Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy: What’s Safe and What’s Not

Many lists of pregnancy foods to avoid make every item sound equally dangerous. That is misleading.

Some foods should genuinely be avoided. Others can be eaten in moderation or made safer through proper preparation.

This distinction makes safe eating during pregnancy easier. You do not need to remove every food that appears on a pregnancy warning list.

Pregnancy affects the immune system, which can make certain foodborne infections more serious. CDC specifically identifies pregnant women as being at higher risk from germs spread through food.

This is why pregnancy food safety focuses heavily on cooking, pasteurization, refrigeration, and avoiding contamination.

Important Foodborne Pathogens

Several foodborne pathogens matter during pregnancy.

Listeria monocytogenes

Listeria monocytogenes causes an infection called listeriosis. Pregnant women are about 10 times more likely to develop Listeria infection, according to CDC.

Listeria is unusual because it can survive and grow at refrigerator temperatures. Higher-risk foods may include certain refrigerated ready-to-eat products and unpasteurized foods.

Salmonella

Salmonella can be associated with raw eggs, undercooked poultry, raw meat, sprouts, and contaminated produce.

Food poisoning may cause diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and dehydration.

Toxoplasma

Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis. Exposure can occur through undercooked meat and other environmental sources.

Properly cooking meat is an important food-safety precaution.

E. coli

Some strains of E. coli can cause serious intestinal illness. Contaminated meat, produce, sprouts, or unpasteurized products may be sources.

These risks are why food safety precautions matter more than simply memorizing a list of foods.

Raw or undercooked meat belongs near the top of any list of foods not to eat during pregnancy.

Meat and poultry may contain bacteria or parasites. You cannot reliably determine safety by looking at color alone, so use a food thermometer.

Avoid:

• Raw beef
• Steak tartare
• Undercooked hamburgers
• Raw or undercooked pork
• Undercooked lamb
• Raw chicken
• Undercooked poultry
• Raw sausage mixtures
• Meat that has not reached the proper internal temperature

Safe Cooking Temperatures for Meat

USDA recommends these minimum internal temperatures:

These temperatures should be measured with a food thermometer.

Can You Eat Steak While Pregnant?

Yes. Meat during pregnancy does not have to be eliminated.

A whole beef steak cooked to at least 145°F and rested for three minutes meets USDA’s minimum temperature guidance. Ground beef must reach 160°F.

If you prefer meat cooked beyond the minimum temperature, that is also fine.

Eggs during pregnancy can be a nutritious source of protein and other nutrients. The concern is primarily with raw eggs and undercooked eggs.

CDC considers raw or undercooked eggs a riskier food choice during pregnancy.

Foods that may contain raw egg include:

• Homemade mayonnaise
• Homemade Caesar dressing
• Hollandaise sauce
• Raw mousse
• Homemade eggnog
• Some tiramisu recipes
• Raw cake batter
• Raw cookie dough

Can Pregnant Women Eat Runny Eggs?

The safer approach is to choose fully cooked eggs or products made with pasteurized eggs.

For recipes where eggs remain uncooked, use pasteurized eggs or pasteurized egg products.

Raw Cookie Dough Has Another Risk

Raw dough is not only about eggs.

Regular raw flour can also contain harmful bacteria. Cook or bake ordinary dough and batter before eating them.

Products manufactured and clearly labeled as safe-to-eat edible dough are different because their ingredients have been processed for that use.

Questions about deli meat during pregnancy are extremely common because older advice often makes lunch meat sound completely forbidden.

The problem is not that deli meat itself is inherently toxic. The concern is possible contamination with Listeria.

CDC recommends reheating deli meats and similar ready-to-eat meats until 165°F or steaming hot.

This applies to:

• Deli meat
• Luncheon meat
• Cold cuts
• Sliced turkey
• Ham
• Roast beef
• Bologna
• Hot dogs

Can You Eat Deli Meat While Pregnant?

Yes, when it is reheated properly.

Heat deli meat until it reaches 165°F or is steaming hot throughout. Then allow it to cool slightly if you prefer before assembling your sandwich.

Can Pregnant Women Eat Hot Dogs?

Yes, but hot dogs should also be heated until steaming hot or 165°F.

Eating them cold directly from the package is the higher-risk choice.

Pâté and Meat Spreads

Avoid refrigerated pâté and refrigerated meat spreads during pregnancy because of Listeria concerns.

Shelf-stable versions that do not require refrigeration before opening are considered safer choices.

Seafood during pregnancy is one area where people often become too restrictive.

Fish provides protein, healthy fatty acids, iodine, choline, vitamin D, iron, zinc, and other nutrients. FDA advises pregnant women to eat two to three servings, or 8–12 ounces, of lower-mercury fish each week.

The goal is not to avoid seafood. The goal is to avoid raw seafood and high-mercury seafood while choosing safer fish regularly.

Raw fish may contain bacteria or parasites that proper cooking can destroy.

That makes uncooked seafood one of the major high-risk foods during pregnancy.

Avoid:

• Raw salmon
• Raw tuna
• Sashimi
• Raw-fish nigiri
• Ceviche
• Raw shellfish
• Raw oysters
• Raw clams
• Raw mussels

FDA notes that raw fish and foods made from raw fish are more likely to contain parasites or bacteria than properly cooked fish.

Can Pregnant Women Eat Sushi?

You should avoid sushi containing raw or undercooked seafood.

However, sushi itself is not automatically off-limits.

Safer options can include:

• Vegetable rolls
• Cucumber rolls
• Avocado rolls
• Cooked shrimp rolls
• Fully cooked crab rolls
• Rolls containing cooked lower-mercury fish

Choose restaurants with strong hygiene and refrigeration practices.

Can You Eat Smoked Salmon When Pregnant?

Refrigerated smoked seafood, including refrigerated smoked salmon, can carry Listeria risk.

A safer choice is smoked seafood that is canned, shelf-stable, or thoroughly cooked as part of a hot dish.

Do not confuse cold refrigerated smoked salmon with fully cooked salmon.

Mercury occurs naturally in the environment and can build up in fish as methylmercury.

Large, long-lived predatory fish tend to accumulate more methylmercury. Excessive mercury exposure is a concern because methylmercury can affect the developing nervous system.

FDA and EPA identify seven fish in the Choices to Avoid category:

• King mackerel
• Marlin
• Orange roughy
• Shark
• Swordfish
• Tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico
• Bigeye tuna

What Fish Should You Avoid When Pregnant?

The seven fish above are the main FDA/EPA choices to avoid because of mercury.

Do not confuse bigeye tuna with canned light tuna.

Can You Eat Tuna While Pregnant?

Yes, but the type matters.

Canned light tuna is included among FDA’s Best Choices.

Albacore or white tuna falls into the Good Choices category and should be eaten less often.

Bigeye tuna belongs in the Choices to Avoid category.

Many kinds of fully cooked seafood are lower in mercury and fit into a healthy pregnancy diet.

FDA Best Choices include options such as:

• Salmon
• Shrimp
• Canned light tuna
• Cod
• Tilapia
• Pollock
• Sardines
• Trout
• Catfish
• Crab
• Scallops
• Haddock

Can Pregnant Women Eat Shrimp?

Yes.

Fully cooked shrimp is a lower-mercury seafood choice and can count toward the recommended 8–12 ounces of seafood per week.

Why Seafood Still Matters

FDA notes that pregnant women often eat less fish than recommended. Its data indicate an average intake of about 4.2 ounces per week, compared with the recommended 8–12 ounces.

Avoiding all fish can therefore be an unnecessary pregnancy food restriction.

Choose low-mercury seafood and cook it properly instead.

Unpasteurized foods have not undergone pasteurization, which uses heat or another approved process to reduce dangerous microorganisms.

CDC identifies unpasteurized milk and cheese among foods more frequently associated with foodborne illness during pregnancy.

Is Raw Milk Safe During Pregnancy?

No.

Avoid:

• Raw milk
• Unpasteurized milk
• Dairy foods made from raw milk

Pasteurized products are the safer choice.

Do not assume products are safe because they are described as:

• Farm fresh
• Local
• Organic
• Natural
• Homemade

Look specifically for the word pasteurized.

Questions about cheese during pregnancy need more nuance than “avoid all soft cheese.”

The important factors are pasteurization, cheese type, storage, and handling.

Unpasteurized Cheese

Avoid unpasteurized cheese because raw-milk cheese can contain Listeria monocytogenes. FDA specifically identifies this concern for both hard and soft cheeses made with unpasteurized milk.

Soft Cheeses

Common soft cheeses include:

• Brie
• Camembert
• Feta
• Mozzarella
• Cottage cheese
• Cream cheese

Check pasteurization and current food-safety guidance rather than avoiding every soft cheese automatically.

Queso Fresco and Queso Blanco

Take particular care with:

• Queso fresco
• Queso blanco
• Requesón

These fresh cheeses have been associated with Listeria concerns.

Heating higher-risk cheese to 165°F or until steaming hot provides an additional safety step.

What Cheese Can You Not Eat When Pregnant?

The clearest category to avoid is cheese made with unpasteurized milk.

For refrigerated soft cheeses and queso fresco-type products, follow CDC/FDA pregnancy guidance and check both pasteurization and preparation.

Unpasteurized juice can contain harmful bacteria.

This may be especially relevant for juice sold:

• At farmers markets
• At roadside stands
• At cider mills
• At juice bars
• At farms
• Fresh by the glass

FDA notes that untreated juice can contain harmful bacteria and may carry a warning label.

Can Pregnant Women Drink Unpasteurized Juice?

The safer choice is pasteurized juice.

Check the package or ask the seller when the product is fresh-squeezed and its treatment is unclear.

Fruits and vegetables belong in a balanced pregnancy nutrition plan, but they still need appropriate handling.

Problems can occur when produce is contaminated with bacteria or when it is eaten without adequate washing.

Raw Sprouts

Avoid uncooked:

• Alfalfa sprouts
• Clover sprouts
• Radish sprouts
• Mung bean sprouts
• Other raw sprouts

Bacteria may become trapped inside sprout seeds, which means washing the finished sprouts may not remove the contamination. FDA notes that bacteria can multiply to high levels during sprouting even under clean conditions.

Cook sprouts thoroughly instead.

Unwashed Fruits and Vegetables

Avoid eating unwashed fruits and unwashed vegetables.

Washing fruits and vegetables under clean running water can help remove dirt and reduce surface contamination.

Wash produce before:

• Eating it raw
• Cutting it
• Peeling it
• Adding it to salads
• Blending it into smoothies

You do not need household detergent or bleach on produce.

Also remember that cutting through an unwashed melon, avocado, or other fruit can transfer bacteria from the peel to the edible flesh.

Caffeine during pregnancy does not have the same rule as alcohol.

You usually do not need to avoid caffeine entirely.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) states that moderate caffeine consumption of less than 200 mg per day does not appear to be a major contributor to miscarriage or preterm birth.

Caffeine can come from:

• Coffee
• Espresso
• Black tea
• Green tea
• Soda
• Energy drinks
• Chocolate
• Some medications

Can You Drink Coffee While Pregnant?

Yes, in moderation.

ACOG notes that around 200 mg of caffeine is approximately the amount in one 12-ounce cup of coffee, though actual amounts vary by brand and brewing method.

How Much Caffeine Can You Have While Pregnant?

Aim to stay below 200 mg per day unless your healthcare provider gives you different instructions.

Count all caffeine sources rather than coffee alone.

The recommendation for alcohol during pregnancy is much clearer.

ACOG states that no amount of alcohol is currently considered safe during pregnancy, and all types of alcohol can expose the developing baby.

That includes:

• Wine
• Beer
• Liquor
• Hard seltzer
• Cocktails
• Other alcoholic drinks

Can You Drink Alcohol While Pregnant?

The safest recommendation is no alcohol during pregnancy.

Alcohol exposure can affect fetal development, including brain development, and the effects cannot be reliably predicted for an individual pregnancy.

If you drank before realizing you were pregnant, do not panic. ACOG advises stopping once pregnancy is known and discussing concerns with your obstetrician or other healthcare professional.

One of the most useful pregnancy food safety precautions is also one of the simplest: own a food thermometer.

You cannot see, smell, or taste all harmful bacteria.

USDA recommends measuring temperatures in the thickest part of the food with a thermometer.

Restaurant food does not need to disappear from your life.

A few questions can help you avoid many unsafe foods during pregnancy.

Ask:

• Is the meat fully cooked?
• Does this dressing contain raw eggs?
• Is the seafood fully cooked?
• Is the juice pasteurized?
• Does the salad contain raw sprouts?
• Is the cheese made from pasteurized milk?
• Can the deli meat be heated until steaming?
• Has this food been kept properly hot or refrigerated?

A restaurant that cannot answer an important food-safety question is giving you a good reason to choose another dish.

Even normally safe foods can become foods unsafe for pregnancy when they sit too long at unsafe temperatures.

Follow basic storage rules consistently.

• Refrigerate perishable foods promptly.
• Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below.
• Avoid foods left at room temperature for extended periods.
• Store leftovers in clean, covered containers.
• Reheat leftovers to 165°F.
• Keep raw meat separate from ready-to-eat food.
• Discard food when safe storage is uncertain.

These habits reduce the risk of contaminated food regardless of whether you are pregnant.

Many searches focus specifically on foods to avoid in early pregnancy or foods to avoid in the first trimester.

The important point is that the core safety rules do not end after the first 12 weeks.

Continue avoiding throughout pregnancy:

• Raw or undercooked animal foods
• High-mercury fish
• Raw sprouts
• Raw-milk products
• Unpasteurized juice
• Unsafe ready-to-eat refrigerated foods
• Alcohol

Also continue following caffeine limits and proper cooking practices.

These are foods to avoid throughout pregnancy, not merely first-trimester restrictions.

Your individual needs may change, however. An OB-GYN, obstetrician-gynecologist, healthcare provider, or registered dietitian may recommend additional dietary changes for conditions such as gestational diabetes, anemia, allergies, or severe nausea.

A list of things not to eat while pregnant only answers half the question.

Good maternal health and pregnancy nutrition also depend on eating enough nutritious foods.

USDA’s MyPlate guidance for pregnancy encourages variety across fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, dairy, or fortified soy alternatives. It also recommends lower-mercury seafood and careful food safety.

A balanced healthy pregnancy diet may include:

• Washed fruits and vegetables
• Fully cooked eggs
• Thoroughly cooked lean meat and poultry
• Beans, peas, and lentils
• Nuts and seeds
• Whole grains
• Pasteurized milk and yogurt
• Safe cheeses
• Lower-mercury seafood
• Fortified soy foods when appropriate
• Foods recommended by your prenatal healthcare team

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate emphasize overall eating patterns, variety, and nutrient-rich choices rather than unnecessary food restriction.

Knowing what to eat instead makes pregnancy dietary guidelines much easier to follow.

Safer swaps prevent food restrictions during pregnancy from becoming unnecessarily burdensome.

Accidentally eating something from a list of foods you should not eat when pregnant does not mean illness or pregnancy complications will automatically occur.

The appropriate response depends on what you ate and whether symptoms develop.

What to Do First

• Note the food and when you ate it.
• Keep the packaging if available.
• Check whether the product has been recalled.
• Watch for symptoms of food poisoning.
• Stay hydrated if you have mild stomach symptoms.
• Contact your prenatal healthcare provider when you are concerned.

Possible symptoms of food poisoning during pregnancy can include diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and fever.

For possible listeriosis, pregnancy symptoms may sometimes be mild and include fever, muscle aches, or unusual fatigue.

If you become ill after eating potentially contaminated food, tell the clinician that you are pregnant and describe the suspected exposure.

You do not need to memorize every pregnancy food rule.

Use this checklist when shopping:

This approach is more useful than simply labeling dozens of foods as dangerous foods during pregnancy.