What to eat when trying to conceive: Storka's 5 preconception nutrition principles
When I started preparing for pregnancy, every search about a fertility diet seemed to end in a longer list of rules. What helped me most was the opposite: a handful of principles I could carry into any kitchen, any restaurant and any ordinary Tuesday.
At Storka, preconception nutrition is about enjoying the life you are living now—not starving, restricting or depriving yourself. These are the five principles we come back to.
1. I balance my blood sugar
Choose slower-releasing carbohydrates where you can, enjoy breakfasts rich in protein and fat, and avoid eating carbohydrates on their own. A short walk after a meal helps too. I wrote more about this in how blood sugar influences your fertility journey.
2. I prioritise nutrient-dense foods
Cook from scratch with minimally processed ingredients and fill your plate with colour—eat the rainbow. Some foods carry an especially generous amount of nutrients for their calories; we gathered nine of them in our guide to preconception superfoods.
3. I reduce foods that don't serve me
Rather than demonising food, we gently limit what adds little: chips and other deep-fried foods, fast food, highly processed vegetarian or vegan burgers, and packaged foods with long ingredient lists—especially those containing many non-natural ingredients or additives. Read the calmer version of this in foods to limit when trying to conceive.
4. I give time to my meals
Chew slowly, notice the smell and colours of your plate, and try to finish eating two to three hours before bed. It sounds small, but slowing down was the principle that changed my relationship with food the most.
5. I stay hydrated and choose my drinks mindfully
Keep water close through the day, go easier on coffee, energy drinks and alcohol, and explore herbal or rooibos teas. These choices can be part of both partners' preparation and overall wellbeing.
Principles travel better than rules. They work in a busy week, on holiday and at a friend's dinner table.
