Is Whataburger Safe During Pregnancy? Burgers, Taquitos, Shakes and What to Order

If you live in Texas or anywhere across the South, Whataburger is probably on your regular rotation, and pregnancy doesn't have to change that. Almost everything on the menu is cooked to order, there's no cold deli meat, and the drinks are mostly straightforward.

This guide goes through the menu using Whataburger's own nutrition information and flags the handful of things worth a second look.

The Menu, Item by Item

The Burgers: Check for Pink

Whataburger's burgers are cooked to order on the grill. Ground beef needs to reach 160°F, according to the USDA, because grinding spreads any bacteria from the surface of the meat all the way through. In practice, that means a burger with no pink in the middle. Fast food patties are thin and usually cooked through, but it's worth a glance, and you can always ask for it well-done.

Everything else on a Whataburger is fine: the toppings, jalapeños, grilled onions, bacon, avocado and the melted cheeses. Our Five Guys guide and In-N-Out guide cover the same questions at other burger chains.

Breakfast: The Egg Question

Whataburger's breakfast is a big part of its appeal, especially the taquitos and the Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit. The chicken, sausage, bacon and potatoes are all cooked hot. The thing to check is the egg.

The FDA advises pregnant women to cook eggs until both the yolk and white are firm, and the USDA's safe temperature for egg dishes is 160°F. Scrambled egg in a taquito is usually fully set, but if it looks runny or wet, ask for it cooked a little longer. Our runny egg guide explains why.

The Cheese: Skip the Cold Blue Cheese

American, cheddar, Monterey Jack and Swiss are all fine. The one to skip is the blue cheese add-on. Soft blue cheeses are moist enough for Listeria to grow, and on a burger the crumbles are added cold rather than melted. Our advice, the same as in our brie guide, is to eat soft and blue cheeses only when they're cooked until bubbling hot. The same goes for any blue cheese on the salads.

Shakes, Lemonade and Sweet Tea

Shakes and malts. The vanilla, chocolate and strawberry shakes and malts are made from a commercial dairy mix, which is fine in pregnancy. As with any soft-serve-style machine, busy locations go through product quickly, which works in your favor. Our soft serve guide explains the machine question.

Lemonade. Whataburger serves Minute Maid Light Lemonade and Hi-C Poppin' Pink Lemonade, both commercial products rather than fresh-squeezed. That makes them fine in pregnancy, unlike fresh lemonade at chains like Raising Cane's.

Sweet tea, coffee and Dr Pepper. All three contain caffeine. Mayo Clinic puts brewed black tea at about 48 mg per 8 ounces, and Whataburger's iced teas come in 20, 32 and 44 ounce cups, so a large sweet tea can take a big share of ACOG's limit of under 200 mg a day before you count anything else. The sweet tea is also very high in sugar. Our caffeine guide helps you add it up.

Is Whataburger Nutritious Enough in Pregnancy?

A classic Whataburger has about 29 grams of protein, according to Whataburger's nutrition information, which is a good chunk of what you need in a day. The thing to watch is sodium. The same guide lists the Whataburger at 1,220 mg, the Mushroom Swiss Burger at 1,890 mg and the Buffalo Ranch Chicken Strip Sandwich at 2,790 mg. The FDA's Daily Value for sodium is less than 2,300 mg a day, so some sandwiches go over it on their own.

Easy ways to balance it: choose a Whataburger Jr. or a grilled chicken sandwich, swap fries for apple slices, drink water, and add vegetables at your next meal.

With Gestational Diabetes, Nausea or Heartburn

Gestational diabetes: a grilled chicken sandwich or a Garden Salad with grilled chicken and water is the most balanced order. Shakes, sweet tea, pancakes and the cinnamon roll are very high in sugar. Our gestational diabetes meal plan shows how to fit a meal out into your day.

Nausea: a plain Whataburger Jr. or a biscuit is about as gentle as it gets. Sip water rather than soda.

Heartburn: jalapeños, Spicy Ketchup, the Creamy Pepper sauce, onion rings and big portions are the usual triggers. Our pregnancy heartburn guide has gentler swaps.

Three Easy Whataburger Orders

• The classic: Whataburger with no pink in the middle, small fries, water.
• The lighter one: Grilled Chicken Sandwich, apple slices, Minute Maid Light Lemonade.
• The breakfast run: Taquito with egg, cheese and potato, egg fully cooked, plus a small coffee or decaf.

Late-Night Whataburger and Pregnancy Cravings

Plenty of Whataburger locations are open around the clock, which makes them a common answer to a 2am pregnancy craving. The safety rules don't change at night, but a few things make late-night orders easier on your body. Heavy, greasy food close to bedtime is one of the most common triggers for pregnancy heartburn, so a Whataburger Jr. or a grilled chicken sandwich will usually sit better than a Double Meat with onion rings. Skip the sweet tea, coffee and Dr Pepper after dark, since the caffeine can keep you up. If you find yourself hungry every night, our midnight snacks guide has easy things to keep at home instead.

Drive-Thru and Leftovers

Fast food is best eaten hot and fresh. If you bring half a burger or some chicken strips home, get them into the fridge within 2 hours, and reheat them until steaming hot before eating. The USDA says leftovers keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, but fried food rarely tastes good after the first day anyway. Fries and onion rings don't reheat well, so order a smaller size rather than saving extras. Our leftovers guide covers the rest.

For more on eating out, our eating out while pregnant guide covers the same approach at sit-down restaurants.

This article is general information and does not replace advice from your doctor, midwife or dietitian. Menus vary by location and change over time, so check Whataburger's current nutrition information for the latest details.