Pregnant, can I eat it?
Food by food, from the HSE list of foods to avoid in pregnancy, with the Christmas table.
In short
The HSE says to avoid unpasteurised milk and cheese, brie, camembert and blue cheeses, raw or undercooked eggs and meat, cold cured meats, liver and all pâté, shark, swordfish and marlin, raw or smoked fish and shellfish such as prawns. Limit tuna and caffeine. There is no safe time to drink alcohol.
- Avoid: brie, camembert, blue cheeses and anything unpasteurised. Check the label.
- Avoid: smoked salmon, sushi and other raw or smoked fish, and prawns, mussels and other shellfish.
- Avoid: salami, parma ham, chorizo, pepperoni, liver and all pâté, including vegetable pâté.
- Tuna: at most one fresh steak or two cans a week. Caffeine: up to 200mg a day.
- Alcohol: the HSE says there is no safe time to drink in pregnancy.
In the first weeks of pregnancy almost every meal raises a question. These answers come only from the HSE: its list of foods to avoid in pregnancy and its pages on listeriosis, alcohol and caffeine, checked in November 2026. Where the HSE does not name a food, we say so rather than guess.
What foods should you avoid when pregnant in Ireland?
The HSE lists unpasteurised milk and cheese, soft-serve ice cream such as a 99, brie, camembert and blue cheeses, raw or undercooked eggs and meat, cold cured meats, liver, shark, swordfish and marlin, raw or smoked fish and shellfish. These foods might make you ill or harm your baby.
| Food | What the HSE says | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Feta | Not named. Avoid unpasteurised dairy; check whether it is pasteurised | Check the label for pasteurised |
| Brie and camembert | Avoid mould-ripened cheeses | Avoid |
| Blue cheese | Avoid blue cheeses such as Danish blue, gorgonzola and roquefort | Avoid |
| Mozzarella | Not named. Avoid unpasteurised dairy; check whether it is pasteurised | Check the label for pasteurised |
| Ricotta | Not named. Avoid unpasteurised dairy; check whether it is pasteurised | Check the label for pasteurised |
| Burrata | Not named. Avoid unpasteurised dairy; check whether it is pasteurised | Check the label for pasteurised |
| Tuna | Limit to one fresh tuna steak (150g cooked) or two 240g cans (140g drained) a week | Limit |
| Smoked salmon | Avoid raw or smoked fish, including sushi | Avoid |
| Prawns | Avoid clams, oysters, scallops, prawns and mussels; the risk is highest if pre-cooked | Avoid |
| Salami and cured meats | Avoid cold cured meats such as salami, parma ham, chorizo and pepperoni | Avoid |
| Pâté | Avoid all types of pâté, including vegetable pâté | Avoid |
| Eggs | Avoid raw or undercooked eggs, such as homemade mayonnaise; cook eggs thoroughly | Cooked through only |
| Hot dogs | Not named. Make sure all meat is cooked thoroughly | Cook thoroughly |
| Christmas cheese board | Mould-ripened, blue and unpasteurised cheeses are on the avoid list | Skip those; check the rest |
| Mulled wine | There is no safe time to drink alcohol in pregnancy | Avoid |
The HSE explains that food which is not pasteurised, or is mould-ripened, may contain bacteria such as listeria, which can be dangerous for your baby.
Can I eat feta, mozzarella or ricotta when pregnant?
The HSE does not name feta, mozzarella, ricotta or burrata. It says to avoid unpasteurised dairy products and mould-ripened cheeses, and to check whether a product is pasteurised. So the label decides it: look for the word pasteurised on the pack before you eat a soft cheese the HSE does not name.
The cheeses the HSE does name to avoid are mould-ripened cheeses such as brie and camembert, and blue cheeses such as Danish blue, gorgonzola and roquefort.
Can I eat smoked salmon or sushi when pregnant?
No. The HSE list of foods to avoid includes raw or smoked fish, and it names sushi. That covers smoked salmon on a bagel or a Christmas starter. Shark, swordfish and marlin are on the same list, and the HSE asks you to limit tuna.
The HSE says any seafood you do eat should be cooked thoroughly.
How much tuna can I eat when pregnant?
The HSE says tuna should be limited to one fresh tuna steak a week, weighing 150g cooked, or two 240g cans a week, which is 140g drained weight each. That is the limit for the whole week. The same HSE list says to avoid shark, swordfish and marlin.
Can I eat prawns when pregnant?
The HSE list of foods to avoid includes clams, oysters, scallops, prawns and mussels. It says the risk is highest if they are pre-cooked, so ready-cooked prawns, as in a prawn cocktail or a prawn sandwich, carry the most risk. The HSE also says all seafood you do eat should be cooked thoroughly.
Can I eat salami, ham or pâté when pregnant?
Avoid cold cured meats such as salami, parma ham, chorizo and pepperoni, the HSE says, and avoid liver, including liver sausage and haggis. Its page on listeriosis says to avoid all types of pâté, including vegetable pâté. Any meat you eat should be cooked thoroughly.
The HSE also advises avoiding deli counters, as food hygiene there may not be as good. It does not name hot dogs; like any meat, cook them thoroughly.
Can I eat eggs when pregnant?
Yes, if they are cooked thoroughly. The HSE says to avoid foods made with raw or undercooked eggs, such as homemade mayonnaise, when you are pregnant. In its food safety advice, it says to make sure all meat, poultry, seafood and eggs are cooked thoroughly.
What can I eat at Christmas when pregnant?
The HSE has no separate Christmas list, but its list of foods to avoid covers the foods to watch, and they are mostly on the starter plate and the cheese board: smoked salmon, prawns, pâté, cured meats, brie, camembert and blue cheeses are all on the HSE lists of foods to avoid.
- Turkey and ham: make sure the meat is cooked thoroughly, and use different knives, chopping boards and utensils for raw and cooked food.
- Starters: smoked salmon, prawn cocktail and all pâté are on the avoid list.
- Cheese board: skip brie, camembert, blue cheeses and anything unpasteurised; check the label on the rest.
- Cold meat platters: salami, parma ham and chorizo are on the avoid list.
- Leftovers: the HSE says to eat them within 2 days.
Can I have a drink at Christmas when pregnant?
No. The HSE says there is no safe time to drink alcohol when you are pregnant. That includes mulled wine, a glass of bubbly for the toast and a Christmas cocktail. If you find out you are pregnant, stop drinking immediately. The HSE suggests talking to your GP, your midwife or a local alcohol support service.
How much coffee and tea can I have when pregnant?
The HSE says to limit caffeine to 200mg a day, about the same as 2 cups of instant coffee. High caffeine intake may increase the risk of miscarriage and can cause low birth weight. Ginger, peppermint, camomile and fruit teas are safe; avoid all other herbal teas and supplements.
How do I avoid food poisoning when pregnant?
Wash your hands before, during and after preparing food, use separate knives and boards for raw and cooked food. Get food into the fridge quickly. The HSE also says to wash fruit, vegetables and pre-packed salads, eat leftovers within 2 days and never eat food past its use-by date.
Food poisoning can be dangerous when you are pregnant. The HSE says to contact your GP if you think you have symptoms of food poisoning, or if you feel unwell after eating a food that has been recalled.
What if the HSE does not mention a food?
The HSE list does not name every food. Our suggestion, not HSE advice: ask your midwife, GP or maternity unit. The rules behind the list are a good guide: pasteurised over unpasteurised, cooked through over raw and nothing past its use-by date. Lullagram's free pregnancy section has every HSE pregnancy guide inside the app.
Lullagram also has weekly updates, your Irish dates and a bump diary, and the baby tracker is ready in the same app when your baby arrives. The pregnancy section is free on Android, iPhone and web. This is a guide, not medical advice. If you are worried, ask your midwife, GP or maternity unit.
Sources and guidance
This guide is written only from the official HSE guidance below. It is general information for people in Ireland, not medical advice. Links checked 6 November 2026.
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