UK GUIDANCE

Foods to Avoid in Pregnancy: NHS-Based Answers

Most foods and drinks are safe during pregnancy, but a smaller number need to be avoided, limited or prepared differently. This guide organises current NHS advice into a quicker reference while keeping the official page one click away.

Foods and drinks the NHS says to avoid

Unpasteurised milk, cream, yoghurt, butter and ice cream.
Raw or undercooked meat, liver and liver products, and game meats such as goose, partridge, pheasant and venison.
Hen eggs without a British Lion stamp or Laid in Britain assurance if they are raw or partially cooked, plus raw or undercooked duck, goose and quail eggs.
Raw fish, raw shellfish and sushi containing either, plus shark, swordfish and marlin.
Alcohol and herbal teas containing liquorice root.

Foods that need different preparation

Some foods are not completely off the menu but need careful preparation. Always check the current NHS page, packaging and use-by instructions.

Cook mould-ripened soft cheeses and soft blue cheeses until steaming hot.
Cook cold cured meats such as salami, pepperoni, chorizo and prosciutto until steaming hot.
Cook cold-smoked or cured fish, and cold pre-cooked ready-to-eat prawns, until steaming hot.
Cook rolled meat joints all the way through, and cook poultry, pork, minced meat, burgers and sausages thoroughly with no pink or blood.
Cook enoki mushrooms thoroughly and wash fruit, vegetables and salad ingredients carefully.

What to limit

Caffeine: no more than 200mg a day from all sources.
Tuna: no more than four cans or two tuna steaks a week.
Oily fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines and herring: no more than two portions a week.
Herbal tea: the NHS advises no more than four cups a day and avoiding teas containing liquorice root.

Common foods that are usually safe

Pasteurised milk and most pasteurised dairy products are safe. Hard cheeses can be eaten whether pasteurised or unpasteurised, and many pasteurised soft cheeses without a white rind are also safe.

British Lion hen eggs or eggs produced under the Laid in Britain scheme can be eaten raw, runny or fully cooked before their use-by date. Other hen eggs should be cooked thoroughly. Peanuts and other nuts are safe unless you have an allergy or a doctor or midwife has advised you not to eat them.

If you have already eaten something on the avoid list

The NHS says that if you have had a small amount of something that should be avoided, it is unlikely to affect your baby if you did not become unwell. Speak to your midwife or GP if you are worried or have symptoms.

Get help from NHS 111 if you feel unwell after food or drink that should be avoided, have vomiting and diarrhoea lasting more than 48 hours, or have symptoms of listeriosis or toxoplasmosis.

Check the official guidance when something changes

Food-safety advice can be updated. Use the linked NHS source for the full current lists, exact preparation advice and examples.

This source-linked guide summarises published NHS information. It has not been independently clinically reviewed by Floreo and does not replace advice from your midwife, GP, pharmacist or dietitian.

Frequently asked questions about swaddling

Can I eat brie or camembert while pregnant?

The NHS says mould-ripened soft cheeses such as brie and camembert should be cooked until steaming hot before eating during pregnancy.

Can I eat runny eggs during pregnancy?

British Lion hen eggs and eggs produced under the Laid in Britain scheme can be eaten raw, partially cooked or fully cooked before their use-by date. Other hen eggs should be well cooked, as should duck, goose and quail eggs.

How much caffeine can I have?

The NHS limit is no more than 200mg of caffeine a day from all sources, including coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks, chocolate and some supplements.

Can I eat smoked salmon?

Current NHS guidance says cold-smoked and cured fish should be cooked until steaming hot during pregnancy.

What should I do if I ate something I should avoid?

A small amount is unlikely to affect your baby if you did not become ill. Speak to your midwife or GP if worried. Use NHS 111 if you feel unwell after an avoided food, have vomiting and diarrhoea for more than 48 hours, or have symptoms of listeriosis or toxoplasmosis.

Foods to avoid in pregnancy

Public Health Dietitians · Eating Well discusses “2: Foods to Avoid in Pregnancy”. This video has passed Floreo Baby Hub's owner screening and is paired with current NHS pregnancy food-safety guidance so families can check the wider context and find professional support when needed.

Watch the demonstration