Safe and Healthy Eating During Pregnancy

These foods provide calcium, protein and vitamin D.

• Choose only pasteurized (heat-treated) milk, cheese and yogurt. Unpasteurized or “raw” products may contain harmful bacteria. The food label will tell you if a product is pasteurized.
• Check the dates. Milk and milk products carry “sell by” dates. The store must sell the product by this date. For the freshest product, choose the one with the most distant “sell by” date.
• Avoid buying soft cheeses made from raw milk such feta, brie, camembert, blue-veined cheeses, queso fresco, queso blanco and panela. These cheeses may contain the bacteria Listeria. Instead, select hard cheeses, pasteurized cheeses and spreads, pasteurized soft cheeses, cream cheese, cottage cheese and mozzarella. Listeria is a type of bacteria that can cause miscarriages.

These foods provide vitamins, minerals and fiber.

• Avoid buying seafood salads found in deli cases or on a salad bar. Many ingredients in seafood salads support the growth of bacteria. Also, long storage times (even when properly refrigerated) allow Listeria to grow.
• Avoid buying raw sprouts including alfalfa, clover, radish and broccoli sprouts. Washing sprouts may not make them safe to eat if the seeds they grew from contain harmful bacteria.
• Select only pasteurized fruit juices. Check the label to be sure the product is pasteurized. Frozen, concentrated and canned juices have been heat-treated and are safe to drink, but may not be labeled. Fresh squeezed juices are not pasteurized and may contain harmful bacteria.

These foods provide protein, iron and zinc.

• Avoid buying refrigerated smoked or precooked seafood, such as salmon, trout, shrimp, crabmeat, tuna and mackerel. It may be labeled as “kippered” or “lox.” Instead, choose canned tuna, salmon and crabmeat, which are heat-processed to kill harmful bacteria.
• Check eggs before purchase. Avoid buying cracked or damaged eggs.
• Avoid “cross-cart contamination.” Uncooked foods may contain bacteria that can be spread to cooked foods, resulting in cross-contamination.
• Place packaged meat, poultry and fish into separate plastic bags before placing in your shopping cart. Bacteria on the meat can spread to other foods in your cart.

These foods provide vitamins (such as folic acid), minerals and other nutrients

Because they are low in moisture, these foods pose few food safety risks. Store them in a cool, dry place at home and use them within the date listed on the package. Read the labels to learn more about nutritional content.

• Hand washing can help prevent foodborne illness. Always wash hands well in hot, soapy water for at least 20 seconds.

• Use separate cutting boards and utensils when preparing raw foods that require cooking and cooked or ready-to-eat foods.
• Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry or seafood without first washing the plate.
• Wash knives, cutting boards and food preparation areas with hot, soapy water after they come in contact with raw meat, poultry and seafood.
• Use paper towels (instead of a cloth or sponge) and a disinfecting cleaning agent to clean up messy spills from potentially hazardous foods.
• Place raw meat, poultry and seafood on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator to prevent their juices from dripping on other foods.

• Heat hot dogs to steaming hot before eating. Follow the instructions on the package or boil for at least five minutes.
• Heat lunch meats and deli meats to steaming hot before eating. Use a microwave, oven or grill. If you prefer lunch meats cold, they can be heated and then cooled before eating.

• You can’t tell it’s done by how it looks! Use a food thermometer. Insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the food, away from bone, fat or gristle. Every part of the turkey or chicken should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook beef, pork, veal, or lamb roasts and steaks, and fish to 145 degrees*; cook ground beef and egg dishes to 160 degrees.

  *Allow three-minute rest time.

• Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food and leftovers within two hours at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Never defrost or marinate food on the kitchen counter. Use the refrigerator, cold running water or the microwave to thaw foods safely.
• Use perishable foods that are precooked or ready to eat as soon as possible. If you cannot eat the food within three to five days, properly wrap and freeze it.
• Divide large amounts of leftovers into small, shallow containers for quick cooling in the refrigerator.

Don’t forget the most basic of food safety rules: When in doubt, throw it out!