Bump appetit
What's on the pregnancy menu?
During pregnancy it’s important to pay special attention to your diet and avoid anything that may carry the risk of food poisoning. But how can you find out what’s safe to eat when pregnant and what’s not? We’ve listed some of the most popular foods mums-to-be enquire about to help you work out what you can eat during pregnancy.
It’s normal to experience changes in your eating habits during pregnancy. You may suddenly go off a favourite food or have the urge for something out of the ordinary.
There are certain foods you should avoid while pregnant due to the risk of food poisoning. Likewise, there are plenty of foods that you might think are harmful for your developing baby, that aren’t.
Knowing which foods are safe means you can satisfy your changing tastes while minimising any risks.
Often there is confusion about whether it’s safe to eat soft, mould-ripened cheese when pregnant. The answer is yes, providing it has been thoroughly cooked first.
The following lists show some of the most common foods that mums-to-be are concerned about. Once you know what’s safe and what’s not, it should be easier to maintain variety in your pregnancy diet, whether you’re cooking at home or eating out.
| Fish | Safe or not? |
|---|---|
| Tuna | ✔ Limit your intake to 2 fresh steaks or 4 medium cans a week as it contains mercury |
| Scampi | ✔ Must be cooked through and piping hot |
| Oysters | ✔ If thoroughly cooked or part of a cooked meal |
| Prawns | ✔ If thoroughly cooked or part of a cooked meal |
| Smoked salmon or trout | ✔ If thoroughly cooked or part of a cooked meal |
| Mussels | ✔ If thoroughly cooked or part of a cooked meal |
| Crab | ✔ If thoroughly cooked or part of a cooked meal |
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) classifies sushi as a high risk food during pregnancy and recommends it should be avoided to avoid food poisoning.
| Cheese - made with pasteurised milk | Safe or not? |
|---|---|
| Cottage cheese | ✔ |
| Mozzarella | ✔ |
| Feta | ✔ |
| Cream cheese | ✔ |
| Paneer | ✔ |
| Ricotta | ✔ |
| Halloumi | ✔ |
| Goat's cheese (chèvre) | ✘ Unless thoroughly cooked and piping hot |
| Processed cheese (cheese spreads) | ✔ |
| Soft, mould-ripened cheese (e.g. brie, camembert | ✘ Unless thoroughly cooked and piping hot |
There's often confusion about whether it’s safe to eat soft, mould-ripened cheese when pregnant. The answer is yes, providing it has been thoroughly cooked first. This means you can happily tuck into:
as well as cooked, blue cheeses like:
or dishes containing them.
Hard cheeses such as Cheddar, Parmesan and Stilton are safe to eat in pregnancy, even if they're made with unpasteurised milk. This is because they contain less water than soft varieties, making them less likely to carry listeria.
| Dairy and dairy desserts | Safe or not? |
|---|---|
| Mayonnaise | ✔ If shop-bought. If homemade, check it doesn't contain raw eggs which can cause salmonella |
| Soured cream | ✔ |
| Live or bio yogurt | ✔ |
| Fromage frais | ✔ |
| Soft ice cream | ✔ |
| Homemade ice cream | ✘ Unless recipe is free from raw eggs |
| Baked cheesecake | ✔ Providing it's cooked and doesn't contain raw eggs |
| Cured meat | Safe or not? |
|---|---|
| Chorizo | ✘ |
| Pepperoni | ✘ |
| Parma ham | ✘ |
| Salami | ✘ |
Pre-packed, cooked meat like ham or corned beef is considered safe to eat in pregnancy. However, many others, including those listed above, are just cured and fermented. This means they could contain toxoplasmosis-causing parasites. Freezing them for four days before eating, or cooking them thoroughly will kill most parasites, making the meat safer to eat.
Correct answer
Mussels are safe as long as they’re cooked through and piping hot.
Incorrect answer
Raw oysters aren’t safe because they may carry listeria, which can cause food poisoning. The good news is cooked oysters are safe to eat.
Safe food tips to remember:
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