Pregnancy Nutrition for Healthy Babies

Food Safety

It is not likely that you will get sick from the foods you eat, but you may get sick from food if you do not wash and cook it well.

Food Safety Tips

Here are some tips for how you can make the foods you eat safe and decrease the chance of getting sick.

Wash your hands before making and eating your food.
Wash the surface or counter top before making your food on it.
Cook all of your food very well. Do not eat meat that is still red.
Put foods in the refrigerator right after eating. They need to stay cold!
Cook hot dogs very well and heat them up until they are steaming.
Cook lunch meat and deli meat before you eat it.
Wash all fruits and vegetables before you eat them.
Peel all vegetables before you eat them.
Wash your cups, plates, knives, and other dishes in hot water after using.
Wear gloves if you have to change a cat’s litter.
Drink clean water.

Follow these tips and you will decrease your chance of getting sick from food while you are pregnant.

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American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2011). Nutrition during pregnancy. Available at http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp001.cfm

U.S. Department of Agriculture (2011). MyPlate. Available from http://www.choosemyplate.gov

This page was last updated on: November 21, 2011.