Pregnancy comes with its own set of nutrition rules, but then there's also an added safety issue for foods. The do's and don'ts can be rather confusing: Soft cheeses are off-limits. What about cream cheese? Fish is OK in moderation. What about California rolls? Lunch meats are verboten. How about other meats? Here's a detailed list of foods that you should not eat during pregnancy.
Print this out and carry it with you when you go the grocery store or a restaurant.
Do not eat
Cheeses*
blue cheese (or any cheese that has blue "veins")
Brie
Camembert
feta
gorgonzola
queso blanco
queso fresco
romano
Roquefort
Stilton
any cheese that says "raw milk"
any cheese that says "unpasteurized"
*Look for the term "pasteurized" on the label of any cheese you buy. Any cheese (including the soft cheeses mentioned in this article) that is pasteurized is safe to eat during pregnancy. If a label is not available, the cheese is made from unpasteurized milk, you are dining out, or you are traveling overseas, take these precautions.
Meats
refrigerated pate or meat spreads
cold cuts or lunch meats (cold)
raw or cold hot dogs
rare or raw beef
It is safe to consume lunchmeat, deli meat, cold cuts and hotdogs, if heated thoroughly until steaming.
Seafood
refrigerated smoked seafood (Nova-style, lox or kippered)
sashimi (slices of raw fish)
nigiri (raw fish with rice)
sushi rolls containing raw fish
raw shellfish, such as clams or oysters
swordfish
tilefish
king mackerel
shark
ceviche or seviche, which is seafood "cooked" using citrus juice or another acid
For more information about these topics, please read the following stories:
Playing It Safe: Deli Meats
Playing it Safe: Eating Fish
Playing it Safe: Soft Cheeses
