When you’re pregnant, you get a whole list of things you’re no longer supposed to eat. Cheese is unfortunately on that list, at least in part. But the good news: you can still enjoy the vast majority of cheeses without any worries. It’s all about knowing which ones are safe and why.
Why some cheeses are best avoided
It comes down to listeria, a bacterium that in rare cases can be found in certain foods. For most people, listeria is harmless, but during pregnancy it can pose risks to your baby. The bacterium thrives in moist, soft environments and is killed by heat.
That’s why the rule of thumb is: pasteurized and hard means safe.
Cheeses that are safe to eat
Good news for every cheese lover: most cheeses are perfectly fine.
- Hard cheeses: Gouda, Edam, Parmesan, Cheddar, Gruyère. Their low moisture content prevents listeria from growing, even if the cheese is made from raw milk.
- Semi-hard cheeses: semi-mature, mature, cumin cheese. All safe.
- Spreadable and cream cheeses: fine as long as they’re pasteurized, which is almost always the case with commercially produced varieties.
- Melted cheese: heat kills any bacteria present. Toasted sandwiches, oven dishes, fondue: all fine.
Cheeses to avoid
A limited number of cheese types are best avoided:
- Soft mold-ripened cheeses: Brie, Camembert, and similar cheeses with a white rind. The moist, soft interior can be a potential breeding ground for listeria.
- Blue cheeses: Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Stilton. Same reason as soft mold-ripened cheeses.
- Raw-milk soft cheeses: soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk combine two risk factors.
Exception: if you heat these cheeses thoroughly (above 75°C, piping hot all the way through), they’re safe again. A baked Camembert straight from the oven is perfectly fine.
Order pregnancy-safe cheese
At Cheese In A Box we carry 84 products that are safe during pregnancy. We’ve tagged them specially so you can filter easily. Browse all of them on our pregnancy-safe page.
Think Noord-Hollands cheeses (young through aged), farmhouse cheese (hard varieties), Parmesan, and plenty of herb cheeses. You really don’t have to go without cheese.
Tips for pregnant cheese lovers
- Always keep cheese well refrigerated and eat it before the use-by date
- Cut off the rind on any cheese you’re unsure about
- Not sure? Heat the cheese. Hot means safe.
- Pre-sliced cheese is safer than cheese cut with a shared knife at the deli counter (cross-contamination)
Want to try some?
At Cheese In A Box we carry these cheeses freshly cut in our range:
Or let us surprise you with our cheese subscription – 4 special cheeses delivered to your door every month.
Browse our full range and filter by pregnancy-safe for a stress-free cheese moment.
Looking for safe cheese options during pregnancy? Order fresh
More about individual cheeses
We have separate guides per cheese with more on flavour, production and pregnancy advice:
- What is brie — avoid
- What is camembert — avoid
- What is roquefort — avoid
- What is gorgonzola — avoid
- What is mozzarella — check pasteurisation
- What is burrata — check pasteurisation
- What is feta — check pasteurisation
- What is Manchego — depends on ageing
- What is Parmesan cheese — safe (long-aged)
- What is goat cheese — depends on type