What Can You Eat When Pregnant? The Complete Pregnancy Food Guide

If you have just seen two lines on a pregnancy test and your first thought was "what can I actually eat?", you are not alone. This guide covers the hard no's, the reasons behind them, the myths you can let go of, how the advice differs between countries, and what to add to your trolley this week.

Most foods are safe to eat during pregnancy. The list of genuine no's is shorter than you might fear: alcohol, raw or undercooked meat, seafood and eggs, unpasteurised dairy, and a handful of chilled ready-to-eat foods that can carry Listeria unless you heat them until steaming hot. Coffee and some fish need limits rather than bans. Everything else is about eating well, not eating less.

A word before the lists. Long lists of no's can make food feel frightening, and fear tends to make the list longer than it needs to be. An Australian study of more than 7,000 young women found that those who ate the fewest foods on the Listeria "avoid" list also had lower intakes of every nutrient measured, including fibre, folate, iron and vitamin E (Pezdirc et al., 2012). The guidance exists for good reasons, and this article explains them, including how big the risks actually are. The aim is to give you the understanding to make confident choices, and to keep enjoying nourishing foods like eggs, seafood and dairy safely, rather than cutting them out.

What should you do first when you find out you're pregnant?

Before you clear out the fridge, start with these five steps. They matter more than any single food.

1. Stop drinking alcohol. Australian guidelines are clear that women who are pregnant or planning pregnancy should not drink alcohol (NHMRC, 2020). If you drank before you knew you were pregnant, you are far from alone. Mention it to your GP or midwife, who can talk it through with you.
2. Take folic acid. The recommendation is 400 micrograms (µg) a day, ideally from at least one month before conception and for the first three months of pregnancy (NHMRC, 2006a). If you haven't started, start today.
3. Take iodine. NHMRC recommends a 150 µg iodine supplement daily for women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or considering pregnancy. If you have a thyroid condition, check with your doctor first (NHMRC, 2010).
4. Learn the "heat it" rule. Most food restrictions in pregnancy come down to one bacterium, Listeria. Cooking food until it is steaming hot kills it.
5. Book in with your GP or midwife. They can review any medications, existing conditions and supplements you're already taking.

Which foods should you avoid when pregnant? The hard no's

These are the foods and drinks to avoid completely during pregnancy, or until they have been cooked through.

• Alcohol. No safe level has been established in pregnancy. Alcohol can affect your baby's developing brain and is the cause of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) (NHMRC, 2020).
• Raw or undercooked meat and poultry. This includes rare steak, pink chicken and tartare.
• Raw or lightly cooked eggs. This includes homemade mayonnaise, aioli, mousse, raw cookie dough and cake batter. Cook eggs until the white and yolk are firm (FSANZ, 2026).
• Raw or chilled ready-to-eat seafood. Oysters, sashimi, raw fish sushi, ceviche, cold smoked salmon and chilled cooked prawns (FSANZ, 2026).
• Unpasteurised milk, cheese and juice. This includes "raw" milk and some farmers' market products.
• Soft-serve ice cream from machines.

Which foods are safe only if you cook or heat them?

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) updated its list of higher-risk foods in March 2026. Many of these are not banned outright. They become safe once cooked or reheated until steaming hot (FSANZ, 2026).

Food	Main risk	How to eat it safely
Deli and packaged sliced meats, cold cooked chicken	Listeria	Heat until steaming hot, for example on a pizza or toasted sandwich
Soft, semi-soft and surface-ripened cheese (brie, camembert, blue, feta, ricotta, mozzarella)	Listeria	Cook until hot all the way through (75°C inside), such as in a bake, lasagne or pizza
Refrigerated pâté and meat spreads	Listeria	Choose canned or shelf-stable pâté instead, and eat it soon after opening
Smoked seafood	Listeria	Cook it into a hot dish, such as a pasta or frittata
Pre-prepared and pre-packaged salads	Listeria	Make salads fresh at home from washed ingredients
Rockmelon	Listeria	Choose whole fruit you wash and cut yourself, and eat it straight away
Frozen fruit and vegetables	Listeria	Cook them thoroughly rather than eating straight from the freezer
Raw sprouts and raw or lightly cooked enoki mushrooms	Food poisoning bacteria	Cook thoroughly
Hummus and tahini dips	Listeria	Make fresh at home, or use in cooked dishes

The good news is that a few simple habits cover most of the risk. You'll find them summarised as simple rules further down.

Why are some foods off-limits in pregnancy?

Knowing the "why" makes the rules much easier to live with, and helps you make sensible calls when you're eating out.

Listeria: the reason behind most of the list

Listeria is a bacterium found in soil, water and some foods. Unlike most food bacteria, it can keep growing at fridge temperatures. That is why chilled, ready-to-eat foods carry more risk than freshly cooked ones.

In healthy adults, Listeria usually causes mild or no symptoms. Pregnancy changes the immune system, and pregnant women are about 10 times more likely to get a Listeria infection (CDC, 2025). The infection can pass to the baby and may cause miscarriage, stillbirth or serious illness in the newborn. In Australia, about one in ten listeriosis cases occur in pregnant women (NSW Food Authority, n.d.).

Listeriosis is rare, and the precautions are simple. 

Toxoplasmosis: why meat, soil and cat litter matter

Toxoplasma is a parasite found in undercooked meat, soil, unwashed produce and cat faeces. It can cross the placenta. To reduce the risk:

• Cook meat thoroughly and wash fruit and vegetables well.
• Wear gloves when gardening, and wash your hands afterwards.
• If you have a cat, ask someone else to change the litter, or wear gloves and change it daily (CDC, 2024).

Salmonella: why raw eggs are out

Raw and lightly cooked eggs can carry Salmonella. A severe bout of food poisoning, with fever, vomiting and dehydration, is something to avoid while pregnant. The risk from any single egg is low (see the risk section below), and fully cooked eggs are an excellent pregnancy food.

Mercury: why some fish are limited

Large, long-lived predatory fish accumulate mercury, which can affect a baby's developing nervous system. That is why limits apply to a few species, not to fish in general.

Vitamin A: why liver is limited

Vitamin A itself is an essential nutrient, not something to avoid. It helps maintain normal reproduction, vision and immune function, and plays an important role in embryonic development (NHMRC, 2006d). Your recommended intake rises slightly in pregnancy, to 800 µg a day.

The caution is about the form and the amount. Vitamin A comes in two main forms:

• Preformed vitamin A (retinol) is found in animal foods, and is especially concentrated in liver. High intakes in early pregnancy are linked to birth defects, so the upper limit for women of childbearing age is set at 3,000 µg a day (NHMRC, 2006b). The Royal Women's Hospital advises no more than 50 g of liver a week (The Royal Women's Hospital, 2026).
• Beta-carotene is a plant pigment found in orange and dark green vegetables, such as sweet potato, carrot, pumpkin and spinach. Your body converts it into vitamin A according to how much it needs, and high intakes have not been associated with vitamin A toxicity (NHMRC, 2006d).

This is why it's worth checking the label of any supplement you take. Complete Support provides its vitamin A as beta-carotene rather than preformed retinol.

How big are the risks, really?

Most of these risks are small for any single meal. The guidance exists because the consequences in pregnancy can be serious, and because simple steps make the risk smaller still. Here's what's actually behind the advice.

Deli meats: it's about handling and time, not the meat itself

Deli meat isn't risky because it's processed. The risk comes from two things:

• Slicing. Listeria can live on slicers, benches and hands, and transfer to meat after it's been cooked. A US government analysis estimated that about 83% of Listeria cases linked to deli meat came from meat sliced at the deli counter, rather than meat sliced and sealed at the factory (FSIS, 2010).
• Time in the fridge. Listeria is one of the few bacteria that keeps growing at fridge temperatures, so the longer sliced meat sits, the more any Listeria present can multiply (FSANZ, 2025c).

That's why a "fresh" ham shaved at the counter isn't automatically lower risk than a sealed packet. Factory-packaged meats are often made with ingredients that slow Listeria growth, while counter-sliced meat has more chances to pick it up (FSIS, 2010). The simplest fix is heat: deli meat that's steaming hot, on a pizza or toastie, is safer.

Soft cheese: pasteurised, but not risk free

In Australia, soft cheeses are made from pasteurised milk, which kills Listeria. The catch is that Listeria can get into cheese after pasteurisation, during ripening, cutting or packing, and then grow slowly in the fridge. That's why FSANZ still lists soft cheeses as higher risk unless cooked (FSANZ, 2025c). It does happen: in 2012 to 2013, brie and camembert from one Australian producer were linked to 18 cases of listeriosis, including 2 deaths and 1 miscarriage (NSW Ministry of Health, 2013). Baked brie or a cheesy lasagne, served hot, is the easy way to keep enjoying it.

Eggs: low risk, and lower still when cooked

Most Salmonella in Australian eggs has historically been on the outside of the shell rather than inside the egg, though an outbreak linked to egg farms in New South Wales and Victoria in 2018 to 2019 made 235 people ill (FSANZ, 2025d). The risk from any one egg is low, but Australian guidance is to cook eggs until firm while pregnant. Fresh, clean, uncracked eggs kept in the fridge are your best choice, and raw-egg dishes made in large batches, like café aioli or mousse, are the ones most worth skipping.

Raw shellfish: one of the more worthwhile things to skip

Shellfish like oysters, mussels and clams filter large volumes of seawater, concentrating any bacteria or viruses in it. In US data, shellfish accounted for about 65% of the people made ill in seafood-related outbreaks (Huss, Ababouch and Gram, 2003). Cooked shellfish, eaten hot, is fine.

Why balance matters

Avoiding foods out of fear has its own cost. In the Australian study mentioned earlier, the women who avoided the most of these foods had lower intakes of fibre, folate, iron and vitamin E. The same study found women eating the most higher-risk foods reported slightly more miscarriages, though this was self-reported and observational (Pezdirc et al., 2012). The sweet spot is in between: knowing which simple steps make a real difference, so you can keep eating a varied, nourishing diet with confidence.

Simple rules for choosing safely

If you remember nothing else from this guide, these rules cover most of the risk.

1. When in doubt, heat it until it steams. Thorough cooking or reheating kills Listeria and most other food bacteria (FSANZ, 2026).
2. Fresh beats sitting. Choose food that's freshly made over food that's been sliced, prepared or opened and left in the fridge for days.
3. Sealed beats sliced. If you're eating deli meat cold, a sealed packet opened and eaten straight away is lower risk than counter-sliced.
4. Eat leftovers within a day. FSANZ's general advice is 3 to 4 days, but for pregnant women it recommends eating leftovers within 1 day (FSANZ, 2025c).
5. Hard cheese any time, soft cheese hot. Cheddar, parmesan and other hard cheeses are fine as is. Brie, camembert, feta, ricotta and mozzarella are fine cooked and served hot.
6. Cook eggs until firm. Keep them in the fridge and skip cracked or dirty ones.
7. Seafood: cooked, canned or hot. Skip raw oysters, sashimi and cold smoked salmon. Choose low-mercury fish.
8. Be wary of food that's been sitting out. Café counters, buffets and picnic tables can leave food, including salads and cut fruit, in the temperature range where bacteria multiply. Cold food should stay at 5°C or below, and hot food at 60°C or above (FSANZ, 2026).
9. Eat where you trust. Home cooking, and cafés and restaurants with high hygiene standards and good turnover, give you the most control.
10. Trust your instincts, but not your nose. If something feels off, skip it. Just know that food contaminated with Listeria usually looks and smells normal, so smell is a check for spoilage, not for Listeria.

Is coffee okay when pregnant?

Yes, in moderation. Most authorities recommend keeping caffeine under 200 mg a day, including Healthdirect's Pregnancy Birth Baby service and the NHS (Healthdirect Australia, 2022; NHS, 2026).

The tricky part is that caffeine content varies widely. A café coffee can range from 80 mg to 350 mg depending on the beans, the shot and the size.

Drink or food	Approximate caffeine
Café or fresh brewed coffee	80 to 350 mg a cup
Instant coffee	60 to 100 mg a cup
Tea	8 to 90 mg a cup
Hot chocolate	10 to 70 mg a cup
Cola	About 35 mg per 250 ml
Energy drink	About 80 mg per 250 ml
Dark chocolate	Less than 25 mg per 50 g

Sources: Healthdirect Australia (2022); NHS (2026).

One café coffee a day sits within the limit for most people, but a double shot from a strong roaster could take you over it on its own.

What the evidence actually says: the research is observational and not settled. One large review found each extra 100 mg a day was associated with a 7% higher risk of pregnancy loss, with no significant increase below 150 mg a day (Chen et al., 2016). Another study linked even modest intakes with babies who were slightly smaller at birth, though the authors said the clinical significance is unknown (Gleason et al., 2021). Some researchers argue that avoiding caffeine altogether is the most cautious approach (James, 2021).

The balanced view: staying under 200 mg is the standard guidance, and less is a reasonable choice if you'd prefer to be cautious. Decaf, or a single shot instead of a double, are easy swaps.

Energy drinks are a different matter. In Australia, they must carry a label saying they are not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women (FSANZ, 2025a).

How much fish can you eat when pregnant?

Fish is one of the most valuable foods in pregnancy, so the goal is to choose well, not to cut it out. FSANZ recommends the following, using a 150 g serve (FSANZ, 2025b):

Fish	How much
Most fish, including wild-caught salmon and sardines, canned tuna, snapper, barramundi and whiting	2 to 3 serves a week
Orange roughy (deep sea perch) or catfish	1 serve a week, and no other fish that week
Shark (flake) or billfish (swordfish, broadbill, marlin)	1 serve a fortnight, and no other fish that fortnight

Make sure the fish is cooked through and eaten hot, or comes from a can.

Why are some fish limited more than others?

It comes down to how much mercury each fish builds up over its life.

1. Mercury enters the water. Mercury occurs naturally in the environment and also comes from industrial sources. Once it reaches oceans and waterways, microorganisms convert it into a form called methylmercury (COT, 2018).
2. It concentrates up the food chain. Small fish take in methylmercury from water and their food. Larger fish eat many smaller fish, so the mercury concentrates at each step. The amount in any fish depends on its age, where it lives and what it eats (FSANZ, 2025b).
3. Big, old predators carry the most. Shark and billfish such as swordfish and marlin are large predators that sit at the top of the ocean food chain, so they tend to carry the highest levels. That's why they are limited to one serve a fortnight in pregnancy.
4. Long life adds up too. Orange roughy is a deep-sea fish that can live for well over 100 years (Australian Museum, n.d.), giving mercury decades to accumulate. It and catfish sit in a middle band, limited to one serve a week.

Does mercury reach the baby? Yes. Methylmercury can cross the placenta, and the developing nervous system before birth is considered the most sensitive stage (COT, 2018). FSANZ notes that unborn babies are particularly vulnerable because they are growing so quickly (FSANZ, 2025b).

Most fish are low in mercury, though, and fish is also a valuable source of omega-3 fats, protein and iodine. FSANZ is clear that nobody, including pregnant women, needs to stop eating fish altogether. Choosing smaller, shorter-lived fish such as wild-caught sardines and salmon, whiting and snapper is the simplest way to get the benefits without the worry.

Which cheeses are safe in pregnancy?

• Safe as is: hard cheeses (cheddar, parmesan, colby, tasty), pasteurised cream cheese, plain cottage cheese, processed cheese and paneer, bought pre-packaged and kept in the fridge (FSANZ, 2026; The Royal Women's Hospital, 2026).
• Safe when cooked hot: brie, camembert, blue, feta, ricotta and mozzarella. A cheesy lasagne or a pizza straight from the oven is fine.
• Avoid: any cheese made from unpasteurised milk.

What are the most common pregnancy food myths?

Myth: "You can't eat cheese"

Hard cheeses are safe, and soft cheeses are fine when cooked until hot. Cheese is also a valuable source of calcium and protein.

Myth: "All sushi is banned"

The concern is raw fish and chilled ready-to-eat sushi that has been sitting in a fridge. Sushi you make at home with cooked fillings or vegetables and eat straight away is a very different proposition from a pre-made salmon roll from the supermarket.

Myth: "Avoid peanuts to prevent allergies"

The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) says avoiding common allergy foods during pregnancy has not been shown to reduce the chance of your child developing food allergies, and does not recommend restricted diets (ASCIA, 2024). Unless you have an allergy yourself, there's no need to cut out peanuts, eggs, dairy, wheat or seafood.

Myth: "Honey is off-limits"

The botulism risk from honey applies to babies under 12 months, not to pregnant women. Honey is fine in pregnancy.

Myth: "Herbal teas are always safe because they're natural"

Most herbal teas are considered safe in moderation (MotherSafe, 2020). But "natural" doesn't automatically mean pregnancy-safe, and research on many herbs in pregnancy is limited. The NHS suggests no more than four cups of herbal tea a day (NHS, 2026).

Tea	What the guidance says
Ginger	A popular choice when nausea hits. Studies suggest around 1 g of ginger a day is safe, and higher doses should be avoided (MotherSafe, 2020).
Peppermint and chamomile	Common, gentle choices that are fine in moderation, within the four-cups-a-day guide (NHS, 2026).
Raspberry leaf	Often used in the third trimester. Studies found it safe, but haven't shown it to be effective (MotherSafe, 2020). Many practitioners suggest starting from around 32 weeks, so talk to your GP first.
Liquorice root	Avoid. The NHS advises it may be harmful to a baby's development (NHS, 2026).
St John's wort and medicinal-strength herbal blends	Use only with professional advice. St John's wort can interact with many medications (MotherSafe, 2020).
Kombucha	Best avoided. It is often unpasteurised and can contain alcohol (MotherToBaby, 2020).

If you're unsure about a particular tea or blend, check with your midwife or practitioner.

Myth: "You need to eat for two"

More on this below. In short: your needs increase for nutrients far more than for kilojoules.

Does pregnancy food advice differ between countries?

Yes, and if you've been reading overseas websites, this may explain the conflicting advice. Different countries have different food supply chains, so the risks genuinely differ.

• Runny eggs (UK): since 2017, the UK has advised that eggs produced under the British Lion scheme are safe to eat runny or raw in pregnancy, because Salmonella risk in those eggs is very low (NHS, 2026). Australia still advises cooking eggs until firm.
• Liver (UK): the NHS advises avoiding liver and liver products entirely during pregnancy (NHS, 2026). Australian advice allows small amounts, up to 50 g a week.
• Catfish (US): the US lists catfish as a "best choice" low-mercury fish (FDA, 2024). In Australia it is limited to one serve a week, because the species sold here are different.
• Toxoplasmosis screening (France): pregnant women in France who are not immune to toxoplasmosis have regular blood tests throughout pregnancy (Cornu et al., 2009). This is not part of routine care in Australia, where the focus is on food and hygiene precautions.

If you live in Australia, follow Australian guidance. It is written for the food you are actually buying.

How should your weekly shop change now you're pregnant?

You don't need a new diet. You need a few swaps, and a few additions.

Swap out or change how you use

• Deli ham and salami → heat on pizza or toasties, or swap for freshly cooked chicken or eggs
• Pre-packaged salad bags → whole lettuce, spinach and vegetables you wash yourself
• Pre-cut rockmelon → whole fruit you wash and cut at home
• Frozen berries for smoothies → fresh berries, or cook frozen berries into a warm compote or porridge
• Cold smoked salmon → canned wild-caught salmon, or hot-smoked salmon cooked into a hot dish
• Soft cheese platters → hard cheeses, or bake the brie
• Your usual double shot → a single shot, or a half-strength option

Add to the trolley

• Eggs: a versatile source of protein and choline
• Canned wild-caught salmon and sardines: omega-3 fats, and calcium if you eat the soft bones
• Lean red meat, lentils and beans: iron, protein and fibre
• Leafy greens and legumes: folate
• Milk, yoghurt and hard cheese: calcium, protein and iodine
• Wholegrain bread and oats: fibre, and in Australia, bread is made with iodised salt
• Nuts, seeds and avocado: healthy fats
• Ginger and plain crackers: for the days when nausea wins

What should you eat more of during pregnancy?

Your need for several nutrients rises considerably in pregnancy, even while your energy needs barely shift in the first trimester. These are the ones worth knowing (NHMRC, 2006b).

Nutrient	Daily target in pregnancy	Why it matters	Where to find it
Folate	600 µg DFE, plus 400 µg folic acid as a supplement	Supports early development of your baby's neural tube	Leafy greens, legumes, fortified bread
Iodine	220 µg, including a 150 µg supplement	Supports your baby's brain and thyroid development	Dairy, eggs, seafood, bread made with iodised salt
Iron	27 mg	Your blood volume expands significantly during pregnancy	Red meat, chicken, fish, legumes, leafy greens with vitamin C
Choline	440 mg (adequate intake)	An emerging area of research in fetal brain development	Eggs, meat, fish, legumes
Calcium	1,000 mg	Supports your baby's growing skeleton	Milk, yoghurt, hard cheese, canned wild-caught salmon and sardines with bones
Protein	60 g from the second trimester	Supports growth of your baby, placenta and your own tissues	Meat, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes, tofu

The Australian Dietary Guidelines suggest pregnant women aim for each day: 8½ serves of grains, 5 of vegetables and legumes, 2 of fruit, 2½ of dairy or alternatives, and 3½ of lean meat, fish, eggs, nuts or legumes (NHMRC, 2013). These guidelines are being reviewed, with a draft expected for public consultation later in 2026.

Supplements play a supporting role alongside food. For women looking for a prenatal option, Complete Support contains folic acid and iodine, the two supplements Australian guidelines recommend for pregnancy.

Do you really need to eat for two?

No, and letting go of this one can take real pressure off.

In the first trimester, your energy needs change minimally. There is no additional kilojoule requirement at all (NHMRC, 2006c). In the second trimester, you need around 1.4 megajoules (MJ) extra a day, and in the third, around 1.9 MJ. That is roughly a substantial snack, not a second dinner.

What does increase is your need for nutrients. So pregnancy eating isn't about eating twice as much. It's about making what you already eat work a little harder.

• Toast becomes toast with an egg.
• Crackers become crackers with cheese and avocado.
• A pasta dinner gets a handful of spinach and some lentils stirred through.
• An afternoon biscuit becomes yoghurt with nuts.

And on the days when nausea means the only thing staying down is plain toast, that is okay too. In the early weeks your baby is tiny, and the amounts of nutrients they are drawing on are small compared with later in pregnancy. Eat what you can, keep taking your prenatal supplement, and trust that the variety will come back. You're not failing at this. You're growing a person.

For simple, nourishing meals that work across every stage, Nourished brings together 100 recipes for preconception, pregnancy and postpartum. It is written by Mother Natal co-founder and clinical nutritionist Ema Taylor, drawing on more than a decade working in preconception and pregnancy care.

Key takeaways

• The hard no's are alcohol, raw or undercooked meat, eggs and seafood, unpasteurised dairy and juice, and soft-serve.
• Most other restrictions are about Listeria, and heating food until steaming hot makes many of them safe.
• Keep caffeine under 200 mg a day, which is roughly one café coffee.
• Eat 2 to 3 serves of low-mercury fish a week, and limit shark, billfish, orange roughy and catfish.
• Take 400 µg folic acid and 150 µg iodine daily.
• You don't need to eat for two. Focus on making each meal more nourishing.
• Knowing the real risks helps you make confident choices. Cutting out too many foods out of fear can leave nutrient gaps.

If you have any concerns about your diet during pregnancy, or you have a medical condition, food allergy or follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, speak with your healthcare provider.

All content and media on the Mother Natal website are created and published online for informational purposes only. It is not intended to substitute professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I eat ham when pregnant? Cold deli ham carries a Listeria risk, so it's best avoided straight from the packet. Ham is fine when heated until steaming hot, for example in a toasted sandwich, on a pizza or in a quiche. Freshly cooked ham, eaten hot, is also fine.

Can I eat sushi while pregnant? Avoid sushi containing raw fish, and pre-made sushi that has been sitting in a fridge. If you're craving sushi, a fresh roll with cooked fillings such as cooked prawn, chicken or vegetables, eaten straight away, is a lower-risk option.

How many coffees can I have a day when pregnant? Most guidelines recommend staying under 200 mg of caffeine a day, which is roughly one café coffee or two instant coffees. Strong or double-shot coffees can exceed this on their own, so a single shot is a safer default. Remember that tea, cola, energy drinks and chocolate also contain caffeine.

Is it safe to eat eggs during pregnancy? Yes, as long as they are cooked until the white and yolk are firm. Eggs are a valuable source of protein and choline. Australian guidance advises avoiding runny eggs and raw-egg foods like homemade mayonnaise and mousse.

Can I eat canned tuna when pregnant? Yes. Canned tuna is generally lower in mercury and counts toward the 2 to 3 serves of fish a week recommended by FSANZ. Once opened, refrigerate any leftovers and eat them within a day.

What should I do if I've already eaten something on the avoid list? Try not to panic. The chance of becoming unwell from a single exposure is low. Watch for fever, muscle aches, vomiting or diarrhoea over the following weeks, as Listeria symptoms can take time to appear, and contact your GP or midwife if you feel unwell or are worried.

Are herbal teas safe during pregnancy? Most common herbal teas are considered safe in moderation, and ginger tea is often used for nausea. Some herbs are not recommended in pregnancy, so check with your midwife or practitioner before drinking a new blend regularly.

Can I eat peanuts during pregnancy? Yes, unless you're allergic to them yourself. ASCIA advises that avoiding common allergy foods during pregnancy does not reduce your child's risk of developing food allergies.

Do I need to eat more when pregnant? Not in the first trimester. From the second trimester, you need a modest amount of extra energy each day, increasing a little in the third. Your needs for nutrients like iron, iodine and folate rise more than your energy needs, so the focus is on quality rather than quantity.

References

Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) (2024) Allergy prevention FAQ. Available at: https://www.allergy.org.au/patients/allergy-prevention/allergy-prevention
Australian Museum (n.d.) Orange roughy, Hoplostethus atlanticus. Available at: https://australian.museum/learn/animals/fishes/orange-roughy-hoplostethus-atlanticus-collett-1889/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2024) Preventing toxoplasmosis. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/toxoplasmosis/prevention/index.html
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Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) (2018) Statement on potential risks from methylmercury in the diet of infants aged 0 to 12 months and children aged 1 to 5 years (COT Statement 2018/12). London: Food Standards Agency. Available at: https://cot.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/cotstatementonmethylmercury.pdf
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Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) (2010) FSIS comparative risk assessment for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat meat and poultry deli meats. Washington DC: USDA. Available at: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/2020-07/Comparative_RA_Lm_Report_May2010.pdf
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) (2025a) Caffeine. Available at: https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/prevention-of-foodborne-illness/caffeine
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) (2025b) Mercury in fish. Available at: https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/chemicals/mercury
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