10 Breastfeeding Foods Guaranteed To Increase Your Breastmilk Supply (with meal ideas!)

Are you looking for breastfeeding foods to increase your breastmilk supply? If you’re currently struggling with how to increase breastmilk production, you’re in the right place! This post is packed with information and practical tips to improve your breastmilk supply naturally.

This post is all about breastfeeding foods guaranteed to increase your breastmilk supply!

Can certain breastfeeding foods really increase your breastmilk supply? 

In short, yes. There are certain foods that can lead to increasing your breastmilk supply. According to research, however, this link is more closely tied to having an overall balanced diet than it is tied to the exact food you consume.

This means the nutrition provided by the food is more important than the particular food itself. 

That being said, as a breastfeeding mom, you’re hungry and thirsty ALL THE TIME. It is extremely easy to not eat nutritious meals because you’re tired, exhausted, and need something quick. And, let’s be honest, as moms we often don’t even have full use of both our hands to cook meals because we’re busy with the baby and balancing a million other things. 

Regardless, we still need to maintain a healthy diet and eat foods that keep our breastmilk supply up.

Here are some food groups and meal ideas to help you get the nutrients you need to increase your breastmilk supply.

Here are the top 10 breastfeeding foods to help increase your breastmilk supply (source):

1. Whole Grains
2. Salmon and Sardines
3. Beef
4. Eggs
5. Leafy Green Vegetables
6. Sweet Potatoes
7. Legumes and Beans
8. Nuts and Seeds
9. Apricots and Dates
10. Yogurt

Keep in mind that each of these breastfeeding foods provides essential nutrients your body needs to maintain a good breastmilk supply. You may obtain the nutrients you need from other sources, not exclusive to this list.

For example, I am a flexitarian. Most of my meals do not include meat, however, I maintain my protein intake through other sources. Regardless of your type of diet, this is a great place to start if you are looking to increase breastmilk naturally or promote milk production. 

Please note I am not a doctor. I’m an eco-conscious, working mom sharing my personal breastfeeding experience and foods that have helped me!

1. Whole Grains

Benefits of whole grains: high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, protein, antioxidants, plant compounds (source). 

Examples of whole grains: quinoa, barley, buckwheat, brown rice, oats, millet, popcorn

Notes: Please note whole grains may not be for you if you are gluten sensitive. Please check out my blog post for 50 gluten-free snacks the entire family will enjoy.

Whole Grains Breakfast Ideas

• Oatmeal with almond milk, chia seeds, and pecans
• Homemade granola cereal 

Whole Grain Lunch Ideas

• Whole wheat toast with avocado
• Quinoa salad

Whole Grain Dinner Ideas

• Brown rice health bowl
• Cilantro lime black bean brown rice – recipe here

2. Salmon and Sardines

Benefits of salmon and sardines: rich in calcium, Omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin B12, and selenium (source).

Salmon and Sardine Breakfast Ideas

• Smoked salmon on avocado toast – recipe here
• Smoked salmon frittata – recipe here

Salmon and Sardine Lunch Ideas

• Fish cakes – recipe here
• Sardine spread on toasted bread – recipe here

Salmon and Sardine Dinner Ideas

• Sheet pan chili-lemon salmon dinner – recipe here
• Avocado salmon rice bowl – recipe here

3. Beef (alternatives)

Benefits of beef: packed with vitamins such as vitamin B12, Zinc, Selenium, Iron, Vitamin B6. I personally don’ eat beef, but here are some awesome alternatives I incorporate in my diet to get the nutrients beef provides to help maintain my breastmilk supply.

Beef Alternative Breakfast Ideas

• Chickpea potato breakfast hash – recipe here
• Scrambled eggs with veggies

Beef Alternative Lunch Ideas

• 15-minute black bean chili – recipe here
• 15-minute veggie quesadilla – recipe here

Beef Alternative Dinner Ideas

• General Tso’s Tofu – recipe here
• Crispy cauliflower wings – recipe here

4. Eggs

Benefits of eggs: Eggs provide protein, potassium, Omega-3 fatty acids, cholesterol, and vitamins A, B, E, and K (source). 

Egg Breakfast Ideas

• Boiled Eggs
• Scrambled egg on whole-grain toast

Egg Lunch Ideas:

• Baked cheddar eggs and potatoes – recipe here
• Egg, cheese, and avocado burrito

Egg Dinner Ideas:

• Loaded omelet
• Egg fried rice- recipe here

5. Leafy Greens and Veggies

Benefits of leafy greens and veggies: vitamin K, Magnesium, B vitamins, Calcium, amongst many other essential nutrients (source).

Leafy Greens Breakfast Ideas:

• Spinach, strawberry, and kale smoothie with almond milk
• Spinach and mushroom egg muffins – recipe here

Leafy Green Lunch Ideas:

• Salad
• Kale and carrot quinoa bowl – recipe here

Leafy Green Dinner Ideas:

• Spinach lasagna roll-ups – recipe here
• Collard greens with cornbread – recipe here

6. Sweet Potatoes

Benefits of sweet potatoes: abundant in vitamin A, contain anti-inflammatory properties, fibrous, and good for digestion (source).

Sweet Potato Breakfast Ideas:

• Roasted sweet potatoes with fruit on the side
• Hash with eggs, fruit, or a smoothie on the side – recipe here

Sweet Potato Lunch Ideas:

• Sweet potato black bean quesadilla – recipe here
• Baked sweet potato

Sweet Potato Dinner Ideas:

• Mexican quinoa stuffed sweet potatoes – recipe here
• Garlic parmesan sweet potato side dish – recipe here

7. Legumes and Beans

Benefits of legumes and beans: contain protein, antioxidants, and promote helpful gut bacteria

Examples of legumes and beans: lima beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, soybeans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, navy beans, pinto beans, red beans

Legume and Bean Breakfast Ideas:

• Black bean breakfast burrito – recipe here

Legume and Bean Lunch Ideas:

• Black bean nachos – recipe here
• Black bean veggie burgers – recipe here

Legume and Bean Dinner Ideas:

• Curried lentils – recipe here
• Lentil sloppy joe – recipe here

8. Nuts and Seeds

Benefits of nuts and seeds: contain mixtures of fats, including monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and omega-3 fatty acids (source).

Nuts and Seeds Breakfast Ideas:

• Homemade granola (with yogurt or with milk as cereal) – recipe here
• Power balls – recipe here

Nuts and Seeds Lunch Ideas:

• Arugula apple salad with pecans – recipe here
• Fruit, nut, and seed salad – recipe here

Nuts and Seeds Dessert Ideas:

• Dark chocolate trail mix – recipe here
• Nut and seed clusters – recipe here

9. Dates and Apricots

Benefits of dates and apricots: high in fiber, boost metabolism, anti-inflammatory, a good source of iron and copper (source).

Date and Apricot Dessert Ideas:

• Skinny Pecan Date Bars – recipe here
• Apricot Vanilla Jam – recipe here

10. Yogurt

Benefits of yogurt: packed with nutrients, high in protein, beneficial for the digestive system (source).

Yogurt Snack and Dessert Ideas:

• Yogurt Bites – recipe here
• Frozen yogurt with crushed peanuts, pecans, and almonds
• Strawberry Banana Granola Parfait

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The breastfeeding foods and meal ideas in this post can help you promote milk production, but having a balanced, nutritious diet is most important when breastfeeding. Do you have other breastfeeding foods or meals that have helped your supply?

I truly hope these breastfeeding foods are helpful for you and your breastfeeding journey!

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