What Can Pregnant Women Not Eat? The Cooking List for Dads

Every pregnancy food list out there is written for her. But if you’re the one doing the groceries and the cooking, you’re the one who needs it. This one is for you.

So what can pregnant women not eat? Less than you’d fear. Most food is fine. A handful of things are off the menu, a few need limits, and heat fixes a surprising amount. Here’s the list.

What foods should pregnant women avoid?

Skip these for the whole pregnancy, according to the CDC and FDA:

• Alcohol, of any kind. No amount is known to be safe.
• Raw or undercooked meat, poultry and eggs, and anything made with raw eggs, like homemade mayo, some dressings and mousse.
• Raw fish and shellfish: sashimi, ceviche, raw oysters.
• High-mercury fish: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, bigeye tuna and tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico.
• Unpasteurized milk, cheese, juice or cider.
• Refrigerated pâté and meat spreads, and refrigerated smoked seafood like lox, unless it’s cooked in a hot dish.
• Raw sprouts: alfalfa, clover, radish, mung bean.
• Premade deli salads: chicken, tuna, egg or ham salad from the counter.
• Energy drinks.

Why so strict about bacteria? Pregnancy dials down her immune system, which makes her about 10 times more likely to get a Listeria infection. It’s rare, but it can cross the placenta and reach the baby. That’s what most of this list is about.

Can pregnant women eat sushi?

Yes, as long as it’s cooked. Raw fish is out, but sushi with cooked fillings is fine: cooked shrimp, cooked eel, crab sticks, which are cooked imitation crab, tempura rolls and veggie rolls. A California roll usually qualifies.

Your job at the sushi place: order for the table so she doesn’t have to read every description. And no bigeye tuna, cooked or not. That one’s about mercury, and cooking doesn’t remove mercury.

Can you eat deli meat while pregnant?

Yes, if it’s heated until steaming hot, to 165°F. Cold deli meat, hot dogs and dry sausages straight from the pack are a Listeria risk. Toasted in a hot sandwich or microwaved until steaming, they’re fine.

So the cold-cut sandwich becomes a panini. Nobody has ever complained about that.

Which foods are fine in moderation during pregnancy?

These aren’t banned, just limited:

• Caffeine: under 200 mg a day, about one big mug or two small cups of coffee. Tea, soda and chocolate count too.
• Albacore or white tuna: one 4-ounce serving a week, max. Canned light tuna is lower in mercury.
• Added sugar and ultra-processed food: sodas, sweetened coffees and snack bars. If sugar is near the top of the ingredients list, it’s a main ingredient, not a sprinkle.
• Herbal teas and supplements: check with her provider first. “Natural” doesn’t automatically mean safe.

Can pregnant women eat soft cheese?

Usually, yes. Soft cheese isn’t the problem. Raw milk is. Pasteurized feta, mozzarella, ricotta, brie and goat cheese are generally fine. Check the label for “pasteurized”. One exception: the CDC has linked some pasteurized queso fresco to Listeria outbreaks, so ask her provider about that one.

What to cook for a pregnant partner

Good fuel, and simple. What to put on the plate:

• Protein at every meal: firm-cooked eggs, chicken, beef, beans, lentils, tofu.
• Low-mercury fish, 2 to 3 times a week: salmon, sardines, trout, shrimp, cod, tilapia or canned light tuna. The FDA recommends 8 to 12 ounces a week from these “best choices”.
• Iron plus vitamin C: a squeeze of lemon on beans or spinach helps her absorb the iron.
• Fruit, vegetables and whole grains, washed under running water.
• Water, lots of it. Keep a bottle filled near wherever she’s sitting.

Heat kills bugs. Fish is done at 145°F, when it’s opaque and flakes easily. Leftovers and deli meat go to 165°F, steaming hot. Leftovers go into the fridge within two hours.

A note for the nausea weeks: the perfect meal plan doesn’t matter if she can’t keep it down. Plain crackers at 7 a.m. count as a win. Our first trimester guide has more on getting her through that stretch.

Foods to avoid during pregnancy: printable fridge list

You won’t remember all of this in the cheese aisle. Our free pregnancy food safety cheat sheet puts the “eat”, “limit” and “avoid” lists on one page. Tape it to the fridge, take a photo for the grocery run, done.

And don’t go overboard. One slightly undercooked bite isn’t a disaster. Make good calls most of the time, and keep it fun. You’re feeding a pregnant woman, not defusing a bomb.

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General information, not medical advice. Food needs vary with allergies, medical conditions and pregnancy complications. Her prenatal care provider can give personal advice.

Sources: CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women, CDC: People at Increased Risk for Listeria, FDA/EPA: Advice about Eating Fish, ACOG: How much coffee can I drink while pregnant?.