Pregnancy Food Hacks: How You Can Still Eat What You’re Craving (And Stick To The Safety Rules)

Craving a cocktail? Try sham-pagne

Let’s face it, nine months is a long time to go without your favourite tipple. So why not make the next best thing? There are loads of fantastic recipes for virgin cocktails out there…enter Olly’s sham-pane from The Hairy Bikers. All you need is a jug, 60ml of lime cordial, 60ml elderflower cordial, three drops of orange blossom water and 250ml of ice-cold soda water. And, no hangover in sight!

Craving runny eggs? Try baking them

Raw and undercooked (unpasteurised) eggs can lead to salmonella poisoning when you’re pregnant so it’s best to avoid having your beloved soft-boiled egg and soldiers for now. Instead why not bake them? Pop them in the oven for around 15 minutes with spinach, parmesan, chopped tomatoes and a sprinkling of chilli flakes; making sure the eggs are cooked through. Crackin’!

Craving blue cheese? Try Cheddar

Unfortunately, for those that like their cheese strong (and stinky), Brie, Danish Blue and Roquefort are a no-no and can contain listeria, which can lead to miscarriage and stillbirth. Instead why not enjoy a satisfyingly strong cheddar? You can’t beat bubbling cheese on toast with a splash of Worcester sauce…

Craving mayo? Try avocado spread

If you love to slather mayo on your sarnies…fear not, there are several substitutes you can try. One of the tastiest is avocado. Not only does it get around the whole no-raw-eggs issue, but avocadoes mashed up with seasoning adds that much needed moistness to your sandwich (at about half the calories!). Add a dollop of crème fraiche and a squeeze of lemon for more of a dip.

Craving a bloody steak? Try slow-cooked beef

For those mums-to-be out there that love their steak just the right side of still having a pulse – and not dry and well-done – then we have a solution: Slow cooking your beef. Quite a foodie trend right now, slow cooking is perfect for keeping your meat nice and tender – and it tastes AMAZING. Simmer your lean beef, stewed in beef stock, onions and carrots and thickened with a tbsp. of flour, for two to three hours, and serve with mash.

Craving seafood? Try king prawns

Seafood can be a great source of protein, iron and zinc, but unfortunately some types – particularly predatory fish like swordfish and King mackarel – contain high levels of mercury. It is advised that pregnant women only eat about 12 ounces of seafood a week. King Prawns are one type of seafood that is naturally very low in mercury and taste delicious grilled with lemon or added to your favourite pasta dish (just make sure they are fully cooked).

Craving Pate? Try houmous

Pate (even the vegetarian version) is off the cards, due to high levels of listeria and retinol - an animal-based form of vitamin A, which can be harmful to your developing baby. So what can you have spread across your hot toast instead? Houmous is a good bet and comes in many scrumptious flavours, from red pepper to sweet potato. Or, serve it plain with seasoning and coriander.