Is a salami sandwich the end of the world?

[Sundaylunchhappy]

Hello,

Now 10 and a bit weeks along and feeling a lot better and on top of things sickness wise.

Just had to give in to temptation and had a stodgy delicious white bread sandwhich with several layers of dh's packed lunch filling in it.

I buy the pre packed uber sealed up variety, I know it's not recommended, but have I really done a terrible thing?

I didn't even know you weren't supposed to eat salami when pg. Is that new advice?

I'd say not to worry. Lots of women get quite far into pg without even realising that they are pg, so will have been eating pate and soft cheese etc and will have been fine. Certain foods carry a risk ehich is why they are best avoided but it's a small risk, not a 100% guarantee that eating them will make you ill.

I would suggest not. I was about 14 weeks pregnant over Christmas and all I wanted was a salami sandwich. I had one and it was bliss.

My understanding is that most pre-packaged cured meats have been frozen at some stage which removes the already very small risk.

I think it's ok?! One of my books said that you were ok with meats from supermarkets that had been cured as in general they had been frozen. I'm still confused and tucked into a very yummy French sausage (no euphemism) the other day with great enjoyment. Smoked Salmon....can i have that i wonder.....

I'm also confused and following!!!

There is a brilliant book called 'Expecting Better' which has a whole chapter about the actual science behind the advice - in short, there is no issue with eating 'deli meats'

Cold cooked meats are fine in pregnancy www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/eating-smoked-fish-and-cold-meats-during-pregnancy.aspx?categoryid=54&subcategoryid=216

Ham, chicken, turkey etc are cold cooked meats/deli meats. Salami is not a cold cooked meat. It's a cold cured meat, which is not cooked, that's the issue. Salami, pepperoni, Parma ham, chorizo etc

You'll prob be fine. I caved and ate a Parma ham sandwich and lived to tell the tale.

If you want to eat it again, you can freeze it first. Alternatively cooked pepperoni etc is fine (say pizza), so you could heat it throughly first?

NHS advice
"Be cautious with cold cured meats in pregnancy

Many cold meats, such as salami, Parma ham, chorizo and pepperoni, are not cooked, they're just cured and fermented. This means there's a risk they contain toxoplasmosis-causing parasites.
It's best to check the instructions on the pack to see whether the product is ready to eat or needs cooking first.
For ready-to-eat meats, you can reduce any risk from parasites by freezing cured or fermented meats for four days at home before you eat them. Freezing kills most parasites and makes the meat safer to eat.
If you're planning to cook the meat – for instance, pepperoni on pizza – you don't need to freeze it first.
If you're eating out in a restaurant that sells cold cured or fermented meats, they may not have been frozen. If you're concerned, ask the staff or avoid eating it."

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/foods-to-avoid-pregnant.aspx#cautious

Ah man. Now all I want is a salami sandwich.

@sparechange Expecting better was amazing.

Had to stare as DH devoured all the Parma ham yesterday - he said my drooling made him the uncomfortable

I ate a lot of supermarket chorizos and Parma hams etc while I was pregnant. Didn't freeze them either. It's a much bigger "issue" in America where they're advised to avoid them altogether.

I ate a pack of it in my first pregnancy when I didn't know it wasn't allowed and I was fine, but you're not meant to as its not fully cooked. It's fine on pizza though.

I caved at about 20 weeks and had a ciabatta roll with salami mayo cheese and spinach leaves. It was the best thing ever!

I'm now 35+6 and baby boy seems to be ok. He's tenderising the shit out of my ribssuper active

I've also caved and eaten a runny yolked egg and had a couple of glasses of wine when I've fancied them #rebel

I've heard they are thinking of changing the NHS rules to allow us to eat runny egg as the risks are so low. Been tempted so many times as I love a dippy egg with toast and fried egg and chips, but only got 4 weeks left so I'm going to hold on

demirose87, I was told at the beginning of my pregnancy last year that the NHS guidelines on runny eggs had already changed due to the lion stamp on the eggs meaning 'free from salmonella'. Might be worth checking with your midwife? I got given an NHS printout with it corrected too.

However I was told not to eat homemade mayonnaise when out in restaurants etc as you don't know its been made with lion stamped eggs...

Interesting re eggs. I'm not nhs as not technically uk (Channel Islands) so our guidelines may be behind.

Egg was delish though. Mmm. Egg.

I've avoided rare steak (as this is the only way I like it so for me it's not worth having it well done) and shellfish and pate.

I also had runny eggs as Lion stamped ones should be safe.

I did avoid my favourite pate though, and now Tesco doesn't sell it any more 😭

With eggs, the salmonella risk is super low, and according to expecting better, it won't pass to the baby anyway. So while it would be unpleasant to get I don't think it's dangerous in the way that listeria is. I've been eating soft eggs and thoroughly enjoying them, but I think it's all about working out what risks you personally are willing to tolerate.

Nice to see so many positive replies. Anyone fancy salami roll ups dipped in a salted runny egg... just me?

Also will chuck a load in the freezer so dh doesn't know they're there just to be sure next time I do a shop.

hometown dh thought I was a crazy when I ate my egg (in a sandwich with bacon...god it was good). I made yummy noises then panicked because I'd eaten a runny egg. He had to point out the stupidity of this because I was dressed in my jodhpurs ready to go to the stables to jump the pony. risk assessment maybe....?!

@CL1982 current NHS advice is smoked salmon is fine. Just limit to two servings a week, as it's an oily fish. I've craved and eaten several smoked salmon sandwiches during this pregnancy!