Pregnancy Food Safety

What you will be able to do

• explain the main risks behind US food advice in pregnancy: Listeria, Toxoplasma, Salmonella, mercury and too much vitamin A.
• sort everyday foods into enjoy, heat first and avoid, using CDC and FDA guidance.
• check whether a cheese is safe, and know when heating it until steaming hot makes it fine.
• plan 8 to 12 ounces of lower-mercury fish a week and know which fish to avoid.
• keep caffeine under 200 mg a day and explain the advice on alcohol.
• store, cook and reheat food in ways that reduce the risk of food poisoning.
• order safely when eating out, and know who to contact if you are worried after eating something.

1. 1Why food safety matters in pregnancy

   Understand the handful of germs and nutrients behind US pregnancy food advice, so the rules make sense and are easier to remember.

   • The germs behind the rules
   • The big picture: enjoy, heat first, avoid

   Fridge safe and avoid list

2. 2Cheese, milk and other dairy foods

   Learn the simple US rule for cheese, which cheeses need heating first, and how to check milk, yogurt, cream and desserts.

   • Which cheeses are fine?
   • Milk, yogurt, cream and desserts

   Cheese checker

3. 3Meat, deli meats, liver and eggs

   Learn how to cook meat safely, why deli meats and hot dogs need heating, what to know about pâté and liver, and how to cook eggs in pregnancy.

   • Meat, deli meats and hot dogs
   • Pâté, liver and vitamin A
   • Eggs: cook them until firm

   Fridge safe and avoid list

4. 4Fish and shellfish

   Find out why fish is still worth eating in pregnancy, the FDA and EPA advice on how much and which kinds, and how to handle smoked fish, sushi and shellfish.

   • Fish is good for you, with a few limits
   • Smoked fish, sushi and shellfish

   Eating-out safety cardFridge safe and avoid list

5. 5Drinks: caffeine, alcohol and herbal teas

   Learn the US limit for caffeine, where caffeine hides, why the safest choice is no alcohol, and what to know about herbal teas and other drinks.

   • Caffeine: under 200 mg a day
   • Alcohol, herbal teas and other drinks

   Caffeine trackerCaffeine counter

6. 6A safe kitchen: storing, cooking and reheating

   Use simple kitchen habits to cut the risk of listeria, salmonella and toxoplasma at home: chilling, cleaning, cooking and avoiding cross-contamination.

   • Fridge and storage habits
   • Cooking and reheating until steaming hot
   • Fruit, vegetables, gardens and pets

   Storage and reheating checklistFridge safe and avoid list

7. 7Eating out, travel and what to do if you are worried

   Order confidently away from home, know the signs of food-related infection in pregnancy, and know exactly who to contact.

   • Eating out, takeout and parties
   • If you have eaten something on the avoid list

   Eating-out safety card

• ListFridge safe and avoid listA printable list for your fridge door showing which everyday foods are fine, which are fine only when cooked until steaming hot, and which to avoid while you are pregnant.
• BuilderCheese checkerChoose a cheese, whether it is made with pasteurized milk and how it will be served, to see what CDC and FDA advice says about eating it in pregnancy.
• CardsEating-out safety cardPocket-sized cards to check on your phone or print, so you can order with confidence in cafes, restaurants, takeout places and at parties.
• CheckerStorage and reheating checklistCheck your kitchen habits for storing, cooking and reheating food against the basics that help reduce the risk of Listeria, Salmonella and other food poisoning in pregnancy.
• TrackerCaffeine trackerLog your daily drinks and caffeine for 4 weeks to check you are staying under the ACOG guide of 200 mg a day in pregnancy.
• CalculatorCaffeine counterAdd up the caffeine in today's drinks and snacks and compare it with the ACOG pregnancy guide of under 200 mg a day.