Unexpected Things You Can’t Eat If You’re Preggers, Sorry About It

When my sister was pregnant, I was that annoying person who kept offering her foods that she wasn’t supposed to have while with-child. I was shocked and horrified that there were so many DAMN DELICIOUS things she wasn’t allowed to have. The whole ‘no drinking’ thing is more obvious, but like, pre-made salads? That was not mentioned in any health classes ever.

So if you’re in a baby frame of mind, or if you’re hoping not to be *that* annoying friend to someone who is, here’s a bunch of other foods The NSW Food Authority says you need to avoid (or eat with caution) that aren’t as obvious as a bottle of wine.

Pre-Made Salads

Seeing as I mentioned it, I’d better explain it. The fear here is that if you haven’t prepared it yourself and made sure everything is cleaned, there’s a greater risk of listeria contamination. This includes buffets and salad bars. You’re even supposed to be very careful in restaurants.

Processed Meats

Basically, anything in the deli is gone. No twiggy sticks, no ham, no salami…you get the point. Even though it’s processed, when you’re preggers this still basically counts as raw meat, which is a big no-no for possible diseases. You can cook it first though, to at least 75 degrees celsius, if you’re really craving it.

Poultry

On that note, definitely no leftover, cold poultry. Even hot poultry you haven’t cooked yourself is considered iffy. Cook it yourself mates, and cook it well. Oh and no stuffing, ever. Sorry.

Paté

Does anyone even eat paté any more? If you did you certainly won’t be once you’re carrying a bub. Same goes for all meat spreads apparently, although I shudder to think what they could be?

Seafood

You’re probably getting the whole ‘don’t eat raw animal products’ vibe of pregnancy by now. Same dealio with raw seafood – too many chances for nasties. And yes, this also means goodbye $2 sushi roll when you forgot to bring your lunch to work and you swore you’d be on a budget this week. Even if it doesn’t have raw fish in it, there’s such a high possibility of contamination.

Dairy

YOU CAN’T HAVE SOFT CHEESES! This is the one that made me the saddest for my sister, as we are a family that enjoys a good cheese plate. Brie, camembert, ricotta, feta, and blue cheese, for example, are off the plate altogether.  Things like cream cheese and cheese spreads require very special care. Hard cheeses like cheddar are your friend though. Also nothing unpasteurised.

Eggs

I know raw eggs may seem obvious, but have you considered this means no aioli? Or home-made mayonnaise, or chocolate mousse, or cake batter. Although I’ll admit few people have the enthusiasm for cake batter that I do.

Rockmelon

Like, rockmelon specifically. What the heck? This is a pretty recent addition to the no list after a listeria outbreak last year. Sorry guys.

Bean Sprouts

These are also a hard pass, even if they’re lightly cooked. Apparently, bacteria like salmonella, listeria, and e.coli can inside the sprout through cracks in its shell, so washing won’t necessarily help.

If you’re looking for a fuller list of do’s and don’ts, head over to the NSW Food Authority website. They keep it updated too.

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