Eating out

Eating out when you are pregnant can be a challenge. During pregnancy, your immune system is reduced and so you are more likely to get sick as your body's defence system is lower than when you are not pregnant. Food can be a powerful source of illness-causing bacteria, viruses and parasites. When you eat out you have no control over how food is prepared, stored and cooked and so you must be very careful.

The New Zealand Food Safety Guidelines are a set of guidelines for eating in pregnancy. They are designed to help you to avoid getting sick from food. The guidelines outline a number of foods that you should avoid in pregnancy as they are considered 'high risk'. Unfortunately, this means there are a number of foods at cafes and restaurants that you cannot safely eat. Some examples of foods that must be avoided during pregnancy include:

Unwashed vegetables and fruits
Pre-prepared salads
Soft cheeses (unless cooked)
Foods with raw eggs or undercooked seafood
Pre-prepared sandwiches
Sushi
Undercooked or raw meats and poultry
Cold meats, pate and cold, smoked fish
Foods from: buffets, smorgasbords, salad bars and street shops

S O, W H A T C A N Y O U E A T W H E N Y O U E A T O U T ?

The first and most important rule is: If in doubt, do not eat it! Foods eaten should be well cooked, steaming hot (above 70 degrees celsius) and prepared just before serving. It is often worthwhile telling staff that you are pregnant as many cafes and restaurants are happy to freshly prepare or heat foods well when they know you are pregnant.

Unfortunately, the food safety guidelines limit your ability to eat heathier take-away/ cafe options such as sandwiches and sushi, whilst indicating that foods like pizza and deep fryed foods are safe. While it is true that deep fryed foods and pizza are likely to be safe, they are unhealthy and, when eaten regularly, promote weight gain.

The following is a list of healthier options when eating out. You should still only eat these foods occasionally. It is important to note that these are only suggestions and that you should still apply the food safety guidelines as every cafe/ restaurant/ take-away outlet is different. If in doubt... do not eat it!

Emma Jeffs