Food cravings for high-palatable foods are highly prevalent during pregnancy and contribute to the maintenance and development of gestational overweight and obesity. However, the neurobiology and molecular mechanisms underlying this distinct ingestive behavior remain unknown. We have shown that mice, similar to humans, also experience gestational food craving-like episodes. These are associated with a functional brain connectivity reorganization affecting key components of the dopaminergic mesolimbic circuitry. Pregnancy engages a dynamic modulation of dopaminergic signaling through dopamine receptor type 2 (D2R) neurons of the nucleus accumbens, which directly modulate food craving-like events. Importantly, persistent maternal food craving-like behavior has intergenerational effects thus deteriorating offspring neuropsychological and metabolic health. Our results reveal the cognitively motivated nature of pregnancy food cravings and advocates for moderating emotional eating during gestation.