Can you eat custard while pregnant?
Check firstYes, cooked or store-bought custard is fine during pregnancy. Skip homemade custard, trifle or tiramisu built on raw or barely warmed egg, which carries a Salmonella risk.
Why
Custard is milk and egg, so its safety comes down to whether the egg was cooked. The NHS lists raw and lightly cooked eggs among the foods to avoid unless they carry a recognized safety mark, because raw egg can carry Salmonella. Supermarket custard, whether in a carton, a pot or a tin, is made with pasteurized ingredients and heat treated, so it is fine straight from the fridge. Homemade crème anglaise, zabaglione and no-bake custard fillings often stay below the temperature that kills Salmonella. FoodSafety.gov puts the safe mark for egg dishes at 160°F, the point where a stirred custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
Safer alternatives
- Chilled custard pots or cartons from the supermarket, such as Bird's or Ambrosia
- Baked custard tarts and flan, cooked through until just set
- Pastry cream made with cartons of pasteurized liquid egg
- Vanilla pudding cups or ready-made crème caramel
Sources
- NHS https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/foods-to-avoid/
- FDA (foodsafety.gov) https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-internal-temperatures
Every verdict follows our sourcing methodology: official health guidelines only, most cautious position when they differ.
Last reviewed by the pregAI editorial team.
Frequently asked questions
Is shop-bought custard safe in pregnancy?
Yes. Cartons, pots and tins of custard are made with pasteurized milk and eggs and heat treated during production. You can eat it cold from the fridge or warmed.
Can I eat custard tart or custard slice while pregnant?
Yes, both are baked or made with cooked pastry cream, so the egg is set. Keep them refrigerated and eat within the use-by date.
What about homemade custard?
It is safe if you cook it to 160°F, the point where it thickens enough to coat a spoon. A quick stir over low heat that leaves it thin and runny may not get there, so use a thermometer or use pasteurized egg.
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