Dairy & Eggs
An important source of calcium and protein, but some products should be avoided.
Dairy products and eggs are valuable sources of calcium, protein, vitamin D, and iodine — all nutrients that support your baby's bone, muscle, and brain development. Most dairy products are completely safe during pregnancy. Hard cheeses, pasteurised soft cheeses like cream cheese and ricotta, pasteurised milk, yogurt, and eggs are all fine to eat. The main things to avoid are soft mould-ripened cheeses (such as Brie and Camembert) and soft blue cheeses (such as Gorgonzola), because their high moisture content allows Listeria to survive. Unpasteurised milk and products made from it should also be avoided. The good news is that any of these cheeses become safe if cooked until piping hot throughout — so a baked Brie or a hot pasta sauce with melted Gorgonzola is perfectly fine.
Brie Brie should be avoided during pregnancy due to Listeria risk from its soft mould-ripened rind. It is safe to eat if cooked until piping hot throughout. Avoid during pregnancy Butter Butter is safe throughout pregnancy, including in cooking, baking, and spread on bread. Salted, unsalted, and most flavoured butters are all fine. Safe to eat Camembert Camembert should be avoided during pregnancy due to Listeria risk. It is safe to eat if cooked until piping hot all the way through. Avoid during pregnancy Cream Cheese Cream cheese is safe to eat during pregnancy. UK supermarket cream cheese (including Philadelphia) is made from pasteurised milk. Safe to eat Crème Fraîche Crème fraîche made from pasteurised milk is safe during pregnancy. Check the label if buying an artisan or imported product, as some traditional versions are made with unpasteurised milk. Safe to eat Eggs British Lion eggs are safe in any form during pregnancy, including runny. Eggs without the Lion mark should be cooked until both white and yolk are firm. Safe to eat Feta Feta is generally safe if made from pasteurised milk — which most UK supermarket feta is. Check the label, and opt for cooked feta dishes if in any doubt. Eat with caution Gorgonzola Gorgonzola is a soft blue cheese and should be avoided during pregnancy due to Listeria risk. It is safe in hot cooked dishes where it is fully melted through. Avoid during pregnancy Halloumi Halloumi is safe during pregnancy. Most halloumi sold in UK and US supermarkets is made from pasteurised milk, and its semi-hard, brined texture makes it a lower Listeria risk than soft cheeses in any case. Grilling or frying it, as it's most commonly eaten, removes any remaining doubt. Safe to eat Hard Cheese Hard cheeses — including Cheddar, Parmesan, and Stilton — are safe during pregnancy, even if made from unpasteurised milk. Safe to eat Mascarpone Mascarpone made from pasteurised cream is safe during pregnancy in dishes where it's used as is, such as tiramisu made with pasteurised eggs. Check that any dish combining mascarpone with raw egg uses pasteurised egg. Eat with caution Mozzarella Mozzarella is safe to eat during pregnancy. UK supermarket mozzarella is made from pasteurised milk. Avoid unpasteurised artisan varieties if you are unsure. Safe to eat Parmesan Parmesan is safe to eat during pregnancy, including if made with unpasteurised milk, because it is a hard cheese with very low moisture content. Safe to eat Pecorino Pecorino is a hard cheese and is safe to eat during pregnancy, in the same way as Parmesan. Safe to eat Ricotta Ricotta is safe during pregnancy as long as it is made from pasteurised milk, which all mainstream shop-bought ricotta is. It is a useful source of protein and calcium. Safe to eat Soft & Mould-Ripened Cheese Soft mould-ripened cheeses like Brie, Camembert, and soft blue cheeses should be avoided during pregnancy due to Listeria risk. They are safe if cooked until piping hot. Avoid during pregnancy Soft-Serve Ice Cream Soft-serve ice cream from machines (Mr Whippy, soft whip) should be avoided or treated with caution due to Listeria risk. Packaged ice cream from a tub is safe. Eat with caution Stilton & Hard Blue Cheese Stilton is safe during pregnancy, despite being a blue cheese — because it is hard rather than soft, its low moisture content means Listeria risk is very low. This is different from soft blue cheeses like Gorgonzola, which should be avoided unpasteurised or uncooked. Safe to eat Unpasteurised Milk Unpasteurised (raw) milk and products made from it should be avoided during pregnancy due to the risk of Listeria, E. coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter. Avoid during pregnancy Yogurt Pasteurised yogurt is safe and beneficial throughout pregnancy. It is a great source of calcium, protein, and probiotics. Safe to eat