Can I Eat?

Pregnancy Food Guide

Pregnancy Food Guide

Meat

Alligator

Make sure it is well cooked.

Source
Careful
High levels of mercury

Bacon

Make sure it is well cooked.

Safe

Beef

Make sure it is well cooked.

Raw beef - such as in steak tartare and beef carpaccio - are unsafe for pregnant women, but cooked beef dishes should be absolutely fine.
Safe

Bison (Buffalo)

Make sure it is well cooked.

Safe

Black Pudding

Make sure it is well cooked.

Source
Safe

Boar

Make sure it is well cooked.

If hunted this may contain unsafe lead levels from bullets or shrapnel.
Careful

Burger

Make sure it is well cooked.

Make sure toppings and sauces are safe to eat while pregnant. The actual burger itself should be cooked well and not rare.

Careful
Multiple ingredients

Chicken

Make sure it is well cooked.

As long as it is cooked well, chicken should be perfectly safe in any form.
Safe

Chorizo

Don't consume if ready-to-eat. Only cooked.
Safe
Multiple ingredients

Corned Beef

Pre-packaged meats are safe, according to UK guidelines. Other countries may have different advice.
Source
Safe

Crocodile

Make sure it is well cooked.

Source
Careful
High levels of mercury

Deli Meats

Make sure it is well cooked.

Be careful of cold-cured meats of any kind, as harmful parasites could be present. Cook any deli meats well before consuming - e.g. on a pizza should be fine.

Source
Careful
Toxoplasmosis

Duck

Make sure it is well cooked.

Safe

Elk (Moose)

Make sure it is well cooked.

Shot elk/moose can be unsafe due to lead levels from bullets.
Careful

Emu

Make sure it is well cooked.

Safe

Goat

Make sure it is well cooked.

Safe

Goose

Make sure it is well cooked.

Safe

Haggis

Unsafe due to the presence of liver, which can be harmful due to high levels of vitamin A.
Unsafe
Vitamin A

Ham

Make sure it is well cooked.

If the ham is uncooked during the curing process, then it can be unsafe due to harmful bacteria or parasites. Cook well before eating.
Source
Careful

Horse

Make sure it is well cooked.

Safe

Hotdog

Make sure it is well cooked.

As long as it is well cooked, the only worry should be toppings and sauces.

Safe
Multiple ingredients

Jamón Ibérico

Make sure it is well cooked.

Cold-cured meats can contain harmful bacteria, so be sure to cook the meat before eating.
Careful

Kangaroo

Make sure it is well cooked.

Safe

Kebab

Make sure it is well cooked.

The kebab meat should be fine provided it is cooked well. Make sure you are aware of other ingredients.

Safe
Multiple ingredients

Lamb

Make sure it is well cooked.

Safe

Liver

Source
Unsafe
Vitamin A

Meatballs

Make sure it is well cooked.

Cook well and be aware of other ingredients.

Safe
Multiple ingredients

Meatloaf

Make sure it is well cooked.

As long as other ingredients are safe, and it is cooked well, this should be perfectly fine.

Safe
Multiple ingredients

Mutton

Make sure it is well cooked.

Safe

Offal

Make sure it is well cooked.

Most offal should be fine to consume as long as it is cooked. Liver is not safe for pregnant women due to high levels of vitamin A.

Careful
Vitamin A

Ostrich

Make sure it is well cooked.

Safe

Parma Ham

Cold-cured meats can be unsafe but if they are cooked well - such as on a pizza - then the dangers are significantly reduced.
Careful
Toxoplasmosis

Pastrami

Make sure it is well cooked.

Pastrami is not always cooked during the preparation process. Be sure you cook it before eating it (grilled on a sandwich will not be enough, but on a pizza should be fine).

Source
Careful
Toxoplasmosis

Pâté

Source
Unsafe
Listeriosis

Pepperoni

Cold-cured meats can be unsafe but if they are cooked well - such as on a pizza - then the dangers are significantly reduced.
Source
Careful
Toxoplasmosis

Pheasant

Make sure it is well cooked.

Hunted game can be problematic due to lead levels from bullets. If this is farmed it should be safe as long as it is cooked well.
Careful

Pork

Make sure it is well cooked.

As long as it is cooked well, pork should be safe in any form.
Safe

Prosciutto

Cold-cured meats can be unsafe but if they are cooked well - such as on a pizza - then the dangers are significantly reduced.
Source
Careful
Toxoplasmosis

Reindeer

Make sure it is well cooked.

Hunted game can be problematic due to lead levels from bullets, so be sure you know the source.
Careful

Salami

Cold-cured meats can be unsafe but if they are cooked well - such as on a pizza - then the dangers are significantly reduced.
Source
Careful
Toxoplasmosis

Saucisson

Unsafe
Toxoplasmosis

Sausage

Make sure it is well cooked.

Kielbasa, Cumberland, Bratwurst, Frankfurters, Cocktail, and almost all kinds of sausage are safe provided they are well cooked and don't contain other harmful ingredients. Liverwurst or other liver sausage is unsafe due to high levels of vitamin A.

Safe
Multiple ingredients

Spam

The UK's official guideline says that pre-packaged meats are safe to eat during pregnancy. This may not be the case in other countries.
Source
Safe

Speck

Make sure it is well cooked.

Make sure this is cooked well as cold-cured meat can contain harmful bacteria and/or parasites.
Careful

Steak

Make sure it is well cooked.

Steaks cooked rare can carry harmful bacteria. Cook thoroughly to minimise the impact.

Careful
Toxoplasmosis

Turkey

Make sure it is well cooked.

Safe

Veal

Make sure it is well cooked.

Safe

Venison

Make sure it is well cooked.

If bought from a supermarket this is likely fine. Hunted game can be problematic due to lead levels from bullets.
Careful

White Pudding

Make sure it is well cooked.

Safe

Zebra

Make sure it is well cooked.

Safe