Pop quiz! What's the first thing you think of when you hear “pregnancy craving”? For me, it's pickles and ice cream. Not because I had a hankering for them when I was pregnant (or ever), but because it seems to be the go-to reference made in TV and movies when they want to talk about the uniqueness and acuity of pregnant cravings. And as awesome as it is to find myself thinking about pickles, the reality is that it doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of real-life weird pregnancy cravings.
My own craving experience was fairly boring compared to many. My biggest needs were things that fit the category of creamy and spicy, so like, nacho cheese, spicy sausage pasta, and this jalapeño-cheddar soup from a gastropub near my house. Later on, I had a big thing for donuts. Like, I felt the way about donuts that many women feel about Ryan Gosling. Like, I couldn’t get them out of my mind and I kept having super vivid daydreams about them giving me bedroom eyes and gentle snuggles.
In an effort to shed some light on the realities of pregnancy cravings, we’ve collected some highlights and presented them here for your viewing pleasure. Though, fair warning: If you’re in your first trimester, you may want to skip this one. Your gag reflex will thank you.