Pregnancy tips Holiday Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy

If you're like most people, you are put into the position of eating some new and perhaps strange foods at holiday parties and get togethers. Some holidays are behind us, but there's plenty of leftovers and new year's parties are still coming up. Here is an article that discussed what you should avoid if you're pregnant:

www.babycenter.com

From the article:

Winter holidays

* Unpasteurized soft cheeses: Fruit and cheese platters are a party staple, and a relatively healthy way to fill up, but stay away from soft cheeses made with unpasteurized milk. Unpasteurized or "raw milk" cheeses may contain listeria, which is killed during the pasteurization process.
* The FDA recommends checking the label of any soft cheese before eating, to make sure it says "made with pasteurized milk." If you can't check the label — for example, if you're at a party — avoid blue cheese and soft cheeses (including Brie, Camembert, goat cheese, feta, and Roquefort) and Mexican-style cheeses like queso fresco, queso blanco, and Panela. If you're not sure which cheeses are safe, stick with hard cheeses like cheddar and Swiss, and semi-soft cheeses like Monterey jack and mozzarella. Cream cheese and pasteurized processed cheeses like American are also safe.
* Sushi: Avoid sushi trays with raw fish, because it may contain parasites and bacteria. If you’re a sushi fan, opt instead for a California roll, made with avocado and cooked crab. Although raw fish poses little direct risk to your baby, if you get ill from sushi you'll likely suffer from vomiting and dehydration, which can affect your unborn baby.
* Carving stations: If your party features a carving station with roast beef or turkey, make sure the meat is cooked well-done and is still steaming hot. Unless you're sure they're well cooked, avoid sauces like bearnaise, hollandaise, and aioli, which can contain uncooked eggs.
* Eggnog: Homemade eggnog is generally off-limits, because it's usually made with raw, unpasteurized eggs — and alcohol. But you can make a virgin, pregnancy-safe version at home with a pasteurized egg product or an egg alternative like Egg Beaters. Or try store-bought eggnog — just check the label to make sure the eggs are pasteurized.
* You might also consider "soy nog," which doesn't contain eggs or any other dairy products. You can find it during the winter holidays in most large grocery stores and in natural food stores.
* You'll also want to avoid desserts that may contain raw or undercooked eggs, like some custards and mousse, and homemade ice cream.