Here’s a handy list to help guide your food choices during pregnancy.
I’ve used the NSW Food Authority Pregnancy food safety guidelines to create this.
FOODS TO AVOID
Meat + Poultry
Raw meat
Raw or undercooked eggs
Paté or meat spreads
Deli-style cold chicken or turkey
Chicken or poultry stuffing
Processed meats – Ham, salami, luncheon meats (don’t eat unless thoroughly cooked to at least 75c/165f and eat soon afterwards).
Seafood
Raw seafood like sashimi, oysters, caviar, fish roe
Ready-to-eat chilled prawns
Limit your intake of some fish including: Shark (flake), Orange roughy, Swordfish, King mackerel, Tilefish, Bigeye tuna (found in sushi) and Marlin as they have a high Mercury content.
Dairy
Soft and semi-soft cheese, eg, brie, camembert, ricotta, fetta, blue
Soft-serve ice-cream or frozen yoghurt (or fried ice-cream)
Eating Out
Store bought sushi
Homemade or cafe made aioli or mayonnaise (contains raw egg)
Pre-made salads from supermarkets
Salad ingredients from a buffet (salad bar)
Fruit + Veggies
Avoid all sprouts: Alfalfa sprouts, broccoli sprouts, onion sprouts, sunflower sprouts, clover sprouts, radish sprouts, snowpea sprouts, mung beans and soybean sprouts
Rockmelon
Juice from a fresh juice machine (Pre-packaged juice is safer)
Alcohol
It is safest not to drink when pregnant. There are now many alcohol-free options available from major liquor stores.
FOODS YOU CAN EAT!
… if you take care to ensure they’re made and stored safely.
Meat, Poultry & Seafood
Properly cooked fresh meats
Cooked, fresh fish. Enjoy up to 350g/12oz of fish a week including salmon, tinned tuna, shrimp etc.
Fresh, cooked seafood
Hot, freshly cooked take-away chicken
Freshly, homemade sushi
Dairy & Eggs
Hard cheeses like parmesan, cheddar, tasty cheese
Cooked soft cheese like brie, feta, ricotta, camembert (must be cooked)
Cheese spreads, cottage cheese, cream cheese etc provided they are stored in the fridge, pasteurised and eaten within 48 hours of opening.
Store-bought aioli or mayonnaise made from pasteurised ingredients
Packaged frozen ice-cream
Freshly made custard or store-bought custard that you’ve just opened
Fully cooked eggs (don’t use eggs that have been cracked or are dirty).
Fresh & Packaged Foods
Homemade salads using fresh and well-rinsed ingredients
All fresh fruits, vegetables + herbs (rinse well before eating)
Tinned food – Store in a sealed container after opening, not in the tin
Honey – Considered safe in pregnancy. Not recommended for babies (botulism)
Caffeine
Caffeine (up to 200mg per day)
That’s equivalent to one single-shot coffee, depending on the blend. Check the caffeine content of ingredients you often have like teas, coffee, drinks.
Decaf coffee is safe to drink.
GENERAL FOOD SAFETY STEPS TO FOLLOW
Freshly prepared foods using fresh ingredients is best in pregnancy.
Meal prepping isn’t recommended in pregnancy.
Ensure meat is thoroughly cooked before eating – no pink or transparent bits, no runny or red liquid.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 24 hours.
Check use-by dates on all products.
Ensure dairy products are pasteurised. Most dairy sold in developed countries supermarkets are pasteurised but it’s best to check the back of the pack.
Be sure to cook frozen vegetables before eating.
Thoroughly wash all fresh produce before using.
DON’T FORGETTHESEFOODS!
These foods contain hidden ingredients that may be best to avoid.
