Pregnancy plate: a Rwandan-friendly guide
Local foods that cover all your daily needs — affordably.
Video coming soon
The full lesson is written out below, so you can read it now and watch or listen later.
Read the transcript
You do not need special or imported food to eat well while pregnant. Build each plate from a staple, a protein, a vegetable and a fruit, such as ubugali, rice or sweet potato, plus beans or groundnuts, plus greens, plus whatever fruit is in season.
Beans, groundnuts, eggs, small dried fish and dark green leaves like dodo and isombe are the cheapest strong sources of iron and protein. Eating them with a fruit or a tomato helps your body absorb the iron.
You need roughly one extra small meal a day in the last months, not eating for two. Wash all fruit and vegetables, cook meat and eggs through, and avoid unpasteurised milk, very strong tea and any alcohol.
Key points to remember
- 1Staple, protein, vegetable and fruit on every plate.
- 2Beans, groundnuts and dark greens are affordable iron.
- 3One extra small meal a day, not double portions.
When to get help
Talk to your clinic if you are losing weight, cannot afford enough food, or feel too nauseous to eat. There is support, and it matters for your baby's growth.
Ask privately