What to have for breakfast at the hawker centre when you’re pregnant?
During pregnancy, you may want to cut down on certain types of Singapore hawker food, as you are more susceptible to food poisoning. As a general rule, when eating out, choose foods which are freshly-cooked or prepared only after you place your order,” says Ms Nehal Kamdar, Senior Dietitian, Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), a member of the SingHealth group.
“When you’re pregnant, you should be careful of pre-cooked foods that have been left out at room temperature for some time, e.g. Indian rojak, steamed chicken rice or nasi padang dishes,” she says.
Ms Kamdar shares her thoughts on the types of hawker foods that are healthier options for you when you’re pregnant.
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Breakfast options at hawker centres during pregnancy
Roti prata
Roti prata is a common breakfast item that is made up of flour and ghee (fat) and then cooked in oil. It is typically served with a plate of curry. Other varieties of roti prata may feature ingredients such as egg, cheese, chocolate and banana.
Two pieces of plain roti prata and a plate of curry can easily contain 500 calories. You should remember that your energy requirements only increase by 370 kcal per day in the 2nd trimester and 480 kcal per day in the 3rd trimester.
Other than fat and carbohydrate, roti prata does not contain significant amounts of nutrients such as protein, iron, calcium, folate and vitamin A. Hence, whilst roti prata can be eaten occasionally or when you have a craving for it, it is not the healthiest breakfast choice.
Kopi, toast and soft-boiled eggs
Kopi, toast and soft-boiled eggs are breakfast staples in Singapore. The good news is that when you’re pregnant, you can still enjoy this local breakfast. Instead of soft-boiled eggs, ask for the eggs to be hard-boiled to reduce the risk of food poisoning.
Related article: Are designer eggs better for your heart?
Which hawker foods are healthier breakfast choices for pregnant women?
When you’re pregnant, a healthy and nutritious breakfast should consist of complex or slowly-digested carbohydrates (e.g. fresh fruit, wholegrain cereal, low-fat dairy products) paired with protein-containing foods (e.g. egg, reduced fat cheese, tau huay).
Here are some examples of Singapore hawker food that you can have for breakfast when you’re pregnant:
Tau huay (with less syrup) and soon kueh
Thosai or idli with lentil curry
Fish or chicken porridge (without yu char kway – fried dough fritters)
Yam cake with 1 glass of reduced-sugar soya bean milk
Related article: Can you still eat laksa and oyster omelette when you’re pregnant?
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This article was written with expertise from Ms Nehal Kamdar, Senior Dietitian, Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), a member of the SingHealth group for HealthXchange.
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