What CAN I eat?!?!?!? 😩😩

Question

Feeling so overwhelmed with so many people saying different things.. you can do this, no you can’t do this. You can eat this, no you can’t. I’m literally googling everything my husband picks up at the grocery store and putting half of it back... how am I supposed to even eat if everything can hurt the baby!!?!?!
😩😩😩
And don’t say just ask your doctor.. cause I don’t have one yet. Waiting to get bloodwork until 8 weeks at least. I’m 4+ 3 weeks now... 
Also it’s a little odd here in Korea.. we have American food here in the base commissary but what about eating out?!?
Can someone just tell me it’s gonna be ok!? 😩

Answer

Download the Ovia pregnancy app. There’s a food safety lookup if you’re concerned on what to eat! I’m sure being in a different country though the food choices are limited! Just breathe! It’ll all be OK!

Answer

I don’t listen to what anyone says unless it’s my doctor. People have so many doffernet opinions on pregnant women and they seem to loose their filter around us so I just ignore them go about my day

Answer

Just stay away from food high in mercury like fish, other than that just eat healthy and take vitamins. You don't have to cut everything out of your diet, just try to be as healthy as possible and enjoy your pregnancy :)

Answer

Stay away from high mercury fish and any meats/fish not cooked thoroughly and you and baby will be okay. 😊

Answer

I was told to stay away from fish high in mercury, raw meat and the cheese dip from the Mexican restaurant (I did eat it a few times) My Dr said I could get cold lunch meat and to make sure to was all fresh fruit and veggies.

Answer

Pick up the book Expecting Better by Emily Oster. I found it helped me base my decisions on fact rather than folklore. The only two things I have avoided are caffeine and alcohol. I have been eating everything else (sushi, cold cuts, tuna, etc.) and have been absolutely fine - but it’s an entirely personal decision!

Answer

As a food safety professional this is a hurdle of pregnancy that is easier for me than most! Like the previous posters  said nothing that is unpasteurized ( ie cheese and milk products),  bean sprouts, and precut veggies/fruit. Now at this stage one of the highest risks to your baby is listeria so that is the reasoning behind most, stay away warnings. There is Soo much you can eat!!
Being in Korea I would stay away from all raw bean sprouts. But buy your own veggies wash them thoroughly and you should be fine, especially if you are cooking them. If you are going out to eat, get something that is cooked thoroughly that way the risk of any pathogen survival is greatly reduced. I know it seems overwhelming, but I like the suggestion above of checking the FDAs chart. 
So here are things you should be good to eat:
Eggs are a wonderful whole protein, just make sure you crack them cleanly and cook completely! The risk with eggs is the potential contamination on the outside of the shell. Wash your hands before touching anything else!
Buy whole fruits and vegetables! Never buy precut as there is a higher risk for cross contamination esp. w fruit. Wash well. Most fruits are safe choices, especially If they have a smooth outside that is easy to wash. I personally would avoid cantalope, but smooth rind melons are lower risk!
All meats! Make sure you cook them thoroughly. Most fish are okay in moderation.
Processed foods (in the center aisles of the store/ non refrigerated shelf stable) should all be safe to eat.... I'm not much for processed foods but if that's your thing your good to go!!!! The exception is of course canned tuna which may have high Mercury content. Never buy dented or damaged cans!!!!!! This is not just because of baby, just never do it, I used to work in canning and the risk is not worth it. 
Frozen foods that you cook thoroughly like meals or pizza should be perfectly fine. 
In the deli only buy pasteurized cheeses...this is pretty much every cheese on the shelf... If anything in the dairy says "raw" just don't buy it. Yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese are all safe if pasteurized as well!
Also lunch meat is a hot topic because of increased risk of listeria. Mainly because it is not cooked prior to consumption and is conglomeration of a bunch of animals. I stay away from it personally unless cooked. So if you like a fried bologna sandwich go wild! Cooking greatly reduces your risk!!!
Being in Korea I would eat bibim bop dol sot every day and a giant bowl of pho (no raw veggies). Mmmm and some BBQ meats.
I know food safety is terribly complex and unless you had years of pathogen and scientific courses can seem overwhelming. I'm sure being in another country makes it more so. Just know you're fine to eat most things you used to with a few modifications! And cooking food is your friend!
Now for my food safety PSA I give everyone!!!! Please do not increased the risks to your family by creating cross contamination nightmares. Buy 3 cutting boards: one for veggies and fruit, one meats, and one dairy ( wash after every use). Never use a knife for meat and then cut fruits or veggies without washing using soap. Leave eggs in the carton until used, and always wash hands after handling! And please wash your hands immediately after handling raw meats!!! Store meats on a plate in the fridge so juice cannot get on your raw commodities. Thank you my name is Meghan and this was my Ted talk!

Answer

Just avoid raw or unpasteurized things. There are some fish that are better than others, but most things are okay in moderation. I used the FDAs chart online as a guide whenever I ate fish, and eventually I started recognizing high mercury fish on my own (as a general rule, the bigger the fish the more mercury it has). Eating out was depressing for me because I generally tried to avoid all sauces at nice restaurants (homemade mayo, aioli, Caesar dressing, merlot glaze, etc), and anything that could be a host for bacteria (particularly E. Coli, salmonella, and listeria), like coleslaw, premade salads, deli meats/cheeses, etc. I’ll admit that every time we ate at a restaurant I would peruse the menu for safe options, googling anything I wasn’t sure about, then ask for sauces on the side, even if the waiter was “sure” they used pasteurized eggs. I didn’t trust buffets either because any bacteria from other peoples hands or faces can easily spread across a buffet. Basically, anything that could be a potential risk for a non pregnant woman suddenly becomes a more serious risk because a small infection in you that causes stomach issues could cause a potential birth defect, miscarriage or stillbirth for your baby. It’s overwhelming in the beginning, but it gets easier. Most things that you cook at home are perfectly safe because you can control the cleanliness and temperature.

Answer

Don’t listen to anyone, follow guide that midwives give you. People will have a lot of opinions and confuse you.

What CAN I eat?!?!?!? 😩😩

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