Holiday foods to avoid during pregnancy

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Holiday foods to avoid during pregnancy

The culinary temptations are everywhere during the holidays, and they can be

especially hard to resist when you're pregnant and need a few hundred extra

calories every day. But it's wise to say no to some fancy holiday foods.

Imported soft cheeses, raw oysters, and rare steak, for example, may contain

bacteria or parasites that could make you sick or even harm your baby. Other

foods, like poultry and dishes containing raw eggs, should be handled with care

for the same reason.

Here are some foods to avoid:

.. Undercooked turkey and other meats: Cook your meat well, and use a food

thermometer to test its internal temperature. Whole poultry should be cooked to

a temperature of 180 degrees Fahrenheit (measure by sticking the thermometer

into the thickest part of the turkey thigh); other meats should reach 160

degrees F. If you're not actually measuring the temperature of the meat, cook it

until it's no longer pink. (And be sure not to sample meat you're cooking before

it's done!)

.. Unpasteurized soft cheeses, such as imported Brie or Camembert.

.. Hot dogs

.. Raw seafood, such as oysters, seared fish, or sushi

.. Raw eggs: Avoid Caesar dressing, hollandaise sauce, and eggnog that contains

raw eggs. And don't lick your fingers or a utensil while making cake or cookie

batter, stuffing, or other dishes containing uncooked eggs.

To prevent food poisoning, wash your hands frequently when preparing meals and

be careful to clean any surface that's come in contact with raw meat or eggs

before using it again. Don't leave leftovers out for more than two hours, and

store them in shallow containers so they'll cool quickly. Make sure your

refrigerator is set between 35 and 40 degrees F and your freezer at or below

zero to keep cold foods from going bad.