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Yay! It’s Thanksgiving season – the most anticipated season of the year. It’s that time of the year when we get to meet our numerous extended family members we haven’t seen in a while.
We plan for the Thanksgiving season all year long as planning for the next Thanksgiving begins with the end of the current one. One reason Thanksgiving is so widely anticipated is because of the delicious and mouthwatering dishes we prepare for the occasion.
Delightful as they look, it seems someone will be missing out on that fun. Yes, you! You’re pregnant, remember? And you have to be cautious of what you eat.
Unfortunately, most Thanksgiving meals can be harmful to you and the little one growing in there. So, you’ve to be extra cautious of what you eat now more than ever.
Here are some Thanksgiving meals that you should avoid.
Undercooked Turkey and Stuffing
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Thanksgivings aren’t complete without turkeys. So, you have to be careful before taking a bite of that delicious-looking piece of meat. While preparing a turkey during Thanksgiving, it must be thoroughly cooked at the right temperature to ensure that all the bacteria inside it is dead. Without doing this, you run the risk of Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli, and other bacteria (1).
Here are some safety guidelines to follow when making your Thanksgiving turkey:
- Instead of leaving your turkey to melt under room temperature, let it melt inside your refrigerator.
- Avoid washing the raw turkey because the bacteria can spread to other areas of your kitchen, making it impossible to contain.
- Cook your turkey based on its weight, and when you take it out of your oven, leave it for 20 minutes before you start cutting. The USA Department of Agriculture advises that you should cook your turkey meat and stuffing at a minimum of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (2).
- Don’t cook your stuffing inside turkeys because it can be contaminated by undercooked meat. Opt for dressing instead and cook your stuffing separately.
Raw Batter While Baking
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This habit is popular among people who love to bake, especially during the holidays. If you fall under this category, then you have some work to do in this regard. You need to consciously fight against the urge to sample batter before cooking. The contents of raw cookie dough – raw egg and flour – can carry dangerous bacteria that can harm you or your baby (3).
We know it can be a lot of work trying to change a habit overnight, but it’s not impossible. If you find yourself unable to stop tasting raw dough, chew gum as you bake. If you find the taste of raw dough somewhat addictive that you simply cannot control your urges, there are alternatives. You can change the ingredients used for making your batter. You can use pasteurized egg, pre-baked flour, vegan dough, and heat-treated flour. Dessert hummus recipes that use chickpeas instead of flour and eggs are also a great alternative.
However, the best way to avoid the risks of raw batter is to wait until your baked treats are fresh out of the oven.
The Appetizer Tray
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You must be an alien if a tray filled with hors d’oeuvres doesn’t tempt you. But you’re pregnant, so you have to be careful with what you eat.
During pregnancy, women must avoid eating raw cheese, especially soft cheeses, such as feta, Brie, ricotta, and cream cheese, to mention a few. The reason why cheese is off-limits is because of a bacteria called Listeria that is present in raw cheese (4). If you must eat cheese, ensure it’s produced from pasteurized milk.
You must wash your vegetables thoroughly before eating as well because they carry bacteria from soil, fertilizers, and germs from the human touch in stores. Essentially, before you down that tantalizing tray of hors d’oeuvres, you must be sure that they’re properly washed and cooked.
And make sure the appetizer tray was kept cold before it was served. If it’s been sitting out for two hours or more, it’s no longer safe to eat.
Pregnancy is an exciting period. But you need to be cautious of what you eat for a healthy and happy baby. After delivery, you can eat everything with reckless abandon.
