Are these foods OK during pregnancy?

[wencit]

My friend is 8 months pregnant, and I've volunteered to cook her dinner. I was reading online about all the foods to avoid while you're pregnant, and I honestly don't know how you ladies find anything to eat besides veggies, fruit, and bread. It seems like there are so many restrictions!

Anyways, I have some questions about food safety during pregnancy and was wondering if you could answer them for me:

1) Are cream cheese and sour cream OK to consume? What if they're at room temperature? I would like to make a pan fried onion dip, and the recipe calls for room temperature cream cheese + sour cream. The dip is also supposed to be served at room temp, although I suppose I could always just refrigerate the dip after making it.

2) I know drinking alcohol is off-limits, but what about wine in cooking? Lots of recipes call for white wine. Is that not allowed, either? I've heard that sometimes the alcohol doesn't burn completely out.

3) I was thinking of making creme fraiche mashed potatoes, and was wondering if creme fraiche is OK to consume. You're supposed to make creme fraiche by combining 1 cup of heavy cream with 1/2 cup of sour cream, covering with plastic wrap, then allowing to sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours. Then you refrigerate it for 4 hours. When I'm ready to prepare the mashed potatoes, I beat some cooked potatoes with cream cheese (again at room temperature), sour cream, seasonings, and then top the mixtures with the creme fraiche. The mashed potatoes go into a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until hot. Does this process seem OK, or should I ditch the creme fraiche? As an alternative, is store bought creme fraiche safe to consume?

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer all these questions! I just want to provide a yummy meal for my friend without endangering her little baby!

Erica

[Marisa6826]

Cream cheese and sour cream are fine. I would just stick the dip in the fridge after you make it.

The alcohol cooks off in the wine, so no problems there. Any quantity that doesn't burn off will be quite minimal. And remember, many OBs recommend a glass of wine in the 3rd trimester to relax contractions. A little bit is fine.

You can buy prefab creme fraiche at any upscale market (Whole Foods, etc.). I wouldn't make it from scratch and let it sit out. A great alternative is to mix in an 8 oz. pack of cream cheese and a little heavy cream into mashed potatoes. It is heavenly.

The only absolute no-nos are unpasturized soft cheese (brie, chevre, etc.), large quantities of liquor, raw fish and raw eggs ( think caesar salad). However, you can now readily find pasturized cheese - even at Costco!

How nice of you to cook for your friend!

-m

[JacksMommy]

Marisa is right, there are very few outright prohibitions on food during pregnancy - raw fish or any tuna, unpasteurized soft fresh cheeses (don't think cream cheese counts), high amounts of alcohol. Basically the main issue with is the increased risk of illnesses that would be more catastrophic if you got them while pregnant than not (listeria from cheeses, mercury poisoning from some fish, salmonella from raw eggs, etc).

I personally would eat all of the things you are preparing, even though I'm pregnant. Like Marisa said, the cream cheese, sour cream and cooking wine are totally fine. Why not ask your friend about her comfort level with the creme fraiche at room temp? If she doesn't feel okay about it, then you can just buy it or subsitute as needed.

Laurel
WOHM to Jack, 6/4/02
EDD baby girl 12/24/02

[dowlinal]

I agree with the pps but I wanted to add that you might want to ask your friend about cooking with wine. I never minded it , but I have had friends who absolutely would not eat something with any type of alcohol in it. You can usually substitute chicken broth for wine if its a problem. HTH

[psophia17]

I would definitely eat everything you've got listed there - it sounds pretty much perfect for a preggo woman (lots and lots of dairy!). However, while I was pg I couldn't stand the taste of alcohol, whether it was on its own (one of the first indications I was pg - hated wine's taste) or mixed into a recipe. I could taste it, and it made me ill.

I'd call your friend and ask if there were any foods she just didn't like while pg, and if you're trying to surprise her, casually ask about the ingredients you plan to cook with.

I wish someone had made me yummy dinners like you'll be making while I was pg (or now, now is good too :-))

-Petra

DS - Nathan, 12/29/03

[barbarhow]

It all sounds fine as the PP have said.
I am wondering.....can I come to dinner? It sounds sooooo yummy!
Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03, a Red Sox fan
expecting #2, a Yankee fan, around 5/9/05!

[wencit]

LOL! You guys are great! Thanks for all the advice.

And I don't think my friend will mind if we have a couple extra guests. That is, if you want to make the trek all the way out to the SF Bay Area. ;)

Thanks again,
Erica

[barbarhow]

I love the bay area! Look out-I may knock on the door.
Barbara-mom to Jack 3/27/03, a Red Sox fan
expecting #2, a Yankee fan, around 5/9/05!

[C99]

>The only absolute no-nos are unpasturized soft cheese (brie,
>chevre, etc.), large quantities of liquor, raw fish and raw
>eggs ( think caesar salad).

Although I think some of these things are more "in moderation." My OB has always said that unpasteurized cheese is fine in moderation. And the big problem with raw fish (according to him) is that you can get a tapeworm and you can't get rid of a tapeworm until you give birth.