Foods To Avoid When Pregnant | Safer Choices At Each Meal

Pregnancy can make foodborne illness hit harder. Most days, that means you want fewer “maybe” foods and more “sure thing” foods. You don’t need to eat bland, and you don’t need to panic over each bite. You just need to spot a few patterns, then pick the safer version.

This guide covers what to skip, what to swap in, and the kitchen habits that lower risk without turning meals into a chore.

Foods To Avoid When Pregnant And Why They Matter

Most “avoid” lists point back to two buckets: germs and mercury. Germs like Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli can show up in foods that are raw, lightly cooked, unpasteurized, or stored cold for long stretches. Mercury isn’t a germ problem; it’s a metal found at higher levels in certain fish, so you manage it by choosing species wisely.

Here’s the easy pattern: if it’s raw, runny, unpasteurized, or sits cold and ready-to-eat, treat it as higher risk. If it’s cooked through, pasteurized, or shelf-stable until opened, it’s usually the simpler pick.

Raw Or Undercooked Meat, Poultry, Seafood, And Eggs

Raw and undercooked animal foods can carry germs that don’t change taste or smell. During pregnancy, skip rare burgers, runny eggs, and raw seafood. That includes sushi made with raw fish, oysters, clams, scallops, and ceviche.

Swap in fully cooked versions. Order meats cooked through. Cook eggs until the whites and yolks are firm. If you love sushi, choose rolls made with cooked seafood or vegetables.

Unpasteurized Dairy And Soft Cheeses Without Clear Pasteurization

Unpasteurized milk and foods made from it can carry Listeria. Soft cheeses get attention because some are made with raw milk, and their moisture lets germs grow when contamination happens. The safer move is to pick dairy that says “pasteurized” on the label.

Many soft cheeses in stores are pasteurized and fine when handled well. If you can’t confirm pasteurization, skip it and grab a hard cheese, yogurt, or pasteurized cottage cheese.

Cold Deli Meats, Hot Dogs, Refrigerated Pâté, And Chilled Smoked Seafood

Some ready-to-eat refrigerated foods carry a higher Listeria risk because this germ can grow at refrigerator temperatures. Deli meats and hot dogs are the best-known items in this group. Refrigerated pâté or meat spreads, plus refrigerated smoked seafood, can also be risky when eaten cold.

If you still want deli meat or hot dogs, heat them until they’re steaming hot, then cool them to a comfortable temperature. That heating step is what lowers the risk.

The CDC keeps a clear, pregnancy-focused list of foods to skip and safer options on Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women.

Raw Sprouts And Poorly Washed Produce

Sprouts (alfalfa, clover, mung bean, radish) grow in warm, humid conditions. That same setting can let germs multiply. Washing sprouts can’t fully fix the problem because contamination can be inside the sprout. The safer pick is to eat sprouts only when cooked well.

Produce is still worth eating. Just wash it under running water, scrub firm items, and keep cut fruit chilled. Buy pre-cut produce only when you can eat it soon, and keep your fridge cold.

Leftovers That Sit Too Long In The Fridge

Leftovers are handy, yet time in the fridge can raise risk. Listeria can grow during cold storage, especially if the fridge runs warm. Label leftovers with the day you cooked them, eat them within a few days, or freeze portions you won’t get to.

The FDA’s plain-language page Listeria (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be) explains why chilled ready-to-eat foods need extra care during pregnancy.

Kitchen Habits That Keep Food Safer

Avoid lists help, yet daily habits do a lot of the work. These steps are simple, and they fit real life.

Keep The Fridge Cold

Aim for 40°F (4°C) or colder in the fridge and 0°F (-18°C) in the freezer. Many fridges drift warmer than people think, so a fridge thermometer can help. Keep the door closed as much as you can, and don’t pack shelves so tight that air can’t move.

Separate Raw Foods From Ready-To-Eat Foods

Use a separate cutting board for raw meat and seafood. Keep raw meat packages on the bottom shelf so drips don’t land on produce. Wash knives, boards, and counters with hot soapy water after handling raw foods.

Cook Fully And Reheat The Right Foods

Use a food thermometer for chicken, burgers, and casseroles. When reheating deli meats and hot dogs, heat until steaming hot. If you eat out, it’s fine to ask for food cooked through.

Use Time As A Safety Tool

Put leftovers away within two hours. Cool big pots fast by splitting them into shallow containers. If you can’t remember how long a food sat out, toss it.

Common Foods That Raise Risk And Easy Swaps

Labels and menu wording can trip people up. “Fresh” can still mean raw. “Artisan” can still mean unpasteurized. “Smoked” can mean shelf-stable, or it can mean chilled and ready-to-eat. Use the table below to spot the version that’s safer for pregnancy.

Food Or Drink	Why It’s A Higher-Risk Pick	Lower-Risk Swap
Raw fish sushi, sashimi, ceviche	Raw seafood can carry parasites and bacteria	Cooked sushi, fully cooked fish, veggie rolls
Raw oysters, clams, scallops	Shellfish can carry germs even when it smells fine	Shellfish cooked until hot throughout
Runny eggs, raw batter, raw cookie dough	Eggs can carry Salmonella	Eggs cooked firm; pasteurized egg products
Unpasteurized milk or yogurt	Raw dairy can carry Listeria and other germs	Products labeled “pasteurized”
Soft cheeses without pasteurization on the label	Some are made with raw milk; moisture can aid germ growth	Pasteurized soft cheese; hard cheese
Deli meats eaten cold	Ready-to-eat chilled meats can carry Listeria	Heat until steaming, then cool
Hot dogs not reheated	Same Listeria risk as deli meats	Reheat until steaming hot
Refrigerated smoked seafood	Chilled, ready-to-eat seafood can carry Listeria	Smoked seafood cooked into a hot dish; canned fish
Refrigerated pâté or meat spreads	Chilled ready-to-eat spreads can carry Listeria	Shelf-stable canned spreads; cooked spreads eaten soon
Raw sprouts	Growing conditions can raise contamination risk	Sprouts cooked in stir-fries, soups, omelets
Unwashed produce	Handling can leave germs on the surface	Wash under running water; scrub firm items
Leftovers kept in the fridge for many days	Listeria can grow over time in cold storage	Eat within a few days or freeze in portions

Seafood Choices During Pregnancy

Seafood can be a good part of pregnancy meals when it’s cooked and chosen well. Two rules do most of the work: skip raw seafood, and steer away from fish known for higher mercury. Many common options are lower in mercury, and cooking seafood fully handles the germ side.

If you like sushi flavors, try cooked shrimp rolls, baked salmon bowls, or sushi rice with avocado and cooked crab. If you’re choosing canned fish, keep it cold after opening and eat it soon.

FoodSafety.gov lists raw seafood items to skip and a clear cooking temperature target on People at Risk: Pregnant Women.

Eating Out With A Few Simple Rules

Restaurants can save your day when you’re tired. You don’t need a long script to eat out safely. Stick to a few steady choices.

Pick Foods Served Hot And Cooked Through

Soups, stir-fries, roasted vegetables, baked pasta, and grilled meats cooked through are easy wins. Skip raw bars and dishes built around raw eggs or raw fish.

Ask About Pasteurization And Heating

If a dish includes soft cheese, deli meat, or chilled smoked fish, ask if the cheese is pasteurized and whether the meat or fish is heated in the dish. One question is enough.

Be Cautious With Cold, Ready-To-Eat Counters

Salad bars, deli counters, and pre-made sandwiches have more handling steps. Choose places that keep foods cold and look clean, and pick items that feel freshly stocked.

Table Of Safe Temps And Storage Targets

These targets help you cook and store food with less guesswork. If you don’t own a thermometer yet, it’s one of the simplest kitchen upgrades for pregnancy.

Item	Target	Practical Note
Reheated deli meats and hot dogs	Heat until steaming hot	Warm through, then cool a bit before eating
Fish and shellfish	145°F (63°C)	Fish turns opaque and flakes; shellfish is hot inside
Chicken and other poultry	165°F (74°C)	Check the thickest part
Ground meat	160°F (71°C)	Thermometer beats color
Egg dishes	160°F (71°C)	Cook until firm if you don’t have a thermometer
Fridge temperature	40°F (4°C) or colder	Use a fridge thermometer; don’t trust the dial
Leftovers in the fridge	3–4 days	Freeze portions you won’t eat soon
Food left at room temperature	2 hours	When in doubt, toss it

What To Do After A Risky Food Moment

Many people eat a “skip” food once and never get sick. Still, pregnancy is a time to take symptoms seriously. If you ate a higher-risk food and you feel unwell after, reach out to your prenatal care team. Fever, chills, body aches, stomach upset, and diarrhea can have many causes, so it’s better to get guidance than guess.

ACOG has a patient overview on Listeria and Pregnancy that explains risk foods and steps after possible exposure.

Foods To Avoid When Pregnant

Here’s the clean list, using the same wording you’ll see on menus and labels:

• Raw fish sushi, sashimi, ceviche, and raw shellfish
• Meat, poultry, or seafood that’s undercooked
• Runny eggs, raw batter, and foods made with raw egg
• Unpasteurized milk, soft cheeses without pasteurization on the label, and unpasteurized juices
• Cold deli meats, hot dogs that weren’t reheated, refrigerated pâté, and refrigerated smoked seafood
• Raw sprouts
• Leftovers kept for many days in the fridge

Building Meals That Still Taste Good

Food rules can feel loud during pregnancy, so it helps to lean on “safe by default” ingredients: cooked grains, beans, pasteurized dairy, cooked proteins, washed produce, and hot soups. These cover a lot of cravings and keep meals flexible.

If nausea or food aversions are running the show, keep it simple. Toast with peanut butter. Yogurt with washed fruit. Rice with scrambled eggs cooked firm. Frozen vegetables stirred into soup. The goal is steady fuel, not perfect cooking.