Veggie craving chicken during pregnancy? (Specifically chicken selects!)

[upandmummin]

Been veggie for 2 years, I won't lie although much prefer not feeling guilty after eating my dinner (I always felt so guilty when I ate meat since I was a child) it wasn't solely for those reasons, I did also go off the texture and just gradually got to the point where I ate less and less meat, then only chicken, then veggie over the course of 10 years. I've not eaten red meat for a decade.

I've been hankering for McDonald's chicken selects for months this pregnancy and it just won't go away. I've tried the green cuisine southern fried 'chicken' strips and they're lovely but not scratching the itch. I've tried a few others and didn't rate them at all. I don't want to go and get them and then feel really guilty and sick. Has anyone found anything to help the craving? I thought it would go away if ignored but it's been 3 months! 😂

I've been pescatarian for 5 years and all I wanted during the early stages was chicken tikka sandwich spread on a baguette 🤣 I went completely off fish for a good 3 months so I just said screw it and had a bit of chicken. I live in rural-ish ireland where vegetarian food isn't readily available in restaurants, so while I was off fish I allowed myself to order chicken in restaurants too.
I think I was sick about 60% of the times I ate it and now couldn't look at chicken 🤢 but I don't feel guilty about having it when I did, I think when you're pregnant anything goes!

If it helps in anyway, there are some really good quorn/vegan versions of chicken. Example, aldis frozen vegan stuff is really good. Maybe try it and see if it calms your cravings?

I’m not veggie but I don’t eat processed meat. All I wanted during last pregnancy was sausages. Usually they absolutely turn my stomach, and I never touch them, but I couldn’t get enough of them during 2nd and 3rd trimester 😳

I had been veggie for 15 years when I craved my Mum's roasted chicken during one pregnancy. So I ate some. It was fine, certainly didn't make me ill (why would it?), and I never craved it again. That was it. ?? Not eaten any sort of meat or fish in the many years since.

Pregnancy is wierd. Hungry for some odd chicken thing from McDonalds? Eat it. Maybe you'll want it every day for a month. Maybe you'll never want it again. Maybe next week it will be roast dinner.

There are no veggie police. No one is going to turn you in. Enjoy your chicken sandwich, stay healthy and well.

I’m doing meat free all next week, so if you eat the chicken selects that will still be 6 days someone else isnt eating meat to balance it out :) see, it’s all about balance 😂

OP have you tried quorn crispy nuggets? They’re amazing, slightly undercooked and soggy I’d swear they were McDonald’s! Or burger kings vegan chicken royale 😋 it’s identical!

I remember my veggie SIL stuffing her face with a sausage roll during her first pregnancy.

Veggie over here and craved bacon sarnies during my first pregnancy. And then Xmas ham, which I never enjoyed when I was a meat eater.

Had them both several times and just put it down to my body needing something in them (fat, salt?). Don't stress it 🙂

I think you need to listen to your body. Have the chicken and see how you feel. Pregnancy is weird! I had an aversion to the smell of meat cooking so barely ate any meat during my pregnancy.

Yes I had this and have been vegetarian for 8 years! I upped my protein intake and it seemed to go away. The fake chicken didn't work, the baby must have been able to tell the difference 😂

Have you tried the Burger King vegan chicken royale? They're sooooo good. Not sure how similar/different to a McDonald's chicken select though.

@upandmummin try the fry's veggie range from Iceland. They do pop corn chicken,chicken nuggets and chicken goujons by far the best x

Thanks for this, everyone! I was in tears craving roasted chicken yesterday after not eating meat since 2001. Just entered second trimester a couple weeks ago. Glad to hear about other veggie pregnant people dealing with this.

I've been veggie for years and was vegan for years before that so haven't had meat or fish in well over a decade.
I fancied tuna mayo a few weeks ago so I had a tuna mayo jacket potato, it hit the spot and I haven't wanted one again.
I've been craving chicken a bit but see it as a bit of a different line to cross, but I'd say if you really want it just have it and stay healthy. Pregnancy does all kinds of weird things to our bodies. I've only got 7 weeks left but am still not ruling out having some chicken!

I craved tuna and fried chicken during pregnancy despite it being 21 years since touching meat! Didn't hv any neat though as seitan hit the craving :)

I was veggie for 11 years and 3 months into pregnancy I NEEDED chicken😂 I actually gave in and ate it until I had my son then went back to being veggie!

I actually think it's our body's way of telling us we need a certain nutrient. (Not that I think we need meat but we may be lacking b12 or protien and that's our body's way of telling us!)

I'm not veggie but that's what I was going to suggest too.

OP maybe try eating something veggie that has similar vitamins or proteins to chicken and see if that sorts your craving?

I’m not veggie. I do stick to high welfare free range meat and game and only eat small amounts ( cos it’s so expensive). I would not hesitate if pregnant though to break this rule and eat it things I normally don’t. Have the selects with a side salad and don’t worry.

Many years ago I ended up not eating much protein for a few weeks. I hadn't really thought about it until I started craving meat. I upped the protein and have not had such cravings since.

I had 2 vegan friends who also craved meat during pregnancy- despite both being vegans for many years. Both did eat meat/fish again during the pregnancy and 1 was severely anaemic. 1 is vegetarian now and the other eats everything again, incl meat! 😕

I've been veggie for 12 years but during a previous pregnancy I had a very unexpected craving for pork chops. I upped my iron rich foods and protein and the craving eased.

I'm now 8 weeks and not craving any meat this time. If I did I would try to ignore but wouldn't beat myself up too much if I caved. My only fear would be whether eating meat after so long would make me ill.

As others have said, I expect this is probably caused by needing more protein/some vitamin or mineral in the meat.

Finally, Burger King's vegan royale is incredible and I am now craving one.

Another plus one for the BK vegan royale - it's so great!
I now want one too!

I was vegan before my first pregnancy. About 60% of my thoughts during pregnancy were about Chicken McNuggets.

I also weirdly wanted barbecue sauce on everything.

SAME. Pescatarian for years and on pregnancy my chicken craving was WILD. Second time round it’s back again.
Quorn crispy nuggets at the GOAT and also the vegan KFC burger.