The Bizarre Food Cravings Pregnant Moms Are Confessing
In a wild survey, the quirkiest pregnancy cravings that moms-to-be just can’t resist were uncovered. Think “pickles and cheese,” “sardines and ketchup,” and the all-time oddball champion, “peanut butter and marshmallow sandwiches, but with five bread layers.”
Out of 2,000 ladies who’ve welcomed new life into the world in the last six years, 89% of them went on a heavenly food journey with pregnancy cravings.
And what’s the star of the show? 47% of these expectant mothers yearn for seasonal delights, like pumpkin pie, when they were not available. Cosmic timing!
MOST POPULAR KINDS OF PREGNANCY CRAVINGS
- A seasonal food that was out of season at the time (e.g. Pumpkin pie) – 47%
- An unusual combination of foods (e.g. peanut butter and pickles) – 42%
- A specific food I could only get at one place – 35%
- Junk food (e.g. potato chips) – 33%
- Whole, natural foods (e.g. bananas) – 33%
- Salty foods – 30%
- Sweet foods – 30%
- Food I didn’t normally like eating – 30%
But a quirky 42% sought out the most unusual food mash-ups they could imagine. And 35% were searching for that one elusive dish, only available in a secret culinary hideaway.
Pregnancy Health And Maternal Nutrition
In a quest for pregnancy perfection, a recent survey conducted by OnePoll, working alongside Vitamin Angels, the public health nonprofit organization for maternal and child nutrition worldwide, revealed some interesting insights.
Did you know that by the end of their first trimester, half of the radiant respondents (that’s 50%) were in the habit of munching healthy goodies? They were also popping prenatal vitamins like they’re pregnancy’s secret potion 68%). They’re nurturing those tiny tots!
Furthermore, a staggering 89% of these amazing moms decided to change their daily routines to support their bun-in-the-oven adventures, with 38% of them jumping on the baby train right from the get-go.
On top of devouring nutrient-packed meals, they engaged in prenatal exercises (51% broke a sweat for two), guzzled fluids like there’s no tomorrow (38%), and squeezed in some extra beauty sleep (36%). That’s a full-on pregnancy glow-up!
Hold onto your baby bump, there’s more! Believe it or not, even before the stork’s arrival, about 11% of these lovely ladies had their baby name books out. But only 25% were stocking up on those prenatal vitamins.
“During pregnancy, the daily required intake of several key vitamins and minerals can increase by as much as 50% and often cannot be met through diet alone,” said Colleen Delaney, Ph.D., RDN, Vitamin Angels Technical Director for U.S. Programs. “It’s recommended to take a prenatal vitamin as early as 3 months prior to conception in order to ensure optimal maternal health and pregnancy outcomes.”
Mamas And Mini Tenants
In addition to divulging the quirkiest tales of their pregnancy health habits, the participants also shared their insights on how they formed spiritual connections with their tiny buns in the oven.
Notably, 56% of these modern-day mamas serenade their little bump, 55% have full-blown conversations with their babies, and 49% delve profoundly into prenatal literature.
However, when it came to the sacred art of self-care during the nine months, the respondents were like self-care warriors. A solid 50% rocked the prenatal exercise cape, 49% indulged in the luxury of prenatal massages, 48% took royal naps, and 46% feasted on the bounty of nutritious nectars.
Survey Methodology
This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 mothers of kids ages 0-6 was commissioned by Vitamin Angels between May 2 and May 5, 2023. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society and have corporate membership to the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).