Mommy-To-Be Snacks Hit Market

BOSTON -- Expectant mothers eating for two need more calories and more nutrients than they normally do.

Several companies hoping to capitalize on the maternity market are selling snacks for on-the-go moms-to-be, reported WCVB-TV in Boston. Do they provide enough nutritional benefit, or are they simply an empty-calorie convenience?

Allyson Hughes is expecting her first baby in October.

"It's been -- knock on wood -- a relatively straightforward pregnancy," she said.

She works full time, exercises daily and eats a healthy diet. But when she's in a rush and hunger strikes, she turns to energy bars.

"I actually am a big consumer, having been athletic, of supplement bars -- things like Cliff Bars, Pria bars," Hughes said.

Now, there are supplement bars and other snacks made just for moms-to-be. Ensure markets Healthy Moms shakes and snack bars. A company called Eating for Two debuted its Mommy Munchie bars earlier this year.

Melissa Turner Booth, a nutritionist at Newton Wellesley Hospital in Newton, Mass., offered her opinion.

"It's got calcium, folic acid, iron, protein -- a lot of the things pregnant women need," she said. "The question is: Are these things we can get in other food products? And the answer is yes."

Booth said that a glass of 1 percent milk, fruits, vegetables and cheese are just as convenient and are just as healthy as snacks marketed to moms.

"They're certainly a nutritious snack option. But there are other snack options and sometimes options that are more affordable," she said.

Healthy Mom shakes cost $1.50 each and you can get 10 of the bars for $3.49. Mommy Munchie bars are $1.99 each.

What about taste? Will snack bars and shakes satisfy a pregnant mom's cravings?

Hughes wasn't as impressed by the Healthy Mom bar. But she liked the Mommy Munchie.

"I would eat this as a snack," she said.