Can you eat ice cream when pregnant?

Find out if it's safe to eat ice cream, including Mr Whippy ice cream, during pregnancy. Plus, precautions to take to keep you and your baby healthy.

The official advice on eating ice cream in pregnancy

Shop-bought ice cream

Ice cream sold in supermarkets is safe to eat in pregnancy. It's usually made with pasteurised milk and eggs, so the risk of salmonella food poisoning has been eliminated.

My Whippy ice cream

The NHS says soft ice cream should be safe to eat in pregnancy as it's a processed product made with pasteurised milk and eggs. Pasteurisation removes the risk of salmonella food poisoning.

If you're buying soft ice cream from a van and you're concerned about the cleanliness of the machine, look for a Food Standards Agency certificate. This is often displayed on the van. A food hygiene rating of 4 or 5 means that the van's standards were good or very good at the last inspection.

Homemade ice cream

Some homemade ice cream recipes use raw egg. Raw egg is only safe to eat in pregnancy if it has a red British Lion stamp. If you can't get hold of eggs with a British Lion stamp, the NHS advises using a pasteurised egg substitute or following an egg-free recipe like the one below.

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If you're eating homemade ice cream at a friend's house or restaurant, you could ask if it's been made with raw eggs, and if so, whether they're British Lion.

Delicious frozen recipes

Love ice cream? Why not try one of these great pregnancy-safe frozen dessert recipes?

• Egg-free homemade ice cream
• Raspberry fro-yo
• Frozen chocolate banana pops
• Strawberry shortcake ice cream
• Chocolate and vanilla ice pops

Take a look at

Foods to avoid in pregnancy: your definitive guide

Confused about what you can and can't eat during pregnancy? These are the foods and drinks you should avoid or cut down on to protect your baby.

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Looking for more pregnancy diet info? Check out our articles below, or swap tips with other mums-to-be in our forum.

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