Trader Joes for the Preggos
April 25, 2011 6:24 AM Subscribe
Help me put together a care package for a pregnant friend based on shopping at Trader Joe's.
We have a dear friend who is struggling through the typical issues of her first trimester. She also lives in an area that doesn't have a Trader Joes. Occasionally we'll send them care packages consisting of the "best of" TJs, through postal mail (so not fresh produce, liquid, cheese, frozen) as a treat. We'd like to do so again, but this time I'd like a specific emphasis on anything that would be really good for her right now. I have never been pregnant, and all of my knowledge of what might be useful for her is coming secondhand.
So parents of MeFi, when you were at your morning-sickest, was there anything at TJs you found helpful? Or should I just forget about it and send the Joe-Joes on to her husband?
We have a dear friend who is struggling through the typical issues of her first trimester. She also lives in an area that doesn't have a Trader Joes. Occasionally we'll send them care packages consisting of the "best of" TJs, through postal mail (so not fresh produce, liquid, cheese, frozen) as a treat. We'd like to do so again, but this time I'd like a specific emphasis on anything that would be really good for her right now. I have never been pregnant, and all of my knowledge of what might be useful for her is coming secondhand.
So parents of MeFi, when you were at your morning-sickest, was there anything at TJs you found helpful? Or should I just forget about it and send the Joe-Joes on to her husband?
Best answer: Actual first-tri pregnant lady here: Anything with actual ginger (as opposed to ginger flavoring) is likely to be helpful for nausea, as is any sour sucking candy.
Important though: ask her husband what kind of stuff she's into lately, and whether food at all is a good idea. For example, I'm inexplicably off chocolate and on creamy vanilla stuff, which is a real departure for me, but is totally individual.
This is really nice of you.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 6:37 AM on April 25, 2011
Important though: ask her husband what kind of stuff she's into lately, and whether food at all is a good idea. For example, I'm inexplicably off chocolate and on creamy vanilla stuff, which is a real departure for me, but is totally individual.
This is really nice of you.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 6:37 AM on April 25, 2011
Pregnancy can also do a number on the skin.
If she wears makeup I quite like the makeup remover towelettes they carry, which are nice and moist and suitable for sensitive skin.
posted by Dragonness at 6:47 AM on April 25, 2011
If she wears makeup I quite like the makeup remover towelettes they carry, which are nice and moist and suitable for sensitive skin.
posted by Dragonness at 6:47 AM on April 25, 2011
Best answer: I've never been pregnant, but based on the ginger comments above, definitely get a few packages of their candied ginger. You can eat it straight, and it's delicious.
Trader Joe's has good haircare and skincare products, so include some of those.
posted by Metroid Baby at 6:58 AM on April 25, 2011
Trader Joe's has good haircare and skincare products, so include some of those.
posted by Metroid Baby at 6:58 AM on April 25, 2011
Best answer: TJs has packages of ginger chews. They're really good with morning sickness. Also see if TJs has any 'real' ginger ale.
The other thing is, I'm finding I am kind of hot and cold with what you like one week to another. One week I am all about savory stuff. The next week, all I want is toast and vanilla soft serve yogurt and just plain Special K cereal. It kind of depends on what you threw up lately and how traumatic it was. I find if I feel like I almost threw up my shoes, I am over that meal/food for some time.
posted by jerseygirl at 7:00 AM on April 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
The other thing is, I'm finding I am kind of hot and cold with what you like one week to another. One week I am all about savory stuff. The next week, all I want is toast and vanilla soft serve yogurt and just plain Special K cereal. It kind of depends on what you threw up lately and how traumatic it was. I find if I feel like I almost threw up my shoes, I am over that meal/food for some time.
posted by jerseygirl at 7:00 AM on April 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
When I was in my first trimester I ate mostly little handfuls of dry snacks. I recommend dry cereal, plain crackers, those single-serving packets of Omega-3 trail mix, uncrystalized candied ginger, and freeze-dried fruit.
posted by milk white peacock at 9:30 AM on April 25, 2011
posted by milk white peacock at 9:30 AM on April 25, 2011
during my 2nd tri, I suddenly lost my appetite. My nurse/midwife recommended papaya enzymes (in the vitamin section) as an alternative to tums, etc. They did the trick.
posted by snowymorninblues at 2:11 PM on April 25, 2011
posted by snowymorninblues at 2:11 PM on April 25, 2011
Best answer: These Ginger Chews help with my motion sickness; they might help with pregnancy nausea, too. Seems likely TJs would carry them.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 3:23 PM on April 25, 2011
posted by pseudostrabismus at 3:23 PM on April 25, 2011
You should either ask, or just get her whatever she normally loves. In my first trimester, I didn't want to eat anything, ever. I ate cheese and crackers for nearly every meal. Now, several weeks later, I just love food again. Send her delicious things that will still be good in a couple months when her stomach settles, or find out what she specifically wants right now. She might be incredibly sick of ginger already, by the way.
posted by that's how you get ants at 3:24 PM on April 25, 2011
posted by that's how you get ants at 3:24 PM on April 25, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
You might want to send basic, plain stuff now and save the really fun stuff for the second and third trimesters (assuming she's past the crappy stuff then...I wasn't).
The other sucky thing I remember is that I would sometimes find a foodstuff that I could tolerate but then I'd be hit with a particularly bad bout of nausea/vomiting and then I'd be put off that foodstuff for the duration.
posted by cooker girl at 6:35 AM on April 25, 2011