Foods allowed and not allowed to eat while pregnant?

Hello

My partner and I are trying to make a baby and I'm just wondering when I do fall pregnant what foods I am still allowed to eat.
Can I eat foods like; cream, yoghurt & icecream?
Can I have cooked prawns, cooked salmon and barramundi?
Can I have cooked deli ham (e.g. in a toasted sandwich)?
Can I have cooked but cold egg (e.g. in salads or egg and lettuce sandwiches)?
Sorry for all the questions but I have no idea:/

hi there

basically use the rule of fresh is best. So cream and yoghurt I usually eat within a day of opening (unless being used in cooking like cream then maybe a cpl of days). Seafood that you have cooked yourself and eat that day is ok, same as if you boil eggs for a salad. Only time I have eaten any types of cold/cured meats has been fresh cooked bacon and meats on pizzas (as they get cooked to such a high temp). I don't know if you will get ham heated all the way through in a toastie. In fact most meats should be fresh cooked and not eaten cold after a day.

But that is all totally open to your own choice. The reason you are told not to eat these foods is that there is a risk from listeria and other food poisoning bacteria. It doesn't mean that if you eat a piece of ham or some soft cheese (like camembert or ricotta) you will definitley get listeria poisoning, but these foods have an increased risk of harbouring this bacteria. So you will prob get all sorts of "you can't eat that!!" or (my fave) "I ate/drank whatever I wanted and my baby was fine" but in the end its up to you to decide if its a risk you want to take. Just bear in mind that the incidence of listeria illnesses in pregnant women (and affecting their unborn babies) have dramatically decreased since ppl know more about what they should and shouldn't eat.

Here's a good resource

but basically I totally agree with mellybelly

Can I eat foods like; cream, yoghurt & icecream? Yes
Can I have cooked prawns, cooked salmon and barramundi? Yes
Can I have cooked deli ham (e.g. in a toasted sandwich)? As long as it's heated to over 60 degrees I think
Can I have cooked but cold egg (e.g. in salads or egg and lettuce sandwiches)? not if it's prepared.

Can I eat foods like; cream, yoghurt & icecream? YES but no soft serves (forget Maccas and KFC shakes and sundaes)

Can I have cooked prawns, cooked salmon and barramundi? Yes providing its served hot

Can I have cooked deli ham (e.g. in a toasted sandwich)? Yes providing its served hot (no cold meat)

Can I have cooked but cold egg (e.g. in salads or egg and lettuce sandwiches)? I think you can but only if you do it yourself. Personally I avoid cold eggs just to be on the safe side.

A friend told me you shouldn't eat hotdogs when you're pregnant but when I was UTD with DD it was one of the FEW meats I would eat. I also avoided things like foods in shopping centre food courts unless it was something that could be cooked up for me on the spot ITMS.

My OB said also once past the early stages, eating deli meat is ok in SOME circumstances. I.e. when you go to a deli section and they slice the meat for you (as opposed to pre-sliced sitting waiting), and still to consume within 24 hours. I have done this since she told me, but I still have the meat (sliced turkey) in toasted sandwiches just in case...

Really no egg? I have eaten a few egg and lettuce sandwiches from a place at work I have not had issues with in the past. Oh oh :-(

good point NaeNae I forgot to mention the soft serve.

Lolpigs - if the place at work freshly prepares their egg sandwiches themselves on the day (that is doesn't get their sandwiches from a supplier, prepackaged) then you should be ok. It's more about not knowing when/how food has been prepared.

Ahh few! Yes freshly everyday. I would definatley avoid packaged anything.

Can I eat Mayonnaise while pg?

not the "homemade" style from restaurants etc, they will have used raw eggs, but the stuff you buy off the shelf at the supermarket is ok (as long as you keep it in the fridge like you usually would anyway)

Thank you guys that was really helpful:D

I had fetta cheese and tomato on toast for breakfast yesterday. Completely slipped my mind - until after I'd finished, of course.

I've given up on the what not to eat thing. So far I've been given so many things on the no no list whilst being in hospital today I get to pick my menu YAY!


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Why no soft serve? I honestly have never heard that before and I think I've had a couple this pregnancy. Oops

Sometimes the machines can harbour the listeria bacteria.

plus I used to work at Hungry Jack's and I know how *well* they get cleaned!

ok i wont have anothe one then. i do love it though

Yeah me too, I've swapped to Magnums instead.. much safer :D

i remember when i was preg i could only have maccas if i had the shakes ooops no listeria here but as some one already mentioned its entirely up to u wat u do and dont eat

I think with the soft serve it's also because it's not kept at a cold enough temperature...?

I am worried after yesturday, baby brain kicked in and I got a spud with bolognase sause, yellow cheese and sour cream. I didn't even think about it but it wasn't piping hot.

Now I'm terrified something may happen :( I'm feeling unwell this morning but nothing huge, no listeria type systems just nauesa coming back but its worrying. And here I thought I was being careful :( The place is a clean place at my work, but I still feel like an idiot.

You'll be fine, don't stress :) The food was hot, and listeria presents like flu like symptoms. It's actually not even all that common. Try not to worry :)

Thank you! I appreciate it. It is so hard not to worry, sometimes in my more worried moments I think it would be safer not to eat anything.. silly I know. :doh: The spud was in their oven warmed and the sauce with mince it it was in a warmer, and I've eaten there before but you know how it is.

:hug:

Like PZ said I wouldn't worry. Like you said its a clean place and probably prepared recently anyway. :)

Just wondering if anyone knows if haloumi is okay....Dr Google seems conflicted!

I am only technically pregnant, not actually pregnant. I had an embryo transferred on Monday and am now in the two week wait. My clinic recommends following a pregnancy diet.

TIA!

I've eaten it heaps. I can't see why it wouldn't be...it's a firmer cheese. All cheese in Aus must be pasturized by law, so the thing about cheese not being safe because of that is a more American and Euro thing. The thing with cheeses is that bacteria *might* still breed in them because they're all soft and moist...but haloumi is nice and firm. TBH I've had soft serve, cheeses, deli meats...it's more about *where* you are buying these things and how they were stored/prepared that is importnant...it's really no different to non pregnancy, just common food-sense :)

If all else fails N2L eat it cooked :D I personally prefer it cooked anyway. Mmmmm, haloumi :D Must remember to put that on the shopping list :D

Halloumi is a hard cheese, and perfectly safe.

Eating a baked potato with sour cream is not a concern. Sour cream is quite safe.