Can You Eat Deli Meat While Pregnant?

Navigating what’s safe to eat during pregnancy can feel overwhelming, especially when you love a good sandwich. The good news: you don’t have to give up deli meat entirely—you just need to know one important trick.

Why Deli Meat Gets Flagged During Pregnancy

Deli meat—including ham, turkey, roast beef, and salami—has a complicated reputation in pregnancy. The concern isn’t about the meat itself; it’s about a specific bacterium called listeria monocytogenes.

Here’s the reality: listeria is relatively rare in the general population, with about 1,600 cases reported in the United States each year. But pregnant women are approximately 10 times more susceptible to listeria infection than non-pregnant people. This susceptibility peaks in the third trimester, when your immune system naturally shifts to protect the pregnancy.

While the absolute risk remains small—not every person who eats cold deli meat gets infected—the consequences of listeria infection during pregnancy can be serious. It can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, or infection in a newborn. This is why health organizations like the FDA and ACOG recommend extra caution.

How to Eat Deli Meat Safely During Pregnancy

The solution is straightforward. Follow these steps to enjoy deli meat safely:

• Heat it to 165°F. This is the magic number. Use a meat thermometer to be sure. The meat should be steaming hot—not just warm. Microwave, stovetop, or oven all work fine.
• Choose freshly sliced over pre-packaged. Pre-packaged deli meats in plastic wrap sit for longer before you eat them, giving bacteria more time to multiply. Ask the deli counter to slice meat fresh for you, and eat it the same day.
• Eat it promptly. Don’t leave prepared deli meat sitting at room temperature. Refrigerate it immediately and eat within 3-4 days.
• Store properly. Keep deli meat in the coldest part of your refrigerator (usually the back). A temperature of 40°F or below slows bacterial growth.

That’s it. Heat it up, and deli meat is back on the menu.

Other Deli Counter Items to Watch

While we’re talking about deli safety, a few other items to be aware of:

• Hot dogs and sausages: Same rule applies. Heat them until steaming hot (165°F). Cold hot dogs straight from the package carry the same listeria risk as deli meat.
• Pâté and liver spreads: These are high-risk foods and should be avoided entirely during pregnancy, even when heated. They’re processed differently and the risk is harder to eliminate.
• Smoked salmon and lox: Follow the same heating rule. Cold smoked fish carries a small listeria risk. Heat to 165°F or avoid it.
• Ready-to-eat salads: Pre-made salads from the deli counter (like chicken salad or tuna salad) should also be heated or made fresh at home.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line

You don’t have to say goodbye to deli meat sandwiches during pregnancy. Heat it to 165°F, and you’re completely fine. It’s a small extra step that eliminates the risk entirely and lets you enjoy the foods you love. Pregnancy is full of enough restrictions—this one has a simple solution.