Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask for help in substituting a cheaper pregnancy craving before I bankrupt us?

142 replies

LeapingUpstream · 23/05/2024 12:44

This is possibly the most ridiculous problem I have ever considered bringing to Mumsnet, but I'm actually at my wit's end: I'm currently 18 weeks pregnant and for the last fortnight have been absolutely obsessed with smoked salmon. It's not something I usually eat or even particularly like, but now it's all I want, in vast quantities, at every meal.

Tried cheating with smoked mackerel yesterday and it was definitely not an acceptable alternative.

Assuming this means I'm lacking omega 3 or something so have started a supplement, but it doesn't seem to have helped. Frantically hoping someone can suggest something that might hit similar taste/ texture spots? I can't think of anything and it's driving me mad.

Or, failing that, how do I get rid of the craving!? Even rationing myself the current rate of consumption is not sustainable, but I'm literally catching myself daydreaming about it. Woke up at 5am today thinking about it, and ended up buying a packet on the way back from the school run and eating it for breakfast 😳. Husband and I are both wfh today and he's just offered to make bacon sandwiches for lunch... all I can think is that smoked salmon ones would be much better. Particularly if he gave me all the smoked salmon and ate the nasty, non-salmony bacon himself 😂.

Last pregnancy I just wanted cheese and onion crisps, but much less strongly than this, (and besides, I could have eaten an Aldi multipack a day for the whole forty weeks for less than I've already spent on salmon 😫) and in my first pregnancy I didn't have any cravings, so it's not something I've ever tried to deal with before!

Help!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
10
stillplentyofjunkinthetrunk · 27/05/2024 11:19

It isn't on this list OP,
https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/resources/food-safety-and-pregnancy/

you can find lists which say to avoid it the answer seems to be it depends HOW it was smoked

"While smoked salmon is very nutritious, it’s important to avoid unheated cold-smoked varieties if you’re pregnant. These types aren’t fully cooked and pose serious health risks.
On the other hand, hot-smoked salmon is fully cooked and shouldn’t cause dangerous infections. However, if the hot-smoked salmon wasn’t previously heated to 165℉, make sure to do that before eating it to ensure safety. Shelf-stable smoked fish choices are also safe.
Therefore, it’s best to only eat hot-smoked or shelf-stable salmon while pregnant."

Food Safety and Pregnancy - University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust

During pregnancy, it is important that extra precautions are taken to ensure that the food eaten is safe. Included is a list of foods to avoid.

https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/resources/food-safety-and-pregnancy

CaliforniaCookie · 27/05/2024 11:19

I feel for you, pregnancy cravings are horrendous.
Mine was milk in pregnancy 1, pints of it, and baked camembert with toast and cranberry sauce in pregnancy 2!! I ate on average 2 camembert a day 😶
Also chocolate!! Could eat a whole family tin in pregnancy but not fussed at all normally.
Also red wine cravings which i couldn't do anything about as didn’t drink any alcohol in pregnancy - i used to dream I'd drunk a bottle of it and wake up panicking 😄

Abitlosttoday · 27/05/2024 11:23

Gosh. People are really ready to police pregnant women's food intake, aren't they? Blow the budget. Eat the smoked salmon. Read Emily Oster on pregnancy. Not everything the fricking NHS advises should be taken as gospel.

Secondaryappealhelp · 27/05/2024 13:21

I had this and taramasalata (not sure of the spelling) and not delicate little pots I mean the really large tubs that I had to hunt down in cash and carry type places... sorry OP I hope you get past this soon. If it helps I ate a lifetime supply of both during my first pregnancy and haven't been able to stomach either in the 11 years since! My midwife wasn't bothered and said it was something to do with my vitamin deficiencies (I was super low in vit d but have no idea if it's in either) but looking at other posts it seems the guidance may have changed now!

Elderflower14 · 27/05/2024 14:03

With ds1 it was curried beans. With ds2 it was fruit. A dozen clementines, 2 lb of apples and a pound of bananas every week. Poor DH every time he went to the fruit bowl it was empty. The costamonger on the other hand was rubbing his hands with glee every Wednesday when I approached his stall!!

StickItInTheFamilyAlbum · 27/05/2024 14:07

LeapingUpstream · 23/05/2024 12:57

😱oh nooooooooo!!

That is actually devastating. I have to say I've never really thought to look at the list of banned foods in any pregnancy - I just don't drink alcohol or have too much coffee and otherwise crack on as usual. But you're right, that's obviously an even better reason not to eat it.

Cooking small amounts in things like PPs have suggested might be the way forwards...

Bradan rost is roast smoked salmon and delectable.

Works brilliantly in a kedgeree sort of dish.

diddl · 27/05/2024 14:36

Works brilliantly in a kedgeree sort of dish.

Ooh used to love smoked haddock kedgeree.

Also poached smoked haddock with a poached egg!

What is it about smoked fish with egg?

RishiFinallyDidTheRightThing · 27/05/2024 16:54

Abitlosttoday · 27/05/2024 11:23

Gosh. People are really ready to police pregnant women's food intake, aren't they? Blow the budget. Eat the smoked salmon. Read Emily Oster on pregnancy. Not everything the fricking NHS advises should be taken as gospel.

Well, quite. Whatever happened to listening to your body and believing it will tell you what it needs?

Cinai · 27/05/2024 17:05

RishiFinallyDidTheRightThing · 27/05/2024 16:54

Well, quite. Whatever happened to listening to your body and believing it will tell you what it needs?

If I went with this theory, my pregnancy nutrition would include vast amounts of chocolate, a lot of coffeine and some wine and Prosecco.
But apart from that, no one is policing anything and OP can obviously eat whatever she likes. Still it might be helpful to point out relevant guidance so that people can make informed decisions for themselves.

bringmorewashing · 27/05/2024 17:22

This recipe is a popular one in my house OP. Lots of salmony flavour, very nutritious, more filling and probably works out cheaper than just eating whole packs of smoked salmon alone 😀

https://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/salmon-and-cream-cheese-frittata.html

It uses hot-smoked salmon fillets, and they're cooked through in case you're worried by the advice not to eat smoked salmon (I'm personally not, and have eaten plenty of it this pregnancy as well as salmon sashimi, as IMO the nutritional benefit far outweighs the miniscule risks... but anyway) and you can substitute or skip the cream cheese if you like.

Salmon Frittata | Healthy Breakfast Ideas | Tesco Real Food

A marriage made in heaven, this hot smoked salmon & cream cheese frittata is perfect for lazy weekend mornings. See more brunch recipes at Tesco Real Food.

https://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/salmon-and-cream-cheese-frittata.html

diddl · 27/05/2024 17:24

Whatever happened to listening to your body and believing it will tell you what it needs?

Tbh I'm not sure that anyone needs smoked salmon every day for two weeks!

chatelai · 27/05/2024 17:29

And your views on chalk, coal, plastic bottle tops (cut up small)...?

Pica can get any pregnant person. It can be for weeks on end. It won't go away because somebody online pulls a face or tells them not to be unreasonable.

ByPeachSeal · 27/05/2024 17:34

RishiFinallyDidTheRightThing · 27/05/2024 16:54

Well, quite. Whatever happened to listening to your body and believing it will tell you what it needs?

Oh what a load of bollocks 😂

BlueBellsArePretty · 27/05/2024 18:07

Funny that smoked salmon was allowed when I was pregnant in 2020 which I enjoyed very much.

Some of the 'helpful' advice on what pregnant women can and cannot eat is crazy, in Italy pregnant women are advised to wash fruit and veg in disinfectant, in India they're advised to avoid bread and pasta because...? well just because.

coupdetonnerre · 27/05/2024 18:13

LeapingUpstream · 23/05/2024 12:57

😱oh nooooooooo!!

That is actually devastating. I have to say I've never really thought to look at the list of banned foods in any pregnancy - I just don't drink alcohol or have too much coffee and otherwise crack on as usual. But you're right, that's obviously an even better reason not to eat it.

Cooking small amounts in things like PPs have suggested might be the way forwards...

Gosh OP are you eating raw fish during pregnancy? Why not have a look at items not recommended to avoid causing potential problems for your baby.

StickItInTheFamilyAlbum · 27/05/2024 19:02

True North (was Loch Fyne) do a good bradan rost (hot smoked and roasted).

https://www.lochfyne.com/bradan-rost-whole-side-min-1kg

As do Lancaster Smokehouse

https://www.lancastersmokehouse.co.uk/products/hot-smoked-salmon

Hebridean Smokehouse and probably a lot more.

https://www.hebrideansmokehouse.com/hebweb/webpage/17

Bradan Rost Unsliced Side Min. 1kg

Kiln roasted smoked salmon.

https://www.lochfyne.com/bradan-rost-whole-side-min-1kg

NoThanksymm · 29/05/2024 14:46

Oie. If you can get it down, then I guess you have to eat it. This kid doesn’t need university. lol

shrimp?

smoked salmon cream cheese?

I was told no raw fish till third trimester and alllll I’ve been dreaming about is salmon sashimi.

anyway. I support addictions like this.

also because you’re pregnant people ask if they can bring anything… yes smoked salmon, and cream cheese, and capers, and fresh bagels!

now what shall we drink with this? Green tea anyone?

New posts on this thread. Refresh page