Can I eat that? Foods to avoid during pregnancy

Written by the Progyny Editorial Team. Reviewed by the Progyny Clinical Team — November 2025.

Food safety is extra important when you’re pregnant. Both you and your baby have a higher risk of becoming very sick from bacteria and other microorganisms.

One of the most serious types of food poisoning is from a bacteria called listeria. It’s found in some animal products (cows, poultry) and the soil and water (so it may be in unwashed fruits and vegetables). Listeria can even grow in refrigerated environments.

Symptoms of listeria poisoning can start the same day you eat contaminated food. But it can also happen up to 10 weeks later. This is because listeria can spread from the intestines to other parts of the body.

Your baby can be infected even if you don’t feel sick. And it can cause serious problems, including:

Pregnancy loss
Premature delivery
Life-threatening infections in newborns

Fortunately, knowing which foods to avoid can keep you and your baby safe.

Unpasteurized = unsafe during pregnancy

Many foods and liquids go through pasteurization, a heating process that kills harmful organisms and helps keep you safe.

Foods and drinks that are unpasteurized can have large amounts of microorganisms and should be avoided. This includes:

Raw milk
Unpasteurized juices

In addition, deli meats and certain cheeses are a higher risk for having listeria. Follow these steps:

Avoid cheese made from raw milk
Avoid soft cheeses (like queso blanco, queso fresco, cotija, feta, brie)
Cook deli meat and hot dogs to 165°F to kill listeria

What can I eat?

Use this guide to find out which foods are good choices during pregnancy, and which should be avoided.

Drinks

✅ Good (low risk)	🚫 Avoid (high risk)
Pasteurized milk Pasteurized juices	Unpasteurized (raw) milk Unpasteurized juice

Cheese

✅ Good (low risk)	🚫 Avoid (high risk)
Processed cheese Cream cheese Mozzarella	Unpasteurized (raw milk) cheese Soft cheese (both pasteurized and unpasteurized) Brie Cotija Queso fresco Queso blanco Feta and blue cheese Camembert

Meat, deli, and eggs

✅ Good (low risk)	🚫 Avoid (high risk)
Cooked hot dogs Deli meat (warmed to 165°F) Properly cooked meat, poultry, fish and seafood Canned seafood and fish	Pâtés, meat spreads, smoked fish Uncooked hot dogs and deli meat (cold cuts) Undercooked or raw meat, fish, or seafood Raw sushi Ceviche Tartare Raw eggs and foods that contain raw eggs Cookie dough Certain salad dressings Certain desserts Deli foods (like chicken or seafood salad)

Fruit and vegetables

✅ Good (low risk)	🚫 Avoid (high risk)
Washed vegetables	Raw sprouts Unwashed vegetables

There’s a lot you can do to protect yourself and your baby. To keep learning, visit:

Your healthcare team and Progyny Care Advocate are also here to talk through any questions you have about food safety.

Disclaimer: The information provided by Progyny is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for medical guidance.