Do you eat salad and raw vegetables in pre packed meals

[onceipopicantstop]

Hi I'm just wondering if I am worrying too much about the whole fruit and veg washing advice. I wash everything at home. But today bought a chicken pasta salad from M&S. It has chopped raw tomatoes in it and basil - and spinach though that may be cooked. Now hesitating about eating it as can't be sure if tomatoes and basil are washed!!

Am I thinking about this too much??

Yes - tuck in!!

Agreed, I think there is far too much scare mongering about things like this.
My general view is if I'd avoid something pre-preg if I was aware of the risks, then avoid now. However if you wouldn't give it a second thought normally (listeria from soft cheese, tox from cured meat, salmonella from soft eggs) then no need to avoid in pregnancy.
There is proper evidence that things like too much caffeine are bad for babies so I've been sticking to that, but for a minuscule risk of something which so rarely happens in this country I don't think it's worth avoiding eg raw veg!
However I very much think it's each to their own: I feel happy with my approach but wouldn't tell anyone else what they should do. Whatever makes each individual feel happiest.

Thanks! I am a worrier so its helpful to hear what others do!

Oh dear, I'm 38 weeks and didn't even know this would have been a problem. I've been eating loads of it

They will have been washed.

They'll be made in a factory, where anyone around the food being prepared will be wearing a hairnet & gloves & quite probably some kind of overall/white coat as well. There will be sinks where hands are to be washed & probably sanitiser that needs to be used too.

I used to work in a factory that made cakes for M&S (& Tesco, & Asda, & lots of other places) & hygiene standards are very high around the food.

The risk with toxoplasmosis goes: cats (low), unwashed veg (medium), raw meat (higher than unwashed veg). All risk is still pretty low, as far as I know, and pre-packaged 'eat now' veg will have been washed :)

Yes, of course.

But then again, I also eat runny eggs/soft cheese/cured meat/slightly rare meat and drink a few cups of tea a day. So I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum. I do wash or peel all fruit/veg I prepare myself, though. Always have.

The risks of listeriosis are not scaremongering IMO. Pregnant women are [articularly susceptible to it, and it can cause still birth. I don't like brie enough tbh.

They will have been washed. I will eat anything that's labelled "washed and ready to eat" without a second thought.

I look at the reasons behind the recommendations, which is why I've happily had the odd runny egg and rare piece of meat from a safe kitchen.

I'm totally obsessive and slightly over cautious when it comes to things like this! I've been so utterly careful to the point of getting really stressed out about washing absolutely every fruit and vegetable before I eat it....even pre washed salads.

I've also been sure careful about eating over cooked meat. Having said that yesterday I asked for well done lamb and ate it before I looked at it properly - was definitely medium well. :( I spent the entire evening crying.

The fact is I'm sure we are absolutely fine as the risks of listeria and toxoplasmosis are low. Listeria is something people very rarely catch in this country - stats support this. I think 234 cases were diagnosed last year, which is pretty good going.

I've avoided excess caffeine but still had a few cups of tea a day - if you did this prior to getting pregnant your body is used to it.

I also had a runny egg this morning and I've eaten cured meats. Chances are we are totally fine and this is coming from some very over cautious!

You can eat runny egg, as long as the eggs are lion stamped as this means the chickens have been vaccinated against salmonella.

I'm less ok with the risks of cured and undercooked meat. I had a TORCH screening at 31 weeks due to excess fluid and large tummy measurements (both me AND baby!) and cried for a whole weekend awaiting my results as I was terrified I'd infected us both with toxoplasmosis. The risk is low, but the stakes are high. However, I'm desperate for a blue fillet steak ...