Pregnancy Nutrition Blog
Practical food safety and nutrition guides researched from official sources and edited by the PregnancyPlate team.
Holiday Baking While Pregnant: Raw Dough, Royal Icing, Eggnog and Rum Cakes
Everything that comes out of the oven fully baked is fine in pregnancy. Here's how to handle the risky parts of holiday baking: tasting batter, royal icing, homemade eggnog and boozy cakes.
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Pregnancy-Safe Charcuterie Board: What to Heat, What to Swap and What to Pile On
How to build a charcuterie board you can eat while pregnant: crisped prosciutto and salami, baked brie, the cheeses that are fine cold, and how long a party board can safely sit out.
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Pregnancy Food Myths: 12 Things You Were Told You Can't Eat, Fact-Checked
Eating for two, no coffee, no fish, no soft cheese, no pineapple: twelve pregnancy food myths checked against ACOG, FDA, CDC and AAP guidance, and what's actually true.
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Christmas Food While Pregnant: Ham, Cheese Boards, Eggnog and What to Skip
Most of Christmas dinner is fine in pregnancy. Here's how to handle the ham, the cheese board, the seafood, eggnog, mulled wine and the cookie dough, dish by dish.
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Is Korean Food Safe During Pregnancy? Korean BBQ, Raw Dishes and Bibimbap
At Korean barbecue you are the cook, so doneness and the raw-meat tongs are on you. Plus which dishes are genuinely raw, and the bibimbap egg.
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Is Indian Food Safe During Pregnancy? Paneer, Rice, Spice and What to Order
Paneer, yoghurt and lassi are all fine, and spice is safe. The real considerations are rice that has been held and the chutneys added raw at the end.
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Thanksgiving While Pregnant: Turkey, Stuffing, Eggnog and the Two Hour Rule
Stuffing cooked inside the bird is the classic risk and traditional eggnog is made with raw egg. Plus why food sitting out all afternoon matters most.
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Are Crumbl Cookies Safe During Pregnancy? Gooey Centres, Dough Toppings and Chilled Flavours
A gooey centre is not raw dough, it is sugar and a short bake. The two things worth knowing are dough toppings and the chilled cheesecake-style cookies.
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Halloween Food Safety in Pregnancy: Caramel Apples, Cider and the Sweet Bowl
Sweets and chocolate are completely fine. Caramel apples caused a deadly listeria outbreak and are riskier than they look, and farm cider is often unpasteurised.
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Eating Out While Pregnant: The Four Questions That Work on Any Menu
You do not need a guide for every restaurant. Four questions cover almost any menu, and the risk sits in cold ready-to-eat food rather than anything from the grill.
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Is Denny's Safe During Pregnancy? Eggs, Slams and Eating at 3am
Cooked to order is an advantage at any hour, including late at night. How to order eggs, how to build a Slam that works, and the bottomless coffee trap.
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Is Texas Roadhouse Safe During Pregnancy? Steak Doneness, Prime Rib and What to Order
One word settles it: medium-well. Why rare steak is out, why prime rib is the awkward one, and why a steakhouse is one of the best iron meals available.
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Is Costco Food Safe During Pregnancy? Food Court, Rotisserie Chicken, Samples and Sushi
The food court and rotisserie chicken are fine in pregnancy. Samples, sushi, smoked salmon and deli meats need care. A walk through the whole store.
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Is Street Food Safe During Pregnancy? Markets, Vans and Festival Stalls
Street food is not riskier than a restaurant by default. The risk is holding time, cold sauces and handwashing. What to order at a market and what to skip.
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Eating at Other People's Houses While Pregnant
Being fed by family while pregnant is a social problem as much as a safety one. What is genuinely risky, what isn't, and how to decline without a row.
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Barbecue Food Safety in Pregnancy: What to Eat and What to Quietly Skip
Barbecues carry three real risks in pregnancy: undercooked meat, cross-contamination and salads left in the sun. What to eat, and how to handle the day.
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Is Mozzarella Safe During Pregnancy? Fresh, Buffalo and Burrata
Mozzarella is safe in pregnancy when pasteurised, and nearly all of it is. The label check that settles it, plus fresh vs buffalo vs burrata explained.
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Is Sushi Safe During Pregnancy? What You Can and Cannot Order
Most sushi is fine in pregnancy. Cooked rolls, California rolls and vegetable rolls are all safe. It is raw fish that is out, and here is exactly how to order.
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Is Halloumi Safe During Pregnancy? (Yes, With One Caveat)
Halloumi is safe in pregnancy: semi-hard, pasteurised and usually cooked. The label check that settles it, and why salt matters more than listeria here.
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Is Salmon Safe During Pregnancy? Cooked, Smoked and Raw Explained
Yes, and salmon is one of the best things you can eat while pregnant. Low mercury, high DHA. The rules for cooked, smoked, tinned and raw, explained simply.
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Can You Eat Deli Meat While Pregnant? The Complete Guide
Yes, if it is heated until steaming. The listeria rule explained, which meats carry most risk, what to do if you already ate it, and how to order safely.
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Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy: The Complete List (and What Is Actually Fine)
The real avoid list is shorter than you think. Organised by the four actual risks, with what to eat instead and the foods you have been wrongly warned about.
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Is McDonald's Lettuce Safe Right Now? (2026 Cyclospora Outbreak Status)
Is McDonald's lettuce safe right now? Not named in the 2026 recall, and here is the supply chain history behind why people are asking, checked against CDC and FDA.
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Where Does Fast Food Lettuce Actually Come From? (Supplier Audit: Subway, Jersey Mike's, Jimmy John's, Chipotle & McDonald's)
Where does fast food lettuce come from? An honest supplier audit of the big chains, what is public, what is not, and the format question that decides risk.
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Is Sleepytime (Chamomile) Tea Safe During Pregnancy? What the Research Actually Says
Is Sleepytime tea safe in pregnancy? An honest ingredient by ingredient audit of the classic blend, plus why Sleepytime Extra is a different question.
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Can Pregnant Women Eat Ice Cream? (The Complete Guide: Store-Bought, Soft Serve, Gelato & McFlurries)
Can pregnant women eat ice cream? Almost always yes. The complete guide by type: supermarket tubs, soft serve, gelato, homemade and the drive-thru cones.
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Can You Eat Chicken Salad While Pregnant? (Listeria, Store-Bought vs Homemade & Deli Counter Rules)
Homemade chicken salad is fine in pregnancy. Store-bought tubs and deli counter scoops are on the CDC's avoid list. Here's why, and how to make a safe one at home in ten minutes.
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Is Jimmy John's Lettuce Safe Right Now? (2026 Recall & Supplier Audit)
Is Jimmy John's lettuce safe right now? Not named in the 2026 recall, but here is what we know about the supply chain, plus a two minute in-store check.
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Which Fast Food Lettuce Is Safe to Eat Right Now? (2026 Chain by Chain Status)
Which fast food lettuce is safe right now? Chain by chain 2026 outbreak status, from Taco Bell to Subway to Chipotle, in one honest, sourced table.
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Is Taco Bell Lettuce Safe Now? 2026 Recall Status
The recalled lettuce was pulled on July 17. What that means for eating at Taco Bell today, which states were affected, and the symptoms to watch for.
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Chipotle Lettuce: Not in the 2026 Recall (Updated Aug 5)
Chipotle is not named in the 2026 cyclospora outbreak and serves romaine, not the recalled shredded iceberg. Here is the evidence, checked against CDC and FDA.
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The Ultimate Pregnancy Cheese Guide: Is Brie, Halloumi, and Philadelphia Safe?
Confused about which cheeses are safe during pregnancy? We break down the clinical pasteurization rules for Brie, Halloumi, Philadelphia cream cheese, and more.
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Can Pregnant Women Eat Honey? (The Botulism Myth Explained)
Is honey safe during pregnancy? We break down the clinical reality of infant botulism, the safety of raw versus pasteurized honey, and how to manage the intense sugar spike.
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Can You Eat Grapes While Pregnant? (Pesticides, Washing & Resveratrol Explained)
Grapes are refreshing and hydrating, but are they safe during pregnancy? We audit the risks of Resveratrol, the 'Dirty Dozen' pesticide list, and blood sugar spikes.
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Is Jersey Mike's Lettuce Safe? (2026 Contamination & Outbreak Audit)
Ordering Jersey Mike's 'Mike's Way' is a staple, but is the shredded lettuce safe during pregnancy? We audit their produce handling protocols, historical listeria outbreaks, and the safety of bagged lettuce.
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Can You Eat Raw Cookie Dough While Pregnant? Safe Edible Options + The Flour Risk
Wondering if a sneaky spoonful of raw cookie dough is safe? We explain the hidden dangers of raw flour vs raw eggs, and how to safely satisfy those edible cookie dough cravings.
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Can You Eat Runny Eggs While Pregnant? (Soft Yolks, Poached and Dippy Eggs)
Craving a dippy egg or eggs benedict? We break down exactly when runny yolks are safe during pregnancy, the massive difference between UK and US egg safety rules, and what to look for on the carton.
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Can You Eat Chicken Salad While Pregnant? Safe Deli Rules + What to Avoid
Is store-bought or restaurant chicken salad safe? We explain the Listeria risks in pre-made deli salads and how to safely satisfy your chicken salad cravings.
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Fennel Tea During Pregnancy: Is It Safe for Gas, Bloating, and Digestion?
Looking for a natural remedy for pregnancy gas and bloating? We audit the clinical safety of fennel tea during pregnancy, its uterine stimulation risks, and safer herbal alternatives.
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Pregnancy-Safe Sandwiches: The Ultimate Guide to Deli Meats, Cheeses, and Chain Orders
Craving a sandwich but worried about deli meat? We audit the Listeria risk, safe heating protocols, pasteurised cheeses, and major sub chain menus.
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Peach Tea During Pregnancy: Caffeine, Herbal Ingredients and Safe Starbucks Orders
Is peach tea safe during pregnancy? We audit caffeine limits, hidden hibiscus in herbal infusions, and the Starbucks Iced Peach Green Tea for maximum safety.
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Can You Eat Subway While Pregnant? The Toasting Rule
Yes, with one rule: cold cuts must be heated until steaming, 165F, to kill listeria. The exact way to order it, plus the subs that are safe without toasting.
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