Thanksgiving 2026
Thanksgiving food safety when you're pregnant: the dishes to check, the ones to skip and how a host can help
Most of the Thanksgiving meal is fine during pregnancy if it is cooked to temperature: turkey and stuffing to 165°F, egg casseroles to 160°F. The foods to skip or check are the cold extras: deli meats, refrigerated pâté and smoked salmon, unpasteurized cheese or cider, homemade eggnog and raw dough or batter.
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Thanksgiving is mostly hot, cooked food, which is good news if you are pregnant or hosting someone who is. The risks sit in the extras: the appetizer board, the drinks and the bowl of batter on the counter. FoodSafety.gov explains why they matter: immune changes in pregnancy raise the risk of foodborne illness, and germs such as Listeria and Toxoplasma can infect the baby even if the mother does not feel sick. Her own doctor or midwife has the final word; this page lines up the federal guidance (see Sources) with a normal Thanksgiving menu.
The Thanksgiving menu, dish by dish
| Dish | What to check | Safe choice |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey | Undercooked poultry | 165°F in the breast, innermost thigh and wing, checked with a thermometer |
| Stuffing or dressing | Center of a stuffed bird; raw oysters or other seafood add-ins | Bake it in a dish to 165°F; cook seafood add-ins first |
| Gravy | Leftover gravy | Reheat leftovers to 165°F or steaming hot |
| Egg casseroles, strata, quiche | Runny egg | Cook until set, to 160°F |
| Charcuterie and cheese board | Cold deli meats, dry sausage, refrigerated pâté, raw-milk or queso fresco-style cheese | Pasteurized hard cheeses, cream cheese, mozzarella, feta; heat deli meats to steaming or 165°F; shelf-stable spreads |
| Smoked salmon appetizers | Refrigerated smoked seafood (lox, Nova-style, kippered) | Use it in a cooked dish that reaches 165°F, or choose canned or shelf-stable smoked fish |
| Shrimp cocktail, oysters | Raw or undercooked seafood | Seafood cooked to 145°F; skip raw oysters and ceviche |
| Deli salads | Premade ham, chicken or seafood salad | Make it at home from freshly cooked ingredients, or skip |
| Caesar salad | Homemade dressing with raw egg | Bottled dressing, or a recipe made with pasteurized eggs |
| Apple cider, fresh juice | Unpasteurized | Pasteurized, or bring to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute (great for hot mulled cider) |
| Eggnog | Homemade with raw eggs | Store-bought pasteurized eggnog, or a cooked custard base |
| Pies and desserts | Raw dough, raw batter, tiramisu, homemade ice cream | Baked pies are fine; no tasting raw dough or batter |
The four habits that cover most of it
- Measure the temperature. FoodSafety.gov's advice for meat and poultry is to use a food thermometer to reach USDA's safe minimum temperature. Our meat thermometer guide shows where to put the probe.
- Heat the cold cuts. Hot dogs, deli meats, cold cuts and dry sausage should be reheated to steaming hot or 165°F before eating, even when the label says precooked.
- Read cheese and cider labels. "Pasteurized" is the word to look for on cheese, milk, juice and cider.
- Keep raw and ready-to-eat apart. CDC's toxoplasmosis advice is to wash cutting boards, counters and utensils with hot, soapy water after they touch raw meat, poultry, seafood or unwashed produce, and to wash your hands.
Leftovers and the buffet
USDA's rule is that perishable food should not sit out more than 2 hours. Listeria is the reason leftovers deserve extra care during pregnancy, because it can grow at refrigerator temperatures. Pack leftovers in shallow containers soon after the meal, reheat them to 165°F, and use the timeline in our leftovers guide. If the food sits on a buffet, our buffet food-safety setup covers keeping hot dishes hot.
If you are the host
You do not need a separate menu. A few changes keep a pregnant guest eating from the same table:
- Ask, quietly. She may have her own guidance from her provider. Ask what she avoids rather than fill one ining.
- Bake the stuffing in a dish, or set some aside before it goes into the bird.
- Label the board. A small card that says "pasteurized" by the cheeses, and heating the salami or skipping it, saves her from asking.
- Offer a festive drink everyone can share. Hot mulled pasteurized cider or a sparkling juice works; our non-alcoholic drink station has more ideas.
- Save her a plate first if she will take leftovers home, before the food has been sitting out.
Planning for several dietary needs at once? The allergies and dietary restrictions guide covers labeling and serving order for the whole table.
Tools that make the temperatures easy to hit
FoodSafety.gov's advice keeps coming back to two things: cook to a measured temperature and keep raw foods away from ready-to-eat ones. These help with both.
-
ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE instant-read thermometerOur pick
Every rule on this page is a number: 165°F for turkey, stuffing and reheated deli meat, 160°F for egg casseroles, 145°F for fish. FoodSafety.gov says to check meat and poultry with a food thermometer, and an instant-read one makes checking several dishes quick.
- Look for:
- A fast, thin probe and a readable display. Check it in ice water before the holiday.
- Best for:
- Anyone cooking for a pregnant guest, or a pregnant host who wants to check dishes herself.
- Skip:
- if you already own an instant-read thermometer that reads accurately.
-
Joseph Joseph Folio 4-piece color-coded cutting board set
CDC's toxoplasmosis advice, quoted on FoodSafety.gov, is to wash boards, counters and utensils with hot, soapy water after raw meat and unwashed produce. Separate colored boards for raw turkey and for salad make cross-contamination less likely on a crowded counter.
- Look for:
- At least one board kept only for raw meat and poultry, and boards that go in the dishwasher.
- Best for:
- Hosts doing a lot of raw prep in one small kitchen.
- Skip:
- if you already keep a dedicated raw-meat board.
-
Taylor analog refrigerator/freezer thermometer
Listeria can grow in the fridge, which is why cold leftovers and deli foods matter most during pregnancy. USDA's target is 40°F or below, and a stuffed holiday fridge can drift warmer without anyone noticing.
- Look for:
- A simple dial thermometer that hangs on a shelf, so you can see it every time the door opens.
- Best for:
- Any host whose fridge is about to be packed full for the holiday.
- Skip:
- if your fridge already has an accurate temperature readout.
-
Pyrex Simply Store glass food storage set (12-pack)
USDA's 2-hour rule applies to the whole table. Shallow containers cool food quickly, and portioning a pregnant guest's leftovers lets her reheat just what she needs to steaming hot.
- Look for:
- Glass containers with lids, in a few sizes, that can go from fridge to microwave.
- Best for:
- Hosts sending leftovers home with guests.
- Skip:
- if you have plenty of shallow containers already.
Questions people ask
Can you eat turkey when you're pregnant?
Yes, if it is cooked to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer in the thickest part of the breast, the innermost thigh and the wing. FoodSafety.gov says meat and poultry should reach USDA's safe minimum temperature because undercooked meat can carry Salmonella and Toxoplasma.
Is stuffing safe during pregnancy?
Stuffing baked in a dish to 165°F is the simplest choice. USDA says stuffing cooked inside the bird must also reach 165°F in the center, and recommends cooking it outside the bird for best safety. Watch for add-ins such as raw oysters.
Can pregnant women eat smoked salmon on a cheese board?
Not cold from the fridge. FoodSafety.gov says refrigerated smoked seafood (lox, Nova-style, kippered) can carry Listeria and should only be eaten in a cooked dish that reaches 165°F. Canned or shelf-stable smoked fish is fine.
What cheeses are safe at Thanksgiving when pregnant?
Pasteurized hard cheeses such as cheddar, Parmesan and Swiss, plus pasteurized cream cheese, mozzarella, feta and cottage cheese. Skip any raw-milk cheese and unheated queso fresco-style cheeses, unless heated to 165°F or steaming hot, per FoodSafety.gov.
Is pumpkin pie safe during pregnancy?
A baked pumpkin pie is a cooked egg custard, so it is not on FoodSafety.gov's raw-egg list. What is on the list: raw batter and dough, so skip licking the spoon, and homemade eggnog or ice cream made with raw eggs.
What should a pregnant guest do if she feels sick after the meal?
CDC advises pregnant people who develop a fever or muscle aches, especially after eating a higher-risk food, to call their health care provider. Listeria can infect the baby even when the mother feels only mildly ill, so do not wait it out.
Sources
Numbers and rules on this page come from these pages, checked October 27, 2026. Sources can change; check them before a high-stakes meal.
- FoodSafety.gov: People at Risk: Pregnant Women (seafood 145°F; smoked seafood; unpasteurized juice and cider; cheeses; eggs 160°F; deli meats 165°F; pâté; raw dough; reviewed Oct. 5, 2026)
- CDC: People at increased risk for Listeria infection (pregnancy, newborns, adults 65 and older)
- USDA FSIS: Turkey from Farm to Table (turkey and stuffing to 165°F; perishable food out no more than 2 hours)
- USDA FSIS: Safe minimum internal temperature chart