Pregnancy Diet Chart: Your Indian Meal Plan, Week by Week

Quick answer

A healthy Indian pregnancy diet is built on everyday home food: dal, roti or rice, seasonal vegetables and fruit, milk or curd, and protein from paneer, eggs, chicken or fish. You do not need to eat for two. Your calorie needs barely change in the first trimester and rise by about 350 calories a day from the fourth month, per ICMR-NIN. This tool turns that into a full week of meals for your trimester, region and food preference.

Pregnancy diet at a glance

Source: ICMR-NIN 2020 dietary recommendations for pregnant women. The third-trimester energy figure is left as "more protein" until the reviewer confirms the exact calorie number.

What is a pregnancy diet chart?

A pregnancy diet chart is a day-by-day meal plan that covers what to eat through each trimester so you and your baby get the right nutrients at the right stage. A good chart is built around food you already cook, spread across small, regular meals, and adjusted for whether you eat vegetarian or non-vegetarian.

How does the Mylo Pregnancy Diet Chart tool work?

Make three choices and the tool builds your week. You can change any of them at any time and download the full chart.

Pick your trimester: first (months 1 to 3), second (months 4 to 6) or third (months 7 to 9).

Choose your food preference: veg only, or veg and non-veg.

Select your region: North, South, East or West India.

You then see a full week, Monday to Sunday, with six meals a day: breakfast, mid-morning, lunch, evening snack, dinner and post-dinner. Each plan is reviewed by a dietitian.

How many extra calories do you need during pregnancy?

Hardly any in the first trimester. From the second trimester, ICMR-NIN recommends about 350 extra calories a day, roughly two rotis with a bowl of dal, plus more protein, iron and calcium. Eating for two is a myth, and too much weight gain carries its own risks.

What should you eat in each trimester?

First trimester (months 1 to 3)

Nausea and tiredness are common, so eat small meals every two to three hours. Folic acid matters most now for your baby's brain and spine, so the plan leans on dal, chana, spinach, methi and citrus fruit, alongside the folic acid your doctor prescribes. Keep a dry snack like khakhra or roasted chana by your bed for morning nausea.

Second trimester (months 4 to 6)

Appetite returns and your body needs more. Iron and calcium tablets usually start now, so meals add leafy greens, rajma, ragi and dates, paired with a vitamin C food like lemon, amla or guava to absorb more iron. Take iron and calcium at different times, and not with tea or coffee. A gestational diabetes test is done between 24 and 28 weeks, so go easy on sweets and maida.

Third trimester (months 7 to 9)

Your baby gains most of their weight now, so protein stays high. With less room in your stomach, heartburn and constipation are common, so meals stay small and add fibre, fluids and omega-3 from walnuts, flaxseed or fish. Avoid lying down straight after eating.

Is the diet chart different for North, South, East and West India?

The nutrients are the same everywhere; only the food changes. Choose your region and the plan uses meals you already cook.

North India: roti, dal, rajma or chole, paneer, sarson ka saag in winter, and lassi or chaas.

South India: idli, dosa or pongal with sambar, ragi, curd rice, coconut, and fish curry if you eat non-veg.

East India: rice with dal, shaak, a little posto, and fish such as rohu in a light macher jhol.

West India: poha, thepla, dhokla, bajra or jowar bhakri, and sol kadhi or kokum.

Can you follow this chart on a vegetarian or non-vegetarian diet?

Yes, both. Vegetarian plans reach your protein target with dal, curd, paneer, soy, nuts and seeds; vegetarians should ask their doctor about vitamin B12 and iron. Non-vegetarian plans add eggs, chicken and low-mercury fish two to three times a week, always fully cooked.

Which foods should you avoid during pregnancy?

Avoid alcohol, raw or undercooked meat, eggs and seafood, unboiled milk and soft cheese made from it, high-mercury fish such as shark and king mackerel, and raw unripe papaya. Keep caffeine under 200 mg a day, about one cup of filter coffee, and cut down on street food, deep-fried snacks and sugary drinks.

About this chart

Mylo's Pregnancy Diet Chart is a general guide based on ICMR-NIN dietary recommendations for pregnant women, reviewed by a qualified dietitian. It is not a substitute for medical advice. If you have gestational diabetes, thyroid problems, anaemia, or any other condition, or if your doctor has given you a special diet, follow the plan your doctor or dietitian gives you.

Frequently asked questions

What should an Indian pregnancy diet chart include?

Every day: whole grains like roti, rice, ragi or oats; two to three servings of dal or legumes; vegetables including leafy greens; two to three fruits; three servings of milk, curd or paneer; and eggs, chicken or fish if you eat non-veg. Add a few nuts and seeds, and drink 8 to 10 glasses of water.

What is the best diet for the first three months of pregnancy?

Small, frequent meals and plenty of folate. A simple day: poha or vegetable upma with milk, a fruit, roti with dal, sabzi and curd, roasted chana in the evening, and khichdi for dinner. Keep taking your folic acid.

How many extra calories do I need during pregnancy?

Hardly any in the first trimester. From the second trimester, ICMR-NIN recommends about 350 extra calories a day, roughly two rotis with a bowl of dal. You do not need to eat for two.

Is a vegetarian diet enough during pregnancy?

Yes, when it is planned. Pair dal with rice or roti, have curd, paneer or milk daily, and add soy, sprouts, nuts and seeds for protein. Vegetarians are more likely to run low on vitamin B12 and iron, so ask your doctor whether you need a test or a supplement.

Can I eat non-vegetarian food during pregnancy?

Yes. Eggs, chicken and fish give you protein, iron and omega-3. Cook them fully, and choose low-mercury fish such as rohu, salmon or sardines two to three times a week. Avoid high-mercury fish and anything raw or undercooked.

Which foods should I avoid during pregnancy?

Alcohol, raw or undercooked meat, eggs and seafood, unboiled milk and soft cheese made from it, high-mercury fish, and raw unripe papaya. Keep caffeine under 200 mg a day, and go easy on street food, fried snacks and sugary drinks.

Does eating ghee help with normal delivery?

There is no scientific evidence that ghee helps with normal delivery. A teaspoon or two a day as part of your meals is fine, but large amounts just add calories. Staying active, as your doctor advises, does more to prepare you for labour.

Is the pregnancy diet chart different for North and South India?

The nutrients you need are the same everywhere; only the foods change. A North Indian chart might use roti, rajma and paneer, while a South Indian one uses idli, ragi, sambar and curd rice. Pick your region in the tool to see meals you already cook.

References

This chart draws on recommendations from the following authorities.

Indian Council of Medical Research, National Institute of Nutrition. Recommended Dietary Allowances and Estimated Average Requirements for Indians, 2024. https://www.nin.res.in/RDA_Full_Report_2024.html

ICMR-NIN. Dietary Guidelines for Indians. https://www.nin.res.in/downloads/DietaryGuidelinesforNINwebsite.pdf

World Health Organization. Healthy diet, fact sheet. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet

NHS. Have a healthy diet in pregnancy. https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/have-a-healthy-diet/

NHS. Foods to avoid in pregnancy (includes the caffeine limit). https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/foods-to-avoid/

Anaemia Mukt Bharat, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (iron and folic acid supplementation). https://anemiamuktbharat.info/

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Nutrition during pregnancy. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/nutrition-during-pregnancy