How to Have the Happiest 4th of July When You’re Expecting
When you’re pregnant, it can be difficult to stick to a safe & healthy plan at events, especially BBQs—but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself and the food during this classic American tradition. Take out the guesswork and use my cheat sheet guide below help navigate your Independence Day festivities.
Tip: If you are going to a venue that you think will have limited healthy options, eat beforehand so you don’t end up hungry. You also want to avoid an unbalanced dinner because of your food limitations (helloooo bread basket!)
And to all my non-pregnant readers, I still live by these as general guidelines for a healthy and nutritious diet.
| Instead of this… | Try this… |
| Hot Dogs (best to avoid hotdogs and ground meat especially if at all raw) | BBQ Chicken (check to make sure not pink in middle and avoid overly charred) |
| Egg Salad (or other pre-made salads that could include raw egg, or unpasteurized milk products) | Fruit Salad (sans cantaloupe: has been associated with listeria & salmonella outbreaks) |
| Caesar Salad (can contain raw eggs) | Grilled Veggies (eggplant, peppers, corn, zucchini, & red onion all are great on the grill—try a veggie kebab) |
| Cocktails | My Special 4th of July Mocktail! (Recipe Below) |
| Cheese Plate (if you do reach for this popular app, stick to hard & processed cheeses, NO soft cheese) | Veggies & Hummus (always make sure the veggies have been thoroughly washed) |
| Bread & spreads (can often be hard to tell what ingredients dips & spreads are made of, so if you haven’t prepared it yourself or asked the chef, best to avoid, esp. pate) | Bread & EVOO (add some red pepper flakes to your olive oil for added flavor instead of salt) |
| Raw Bar/shellfish (raw clams, oysters, etc.—avoid all raw seafood) | Chips & Guacamole (Indulge in the healthy fats of avocado, just watch your portions) |
| Heels (best not to be pregnant in heels at this venue!) | Wedges (if party is on flat, hard terrain) or sandals/flats |
| SPF 15 (unless the party starts after sunset, don’t forget your sunscreen) | SPF 30+ skin can be especially sensitive during pregnancy, so up the SPF—should always be above 30, so start now |
Festive Mocktail: Sparkling water, 1 small scoop of raspberry sorbet & fresh blueberries
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