This category collects the foods that live in every kitchen and generate a surprising share of pregnancy questions: eggs, the condiments built on them, the spreads and dips on the snack shelf, and a couple of famous myths. The organizing principle for most of it is the egg. Raw or runny unpasteurized eggs can carry Salmonella, which pregnancy makes both more likely and more punishing, so US guidance says eggs get cooked until firm, and anything that traditionally contains raw egg, homemade mayo, from-scratch Caesar dressing, fresh aioli, hollandaise, gets made with pasteurized eggs or ordered in its commercial form. The commercial form almost always passes, because US manufacturers use pasteurized egg by default: jarred mayo, bottled dressings and carton eggnog are all fine.

The UK runs a friendlier egg rule, runny British Lion eggs are allowed, because of a vaccination scheme the US does not have; that difference explains most of the conflicting egg advice online, and we default to the stricter US line. Dips and spreads follow fridge logic rather than egg logic: hummus and pimento cheese are safe products whose only demand is being kept cold, fresh and within date, while the CDC's warning about premade deli salads covers the scooped tubs at service counters.

The myths deserve their own paragraph because they still cost women real anxiety. Honey is safe in pregnancy: the infant botulism warning is about babies under one, not about you, and nothing crosses to the bump. Peanut butter is safe unless you yourself are allergic: the old avoid-peanuts advice was withdrawn years ago after research found avoidance did nothing to prevent allergies. Each staple below gets its verdict, the raw-egg or freshness analysis where it applies, and the NHS, FDA or CDC source it stands on.

Every other foods verdict (6)

• Honey✓Safe
• EggsⓘCheck first
• Mayonnaise✓Safe
• Caesar DressingⓘCheck first
• Hummus✓Safe
• Peanut Butter✓Safe

In-depth guides

• Foods to avoid during pregnancy: the complete sourced listThe complete sourced list, organized by the five risks that actually drive the rules.

Every verdict follows our sourcing methodology: official health guidelines only, most cautious position when they differ.

Browse all foods: can I eat this while pregnant?

pregAI is informational only and is not medical advice. Always check with your doctor or midwife about anything specific to your pregnancy.