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What can you eat when pregnant at Christmas?
Helen, Nutritionist, shares advice of what you can eat throughout the three trimesters of pregnancy, plus some tips on what to look out for during the festive season.
It’s well known for Christmas to be a time where we make excuses to over-indulge. Some quote that the average calories eaten on Christmas day can total around 5000 - 6000 kcal!!
As a reminder, it’s only in the third trimester of pregnancy that you actually need to add an extra 200 kcal to your standard daily intake (around 2000 kcal per day for an average healthy woman). This increase isn’t much – and it’s certainly nowhere near 5000 kcal!
You may be wondering what Christmas foods and drinks are fine to eat when you’re pregnant. In addition to following the advice of what you can eat throughout the three trimesters of pregnancy, here are some tips on what to look out for during the festive season:
Smoked salmon and shellfish
Smoked salmon and other smoked fish are fine to eat as long as they are cooked thoroughly. Salmon is an oily fish, and a good source of some important nutrients for you and your growing baby.
Aim for a total of two portions of fish per week (avoiding shark, marlin and swordfish and limiting tuna). At least one of your weekly fish portions should be oily, with no more than two oily fish portions per week in total.
Cooked shellfish, including cold pre-cooked prawns, are safe to eat during pregnancy; so if your traditions are anything like in my family, you can still enjoy a festive prawn cocktail starter before your main course!
Eggs
Fancy some smoked salmon with poached/scrambled eggs to kick off your Christmas day? As already mentioned, smoked salmon is fine to eat as long as it is cooked thoroughly.
Hen eggs that are British Lion stamped on their shell are ok to eat raw or partially cooked, as they are unlikely to contain salmonella; so you can still enjoy a runny yolk in your poached egg!(Other types of eggs should all be thoroughly cooked.)
Parma ham and other cold meats
Cured meats like Parma ham, salami, chorizo, pepperoni etc. are not cooked, and therefore should be avoided during pregnancy. Any meat should be thoroughly cooked before consuming.
Pâté
Sadly, all types of pâté, including vegetarian pâté are off the cards, as they may contain listeria. Additionally, many meat pâtés contain liver, which should also be avoided due to the high Vitamin A content.
Cheeses
Are you dreading the temptation of the cheeseboard over Christmas? Fear not. Although there are some cheeses that you need to avoid, there are still plenty you can enjoy while pregnant.Cheese you can eat:
- Pasteurised or unpasteurised hard cheeses, such as cheddar, Gruyere and parmesan
- Pasteurised semi-hard cheeses, such as Edam and Stilton
- Pasteurised soft cheeses, such as cottage cheese, mozzarella, feta, cream cheese, paneer, ricotta, halloumi, goats' cheese without a white coating on the outside (rind) and processed cheese spreads
- Soft or blue cheese (pasteurised or unpasteurised) that has been cooked until steaming hot
Cheese to avoid:
- Cheese made from unpasteurised milk, such as soft ripened goats' cheese
- Pasteurised or unpasteurised mould-ripened soft cheeses with a white coating on the outside, such as Brie, Camembert and chèvre (unless cooked until steaming hot)
- Pasteurised or unpasteurised soft blue cheeses, such as Danish blue, Gorgonzola and Roquefort (unless cooked until steaming hot)
Christmas lunch
Whatever meat you’re eating for Christmas lunch, make sure it’s thoroughly cooked for the full length of time at the temperature required. Vegetables and salad ingredients should be washed carefully to remove any soil, so as not to make you unwell.
If it’s a buffet style lunch you’ll be tucking into, make sure to adhere to all of the previous advice when you’re selecting what to eat. Avoid any dishes that have been made with raw eggs that aren’t British Lion stamped.
Chocolates
While it’s important to try and eat healthily the majority of the time while you’re pregnant, indulging in a few chocolates over Christmas is ok;, just be mindful of your total daily caffeine intake!
Caffeine intake should be limited to no more than 200mg per day, and unfortunately, chocolate, as well as tea and coffee, contains caffeine.
Levels found in some typically caffeinated chocolates and drinks are:
- Around 25mg in 50g of plain dark chocolate
- Around 10mg in 50g of plain milk chocolate
- 100mg in a mug of instant coffee
- 140mg in a mug of filter coffee
- 75mg in a mug of tea (green tea can have the same amount of caffeine as regular tea)
- 40mg in a can of cola
- 80mg in a 250ml can of energy drink
Christmas cake
Marzipan is sometimes made with raw egg yolk, so if someone offers you a slice of homemade Christmas cake, you may want to check where they got their marzipan from. Many shop-bought varieties are actually vegan, but if it’s a more artisan or homemade variety, see if you can find out whether the eggs were British Lion stamped.
Alcohol
If you’re partial to a celebratory drink over the festive season, note that the NHS advises the safest approach is to not drink alcohol during pregnancy.
All those rich foods at Christmas can play havoc with heartburn when you’re pregnant, so try not to overdo it. Eat little and often through the day, rather than indulging in large portions.
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