25 Weird Pregnancy Cravings (and Healthy Swaps)

One minute you are fine. The next you need a dill pickle, right now, and maybe some ice cream after it. Pregnancy cravings can be loud, oddly specific and a little funny, and almost every mom-to-be has a story about one.

Here are 25 common (and weird) pregnancy cravings, each with a healthy swap that still hits the spot, plus a short guide to handling them without guilt. Every body is different, so check with your doctor or midwife about any food questions you have.

1. Dill Pickles Straight From the Jar

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A jar of bumpy whole pickles, dill heads and a garlic clove. Salty, sour and crunchy all at once, so no wonder it's the famous one.

Best for: first trimester queasy days, desk snacks.

Try this: Pickles are salty, so keep a water bottle nearby when you snack on them.

2. Fruity Ice Cream Cones

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Three waffle cones stand in glass bottles: yellow with a blood orange slice, pink with pomegranate seeds and pale green mint chip. Cold, creamy and sweet in every bite.

Best for: summer evenings, late third trimester when you feel warm.

Try this: Freeze blended mango in a loaf pan and scoop it like sorbet, or sip one of these pregnancy smoothies instead.

3. Salty Seasoned French Fries

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Thick-cut fries, golden at the edges and dusted with dried herbs. Salty, warm and starchy, the classic craving after a long day.

Best for: a cozy dinner at home, a lunch out with coworkers.

Try this: Soak cut potatoes in cold water for 20 minutes, then dry them well. They crisp up much better in the oven.

4. Sour Lemons

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Ripe lemons hang between glossy leaves. Some moms-to-be want to bite straight into a wedge, and everyone nearby winces.

Best for: first trimester nausea days, hot afternoons.

Try this: Sour food is acidic, so rinse with plain water after a lemon session to be kind to your teeth.

5. Corn and Crema Tacos

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Two corn tortillas folded over charred corn, crispy bits, cilantro and white crema. A craving you can turn into a full meal.

Best for: dinner, taco night with your partner or friends.

Try this: Choose pasteurized crema or sour cream, and cook any meat filling all the way through and serve it hot.

6. A Tower of Fried Chicken Sandwiches

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Three crispy chicken sandwiches with pickles and sauce, stacked into a silly tower with fries all around. The "I could eat a horse" craving.

Best for: second trimester hunger, a weekend lunch.

Try this: Make crispy chicken cutlets on Sunday and reheat them in the oven for fast sandwiches all week.

7. Dark Chocolate by the Square

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Thick chocolate squares stacked with a few coffee beans. Almost everyone gets this one.

Best for: an after-dinner treat, a work drawer snack.

Try this: Coffee and chocolate both have caffeine. Ask your doctor or midwife how much is right for you.

8. Extra Cheesy Pizza

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A slice lifts off a hot cheese pizza with long strings of melted cheese, and more pizzas wait behind it.

Best for: Friday night dinner, movie night.

Try this: Pizza should come out piping hot. Skip cold pizza toppings like deli meats unless they are heated until steaming.

9. Icy Watermelon

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Watermelon wedges and cubes on a white plate, with two glasses of watermelon juice behind. The easiest icy, sweet swap there is.

Best for: summer, third trimester when you feel warm.

Try this: Freeze watermelon cubes and use them as ice cubes in water.

10. Peanut Butter Toast With Banana

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Three toasts on a yellow plate: chocolate spread, plain peanut butter, and peanut butter with banana, raisins and cinnamon.

Best for: breakfast, a snack before a long meeting.

Try this: Keep a small jar of peanut butter at work with rice cakes for a quick fix.

11. Glazed Donuts

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Four donuts stacked by a teacup: chocolate glazed, cinnamon sugar, pink frosted and chocolate again. Soft, sweet carbs, often in the afternoon.

Best for: a weekend treat, office birthday days.

Try this: Bring a donut box to share at work so you get one, not four.

12. Spicy Peppers on Everything

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Shiny red and green jalapenos on a sunny plant. Some moms-to-be want heat on every meal.

Best for: dinner, any trimester if your stomach is happy.

Try this: Spicy food can make heartburn worse for some people, so keep it earlier in the day if you notice that.

13. Buttery Popcorn

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A glass bowl overflowing with fluffy popcorn. A great answer to salty, crunchy cravings.

Best for: movie night, a work snack.

Try this: Pop a big batch, then portion it into small bags for the week.

14. Cereal at Midnight

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Whole grain cereal squares with a glass of milk, orange juice and half a pink grapefruit. The funny one: so many moms-to-be swear by cereal at 2 a.m.

Best for: late-night hunger, third trimester when sleep is broken.

Try this: If you wake up hungry a lot, a small protein snack before bed may help.

15. Briny Green Olives

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A tall jar of bright green olives in brine with an olive branch tucked in. Salty, with a bit of healthy fat.

Best for: a snack plate, a light dinner.

Try this: Make a mini snack board with olives, cucumber and pasteurized cheese for a work potluck.

16. Creamy Mac and Cheese

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Little pasta shells in smooth orange cheese sauce. Pure comfort food for tired days.

Best for: dinner on a tired weeknight, cold winter days.

Try this: Blend cooked butternut squash into the cheese sauce. It stays creamy and adds color.

17. Juicy Ripe Mango

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A mango cut into a cubed "hedgehog" on a gray plate, with whole mangoes and blueberries. A sweet craving you can say yes to.

Best for: breakfast, summer, any trimester.

Try this: Blend mango with milk and ice for a quick smoothie that tastes like dessert.

18. Pancakes With Syrup and Berries

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Three golden pancakes with syrup, strawberries and blueberries. Breakfast food works any time of day.

Best for: weekend brunch, breakfast for dinner.

Try this: Make "breakfast for dinner" night with your partner. It is cheap, easy and fun.

19. Gummy Bears

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A giant red gummy bear stands on a heap of little red, yellow, orange and green ones. Chewy candy, sweet or sour, is hard to ignore.

Best for: a road trip, a small treat at work.

Try this: Buy a small bag, not a family size. Out of sight really helps.

20. Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

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A peanut butter layer, a smooth chocolate top and a scatter of peanuts, with a jug of chocolate sauce beside it. Sweet and salty in one forkful.

Best for: dessert, a baby shower treat table.

Try this: Make mini versions in a muffin tin so a slice is already a small portion.

21. Grapefruit and Pomegranate

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Open pomegranates, a halved pink grapefruit, lemons, a coconut and grapes at a fruit stand. Tart and juicy, just right for a queasy morning.

Best for: first trimester, winter citrus season.

Try this: Grapefruit can interact with some medicines, so check with your doctor or pharmacist if you take any.

22. French Toast With Maple Syrup

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Golden French toast triangles with a small cup of syrup. Cozy and eggy for slow mornings.

Best for: weekend breakfast, a holiday morning.

Try this: Make sure the center is cooked and not wet before you eat it.

23. Frosted Cupcakes

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A cupcake with a tall swirl of light brown frosting and a chocolate wafer on top. Some moms-to-be crave the frosting most.

Best for: birthdays, a baby shower dessert table.

Try this: Bake a batch, frost two and freeze the rest plain for later.

24. A Big Fruit Platter

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Neat rows of watermelon, papaya, mango, cantaloupe, pineapple, kiwi and honeydew, with grapes on top. Can't decide? Graze.

Best for: a party, a work meeting, sharing with friends.

Try this: Wash all produce well before you cut it, even melons with a thick rind.

25. Yogurt Parfait in a Jar

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A glass jar layered with yogurt, granola and blueberries, with almonds and honey behind it.

Best for: breakfast on the go, a desk snack.

Try this: Pack the granola in a separate little container so it stays crunchy until lunch.

How to Handle Pregnancy Cravings Without Guilt

Cravings are normal. You don't have to fight every one, just enjoy them while eating well most of the time.

1. Name the craving. Is it salty, sweet, sour, crunchy, creamy or cold? That tells you which swap will work.
2. Try the swap first. Have the healthy version, then wait 15 minutes. If you still want the real thing, have a small portion.
3. Pair it with protein. Pickles with a sandwich, chocolate with nuts, cereal with milk. You stay full longer.
4. Keep easy options close. Stock the fridge and your work bag with ready snacks so the drive-through is not your only choice.
5. Watch the "no" list. Some foods are often on the avoid list in pregnancy, like raw fish, unpasteurized cheese and cold deli meat. Ask your doctor or midwife what applies to you.

Craving type	Try this first	Treat-size version
Salty	Popcorn, olives, cucumber with salt	A small order of fries
Sweet	Mango, frozen grapes, yogurt parfait	Half a donut or a mini cupcake
Sour	Lemon water, grapefruit	A few pickles
Creamy and cold	Banana "nice cream", smoothie	A kid-size cone
Spicy	Fresh jalapenos, salsa	Your favorite hot sauce

For more ideas, keep a list of healthy pregnancy snacks on your phone and plan simple pregnancy meals so you are not starving by dinner.

FAQ

When do pregnancy cravings start? Many people notice cravings in the first trimester, and they often feel strongest in the second. Some people never get them at all, and that is normal too.

Why do I crave pickles and ice cream? Nobody knows for sure. Hormones, a changing sense of taste and smell, and plain old hunger may all play a part.

Is it OK to give in to cravings? Most of the time, a small portion of what you want is fine. Try to keep most of your meals balanced, and ask your doctor or midwife if you have questions about a specific food.

What if I crave ice, dirt, starch or chalk? Cravings for things that are not food can happen. Tell your doctor or midwife about them, and don't eat non-food items.