes in half. Cut the courgette and aubergine into small cubes. Peel and press the garlic. Cut the olives into small pieces.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and fry the courgette and aubergine with the garlic in it. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with basil. Fold in the tomatoes and olives.
Heat the remaining oil in a pan and fry half of the egg mixture on both sides. Place on a plate and top with half of the vegetable mixture.
Sprinkle with feta and close.

If you prefer your breakfast a little sweeter, try this banana and cocoa porridge, which incorporates peanuts for protein and additional fibre.

Porridge with banana, cocoa and nuts

Contains fibre, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin B1
About 405 kcal per serving
Preparation time: 20 min
Difficulty: easy

Ingredients for two people

300 ml oat drink (or other plant-based drink)
100 g oats
7 g cocoa powder
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 banana (medium sized)
30 g unsalted peanuts

Preparation

Heat the oat drink in a saucepan. Stir in oats, cocoa powder and maple syrup and simmer for 2-3 minutes over a medium heat.
In the meantime, peel the banana, cut in half lengthwise and cut into pieces.
Roast the nuts in a hot pan without fat over a medium heat for about 3 minutes.
Pour the porridge into bowls and decorate with banana and nuts.

If you’ve never been a breakfast person, now is the time to start – even if you just make yourself something to eat on the go. You’ll soon find yourself flagging without it!

Lunch ideas for third trimester

A third trimester lunch really needs to get you through the afternoon slump so that you’re not reaching for quick-fix sugar highs before dinner. Try to make extra at dinner so that you have leftovers to see you through the following lunchtime, or take some time the night before to prepare a healthy lunch and avoid falling back on a sad supermarket meal deal. Green lentils are packed full of fibre and protein and go well with the similarly nutritious chickpeas – both of which are in the legume family, notorious for their nutritional benefits. Pair them with peppers, onion and feta for a lovely cold salad, or spice them up in a hearty stew for a microwaveable lunchtime treat.

Lentil salad with chickpeas

With protein, zinc, potassium, iron and fibre
Per serving about 310 kcal
Preparation time: 20 min
Level of difficulty: easy

Ingredients for two people:

100g dried red split lentils (or 250g cooked)
1/2 tin (approx. 120g drained) canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 bunch radishes
1/2 small red onion
1/2 clove garlic
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 pinch of salt
Black pepper

Preparation

If using dried red lentils, rinse well and boil in water for 10–12 minutes until tender but not mushy, then drain and cool. If using canned lentils, simply rinse and drain thoroughly.
Rinse and drain the canned chickpeas.
Wash the radishes thoroughly and cut into thin slices. Peel and finely dice the red onion.
For the dressing, peel and crush the garlic. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, a small pinch of salt, and black pepper.
In a large bowl, combine the lentils, chickpeas, red onion, radishes, and tarragon. Pour over the dressing, toss gently to combine, and serve cold or at room temperature.

Sandwiches and wraps remain a lunchtime stalwart and can be made more nutritious by choosing the fillings wisely. Think about sources of protein, fibre and healthy fats as you’re making them – so chicken and avocado on wholewheat bread, or hummus, feta and roasted beetroot in a wholewheat wrap.

Dinner ideas for third trimester

The same rules apply to dinner as to lunch – try to think about where you’re adding nutrients for the healthiest combination. If you like using leftover dinner for lunch, give this some thought when you’re making a third trimester meal plan – a roast dinner doesn’t have quite the same appeal in Tupperware the next day as cold pasta!

This courgette and aubergine bulgur wheat bowl is perfect for leftovers and contains plenty of fibre and protein.

Bulgur stir-fry with yoghurt mint sauce

Contains protein and fibre
About 455 kcal per serving (467g)
Preparation time: approx. 30 min
Difficulty: easy

Ingredients for two people

Bulgur pan:
- 150 g bulgur wheat
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small courgette
- 1/3 aubergine
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1 bunch parsley
- Salt, pepper
Yogurt mint sauce:
- 140g full fat Greek yoghurt
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Mint leaves
- Salt and pepper to season

Preparation

Prepare the bulgur wheat according to the package instructions.
While the bulgur wheat is simmering, prepare the yogurt mint sauce: Mix all the ingredients with the juice of the squeezed lemon and set aside.
Dice the courgette and aubergine the size of a walnut, fry and season, dice the tomatoes.
Mix the bulgur with the vegetables, tomatoes and parsley and season to taste.
Finally, add yogurt mint sauce on top.

Other delicious ideas for dinners include pasta with chicken, pesto and spinach, creamy chickpea curry, hearty fish pie, and basically anything you enjoy that has a good balance of protein, carbohydrates, fibre and healthy fats.

Are there any foods that induce labour?

As you come towards the end of your third trimester, you may be reading through old wives’ tales for a list of foods that can induce labour. Unfortunately, though, most are just hearsay, and some things might actually be harmful.

One popular theory is that eating spicy food or pineapple can trigger contractions. However, there’s very little evidence that these actually work. Go carefully, and apply common sense – the last thing you need is an upset tummy with labour approaching.

Conclusion

By the end of your third trimester, your baby will be making eating full meals quite difficult, and you might want to switch to four or five smaller meals rather than three big ones. However it works for you, aim for a balance of the important food groups across the day and pay special attention to your calcium intake – particularly if you don’t eat dairy and need to get those nutrients in from other sources.

You might be feeling tired and achy but keeping active during these last three months will help ease your aches and pains and maintains your fitness and flexibility ready for birth and motherhood. Even a short walk every day will help – perhaps after dinner, if you’re finding indigestion a problem in the evenings. Though we are of course emphasising nutrition and healthy eating here, many people will struggle to stick to a healthy eating plan through some of the most exhausting months of their life – and that’s fine too. Just make nutritious choices where you can, allow yourself occasional treats, and let others cook for you as much as possible. Even if you can’t eat it all now, you can freeze it ready for when the baby comes!