Can you eat pesto when pregnant?

Find out if it's safe to eat pesto during pregnancy, plus precautions to take to keep yourself and your baby healthy.

The official advice on eating pesto in pregnancy

Good news! Pesto is safe to eat in pregnancy.

Pesto is typically made with pine nuts, olive oil, basil and garlic – all of which are safe to eat in pregnancy. It also sometimes contains parmesan or pecorino. These hard cheeses are totally fine in pregnancy too, according to the NHS.

Delicious pesto recipes

Love pesto? Why not try one of these great pregnancy-safe recipes?

• Classic pesto recipe
• Creamy pesto chicken pasta
• Gnocchi with avocado pesto
• Oven-baked risotto with pesto
• Cod loin with mashed potatoes, pesto & mozzarella

We like The Whole 9 Months, a week-by-week pregnancy nutrition guide, packed full of recipes and medical advice. See more details here at Amazon.

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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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