Bump up this Chinese New Year with Healthy Eating!

The heart of Chinese New Year is ultimately a celebration with your loves ones at home, hence gatherings with family and relatives around the dining table are what we look forward to as we catch up. The following days are then spent visiting relatives and friends, conveying blessings of good fortune for the year ahead and enjoying time with the ones who matter most. 

Next is the planning and preparation of CNY delicacies at home for our dear guests. Some popular choices range from the all-time favourites like bak kwa and pineapple tarts to classic reunion dinner such as steamboat and pen cai 盆菜, and more!

You may be snacking for two while pregnant, but you still have to snack smart and healthily! These foods, while mouth-watering as they are, are high in sugar, carbohydrates and calories. Over-indulgence of snacks can lead to health risks like pregnancy-induced hypertension, pre-eclampsia, and/or bacteria infection.

*Fun fact: One slice of Bak Kwa (60g) has 230kcal, 8g of fat, 25g sugar and 500mg of sodium

Always have your bottle or cup of water handy and take a sip with every bite of a CNY snack. Doing this will fill you up faster and ensure you don’t get ‘heaty’ from the baked-goods such as love letters or cookies and fried food. Savor each bite and chew it through slowly to have better digestion. This will also avoid the problem of heartburns commonly faced by mommies.

And with Chinese New Year comes the temptations for snacking and feasting on all the yummy goodies so we’re sharing some tips to make the most out of your CNY munching while preggers!

It’s fairly common to have up to 4-6 homes to visit over the first two days of the Chinese New Year. If this is your first time celebrating the Chinese New Year with a baby, there’s also doubt about whether you’ll be able to pull off bringing the baby out for full days of visiting.

Planning is the key to success! Map out what your visiting days are going to look like. Think through the order of home visits, how long it will take to get from place to place, how much time you will spend in each home. Then try to shift the timings around your own nap time or your baby’s schedule so that it is not majorly affected.

If you have a child whose bedtime may clash while you’re out visiting, shower them and bring their pyjamas along. That way, you can change them and tuck them into their carrier without messing up their sleeping pattern, plus, you’d be able to stay longer while visiting as well!

Even a 15-minute power nap can make a difference. Listen and observe what your body is telling you. If needed, take frequent breaks. I am sure that your family members will understand your needs if you have to excuse yourself.

A good way to ensure you get enough rest is to plan a reasonable schedule for your house visiting or hosting at home during this CNY.

Last but not least, although all the above sounds like a lot of hard work and planning, make it your aim to HAVE FUN! After all, Chinese New Year only comes but once a year. At the end of the day, remember to savour those precious moments with your family and friends.