Pregnant and want to know what foods you can eat at Christmas?

WHAT CHRISTMAS FOODS ARE SAFE TO EAT IF PREGNANT?

Pregnant and want to know what foods you can eat at Christmas? With Christmas around the corner, what are you safe to eat? It’s important to eat well during pregnancy, so knowing what is safe to eat and drink during pregnancy, can be a complete minefield. Often, there is so much conflicting information. But, we know that what you eat during pregnancy is crucial for you and your baby’s development, so what is fact from fiction.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST

Smoked Salmon and Scrambled Eggs

Make sure the eggs you eat have the British Lion stamped on them. This symbolises the strict hygiene and welfare standards these eggs are produced under, including vaccination against Salmonella. Hence, raw eggs without this stamp have a higher risk of having Salmonella.

With regards the Smoked Salmon, you can have smoked salmon, which is rich in nutrients, but always make sure it is fresh. I would advise to buy pre-packaged, date-stamped smoked salmon bought directly from your supermarket.

CHRISTMAS DINNER – TURKEY AND TRIMMINGS

Turkey is packed with nutrients, but the key thing is to make sure it is cooked throughly. Follow the instructions carefully, as you want to make sure any bugs are killed off. If you’re cooking a frozen bird, make sure it’s completely defrosted or it won’t cook evenly all the way through. Don’t wash the turkey before you cook it. Washing raw poultry could splash bacteria onto work surfaces, clothes, and cooking equipment.

Always wash you hands after handling raw meat. There is also a risk that undercooked meat could contain a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis. This is an infection which is usually harmless to adults, but can cause serious problems for an unborn baby.

If you are microwaving anything, make sure it is cooked through and piping hot throughout.

CHRISTMAS PUDDING AND PIES

Shop-bought ice cream from tubs is fine, as it is mostly pasteurised, reducing the risk of Salmonella. In fact, dairy ice cream is a tasty way to add calcium to your diet! Homemade or deli-bought ice cream made with raw eggs should be avoided too.

If someone offers you a slice of homemade Christmas cake, you may want to check if the icing has been made with raw eggs, and whether the eggs used were British Lion stamped.

CHEESE BOARD

AVOID

• Soft and Unpasteurised cheese, as they are more likely to contain a bacterium called Listeria. Listeria infection in pregnancy is extremely serious and can have a harmful effect on your baby.

• Certain soft cheeses, such as Brie, may contain Listeria.

BUT YOU CAN STILL ENJOY –

Some semi-soft and soft cheeses are still safe, such as:

mozzarella, cottage cheese, feta, cream cheese, paneer, halloumi, ricotta and any cheese that has been cooked throughly and is steaming hot all the way through, as this will kill harmful bacteria.

 

All hard cheese, even those that are unpasteurised or have blue veins such as stilton, are safe. This is because they contain less water, meaning bacteria such as listeria are less likely to grow.

I recently connected with Doctor Harriet Holme, an experienced paediatrician, Registered Nutritionist, who also has a PHD in genetics. She has written a fantastic ebook about what you can eat during pregnancy, including scientific backed nutritional information and practical tips of what to eat. This book is a great source of information. It is separated into easy to read sections of what to eat and avoid, giving you a great insight into how to eat healthily during pregnancy. I would highly recommend to anyone that is pregnant. You can get a copy at Amazon here.

Read my blog post on general food safety during pregnancy

 

So, be careful with what you eat over the Christmas period, but most importantly have a lovely Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!