What to Eat While Breastfeeding: Simple Meals, Snacks and What to Avoid

When you're breastfeeding, it can suddenly feel like everyone has an opinion about what you should be eating. You hear about foods that are supposed to increase milk supply, foods that might upset your baby, things you should avoid, how much water you need to drink, and whether you should be eating completely differently now.

I think all of that can make something fairly simple feel much more complicated than it needs to be.

For most moms, figuring out what to eat while breastfeeding is less about following a special diet and more about making sure you're eating enough, eating regularly, getting a good variety of foods, and keeping easy options around for the times when the baby has other plans.

I'd much rather make eating easier than give you another set of rules to follow, so this is a practical guide to what you can eat while breastfeeding, what's actually worth being careful with, and what a realistic day of food might look like when you also have a newborn to look after.

What should you eat while breastfeeding?

You don't need a completely different diet just because you're breastfeeding, and you definitely don't need every meal to look perfect.

I like to keep it simple and think about getting a few things onto the plate when I can: some protein, a carbohydrate, fruit or vegetables, some fat, and something I actually enjoy eating.

That could look like eggs and avocado on toast, chicken with rice and vegetables, Greek yogurt with berries and granola, pasta with chicken and pesto, or a wrap filled with hummus, chicken and salad.

There's plenty of room for convenience too. I use things like microwave rice, frozen vegetables, cooked chicken, bagged salad, jarred sauces and easy snacks, because they make it far more likely that I'll actually eat something decent when time is tight.

Start with ordinary foods you already like rather than trying to build your whole diet around anything labelled as being good for breastfeeding.

What to eat and drink while breastfeeding

One of the biggest things I focus on is simply eating often enough.

Breastfeeding uses extra energy, and it's very normal to feel hungrier than you did before. I wouldn't wait until you're absolutely starving before eating, because that usually makes everything harder and tends to leave you reaching for whatever's quickest.

Keeping breakfast, lunch, dinner and a couple of easy snacks in mind can make a big difference, even if the timing changes every day.

For drinks, water is the obvious one, but you don't need to spend the entire day forcing yourself to drink enormous amounts. I find it much easier to keep a water bottle beside the places where I tend to sit with the baby, because then drinking happens naturally rather than becoming another thing I have to remember.

Milk, smoothies and other drinks contribute to your overall fluid intake too. If you're having caffeine, it's worth keeping your total intake moderate, especially if you notice your baby seems unusually unsettled after you've had more than usual.

Easy foods to keep around while breastfeeding a newborn

When people ask what to eat while breastfeeding a newborn, I think the most useful answer is often less about nutrition theory and more about what you can actually get onto a plate while caring for a tiny baby.

These are the sorts of foods I like to keep around, because they can turn into breakfast, lunch or a snack without much effort:

Greek yogurt · eggs · bread or toast · oats · fruit · nut butter · cooked chicken · cheese · wraps or pita · microwave rice · frozen vegetables · hummus · pasta · tuna or salmon · avocado · granola · beans · bagged salad

I'd also keep a few easy flavor options around, such as pesto, salsa, pasta sauce or a dressing you like, because simple food is much more appealing when it actually tastes good.

The aim isn't to have the most impressive fridge. I just want to be able to open it and see two or three things that can become a meal without much thinking.

If most of your eating happens with a baby in one arm, I've written a separate list of one-handed meals that covers the same idea in a format you can eat while feeding.

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What I eat in a day breastfeeding

I don't love rigid meal plans in the newborn stage, because your day can change completely depending on feeds, naps and how the night went. So rather than a plan to follow, here's roughly what a day looks like for me when things are going reasonably well - and it looks different plenty of days, which is the point.

Breakfast is usually Greek yogurt with berries, granola and nut butter, or eggs and avocado on toast if I've got both hands.

Mid-morning I'll have whatever is closest, which is often a banana with peanut butter, cheese and crackers, or a boiled egg with fruit.

Lunch tends to be a chicken and avocado rice bowl, tuna on toast, or a wrap with chicken, hummus and salad.

By mid-afternoon I'm hungry again, and that's usually yogurt, trail mix, toast with nut butter or a smoothie.

Dinner is pasta with chicken and pesto, tacos, a simple curry, a stir-fry, or something from the freezer if the day has gone sideways.

And then quite often something later, because breastfeeding hunger doesn't really respect mealtimes. Cereal, toast, overnight oats, or yogurt and granola.

If you've been looking for a "what I eat in a day breastfeeding" example, I'd take this as a rough shape rather than something to copy. Your hunger, appetite, feeding pattern and food preferences are all going to be different from mine.

Is there a breastfeeding meal plan to increase milk?

There are plenty of foods online claimed to increase milk supply, from oats and brewer's yeast to particular teas, cookies and supplements.

I'd be careful about putting too much pressure on individual foods. Eating enough overall and not regularly skipping meals are sensible things to focus on, but there's no breastfeeding meal plan that reliably increases supply.

I've written more about what the evidence actually says on this in my article on breastfeeding snacks, including what a randomised trial found when it tested lactation cookies.

If you're genuinely worried about how much milk your baby is getting, that deserves proper feeding support rather than more pressure on what you eat. A lactation consultant, pediatrician or other qualified health professional can look at the whole picture with you.

What I actually focus on while breastfeeding

I focus much less on eating perfectly and much more on whether I'm feeding myself often enough.

I want easy meals in the house, snacks where I can reach them, something decent in the freezer, and enough flexibility that a difficult day doesn't mean the whole thing falls apart.

Buying pre-cooked chicken, using frozen vegetables or eating breakfast for dinner isn't taking a shortcut in a bad way. It's making food fit the amount of time and energy you actually have, which is usually what makes any of this stick.

Common questions

Can you eat normally while breastfeeding?

For most moms, yes. A varied diet made up of ordinary foods is usually all you need, with a few sensible precautions around alcohol, caffeine and higher-mercury fish.

Do you need to eat more while breastfeeding?

Many women feel noticeably hungrier, because making milk uses additional energy. I'd pay attention to your hunger rather than trying to ignore it or stick rigidly to what you ate before pregnancy.

Are there foods that increase breast milk supply?

There isn't one food that reliably increases supply for everyone. Eating enough overall, and getting support if supply is genuinely low, matter more than any particular snack, tea or cookie.

Can what I eat upset my breastfed baby?

Sometimes there's a genuine allergy or sensitivity, but most foods don't need to be routinely avoided. If you notice a consistent pattern or your baby has concerning symptoms, speak with a qualified healthcare professional before cutting out major foods.

Do you need to avoid dairy while breastfeeding?

Not unless there's a specific reason. Most breastfeeding moms can eat dairy normally, and removing it unnecessarily makes your own diet much harder.

If feeding yourself feels harder than it should

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This article is general information based on my own experience and on public health guidance, and it isn't personal medical or nutrition advice. If you have concerns about breastfeeding, milk supply, your own health or your baby's health, please speak with a qualified healthcare professional.

Flamingo Motherhood