When Elira Trost found out she was pregnant, she was overjoyed—and also slightly nervous. As a lifelong vegan, she began wondering if her usual meals would meet her body’s new needs.
“I knew I had to be more intentional,” she shares. “It wasn’t just about me anymore.”
Elira reached out to a plant-based nutritionist and began consulting OB-GYN-approved guidelines for pregnancy. What she learned surprised her. “I didn’t need to abandon my values—I just had to make sure I was hitting the right nutrients.”
Her recipes became more focused: iron from lentils and spinach, calcium from fortified plant milks, omega-3s from flax and chia seeds, and plant-based proteins from tofu, beans, and grains. But flavor was never sacrificed. Elira continued making her favorite curries, stews, and grain bowls—just with a mindful twist.
She noticed her energy stayed strong throughout her pregnancy. Her digestion was smooth, and her doctors were consistently pleased with her labs. “The key was balance,” she says. “And trusting that plant-based eating, when done right, is powerful.”
For Elira, vegan pregnancy wasn’t a limitation—it was a celebration of nourishment, both for herself and the baby growing inside her.
