Can pregnant women eat hotdogs?
You may have lots of unusual pregnancy cravings, hot dogs being one of them, but now you’re wondering if eating hot dogs during pregnancy is the best idea.
In short, the answer is surprisingly yes, although not necessarily nutritious, hot dogs are safe to eat during pregnancy.
However, if not cooked through, there could be chance of a nasty kind of food poisoning which we will cover more on later.
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What’s the worst that could happen?
The most important thing to consider before eating a hot dog is how well it has been cooked.
Although you may think hot dogs are mostly pre-cooked and safe to eat, it is still best to always heat it up anyway to reduce your chance of food poisoning. In some deli meat, there is a harmful bacteria called Listeria that is extremely dangerous to pregnant women due to weakened immune systems. Listeria infection causes:
- Fever
- Chills
- Muscle aches
- Diarrhoea
- Upset stomach
- Stiff neck
- Headache
- Confusion
- Loss of balance
If you have had any kind of deli meat recently and are experiencing these symptoms, we urge you to contact a doctor and seek their advice.
The chances of you getting this food poisoning can be reduced to none if you ensure the hot dog is cooked correctly, to the correct core temperature of 165 degrees.
Nutritional value
You will be constantly reminded of the foods to avoid during pregnancy, some people might argue that pregnant women should only be eating nutrition-rich foods and no other deli meats to keep your baby healthy. However, it is no surprise you may be craving a hot dog and it won’t cause you any harm to fulfil those cravings. In fact, having the hot dog may make you feel satisfied and happy, which is actually good for you and your baby!
So, don’t feel guilty about eating the hot dog, or any kind of processed meat, enjoy it!
Types of hotdogs
As you will know, there are lots of different types of hot dog and each of them have slightly different requirements to make them safe to eat.
- Fried hot dogs- These have to be fried for approximately 8-10 minutes to avoid undercooked meat and served piping hot.
- Beef or pork hotdogs- These should be boiled, microwaved or steamed until the core temperature reaches 165 degrees.
How to safely cook hot dogs
So now you know it’s safe to eat hot dogs, you need to learn the safest way to prepare them in order to reduce your risk of food poisoning as much as possible.
As a rule, your hot dog should have an internal temperature of 165°F after cooking. This means it’s hot enough for all the harmful bacteria to be killed so you won’t get sick!
When boiling
If you wish to boil your hot dog in water, you should do the following:
1.Bring water in the pan to the boil
2.Add hot dogs
3.Cook for approximately 4 minutes (2 minutes to allow them to reach 165°F, 2 mins to maintain temperature and kill bacteria)
4.Serve immediately, steaming hot
5. Do not allow to cool entirely before eating.
When microwaving
Whether you choose to put the hotdogs in water or not, they should be microwaved for approximately 1-2 minutes, depending on how powerful the microwave is. Always check the meat is hot enough, with an internal temperature of 165 degrees, by using a meat thermometer ideally, before eating. Again, you should not allow it to full cool.
From street vendors
Although the hot dogs from a hot dog stand may taste the best, these are the ones you have to be the most wary of.
Hot dogs there have most likely been sat in a bath of warm water to make them feel cooked, however, the meat isn’t likely to have reached the safe temperature of 165 degrees. This means your chances of developing listeria infection could be higher.
But don’t worry! If you have eaten an undercooked hot dog from a vendor lately, you should be okay! But if you experience any of the flu-like symptoms mentioned earlier, it is best to seek help from a doctor.
Alternatives
Despite the fact you can safely eat a hot dog, you may prefer to steer clear of other processed meats and foods to be of the safe side. Luckily, there are lots of alternative foods that you could try to satisfy your hot dog craving.
Instead of using regular tinned hot dogs, we suggest you try unprocessed sausage instead. These can be a little more expensive but they are much tastier and fresher! This way, you can still enjoy the same meal but in a much healthier way. However, it is important to be very cautious when having meat of any kind as you are more susceptible to food poisoning while pregnant. Always ensure the meat is fully cooked in the centre and piping hot.
If you are still nervous about ensuring your meat is cooked properly, why not invest in a meat thermometer? Then you can always make sure all the bacteria in your food has been killed and completely safe to eat.