Can You Eat Feta While Pregnant?
Yes — feta is safe in pregnancy as long as it's pasteurised, which most supermarket feta is.
The full answer
Feta often gets lumped in with the soft cheeses to avoid, but it's actually fine in pregnancy when it's pasteurised. Although feta is soft, it's stored in salty brine and is acidic, which makes it far less hospitable to listeria than mould-ripened cheeses like brie. Almost all feta sold in supermarkets is made from pasteurised milk — a quick check of the label confirms it. The only versions to avoid are feta (or feta-style cheese) made from unpasteurised (raw) milk. So a Greek salad or a feta-topped traybake made with pasteurised feta is safe. If you're unsure at a restaurant, it's reasonable to ask, or to have the feta cooked into the dish.
How to eat feta safely
- Choose pasteurised feta (most supermarket feta) — check the label
- Enjoy in salads, bakes, and cooked dishes
- If you're unsure of the source, ask, or have it cooked until steaming
When to avoid: Avoid feta made from unpasteurised/raw milk.
Pregnancy food-safety basics
Most “can I have this?” questions in pregnancy come down to four things. Listeria — a bacterium that survives the fridge — is why chilled ready-to-eat meats, pâté, and mould-ripened soft cheeses are heated or avoided. Mercury is why certain fish are limited. Caffeine is capped at about 200 mg a day. And alcohol is best avoided entirely, as no safe amount is known. Cooking food until it’s steaming hot kills listeria and most other bugs, which is why “heat until steaming” solves so many of these questions.
For the full picture, see our pregnancy safety guide, and track your pregnancy with the How Far Along Am I? calculator and the week-by-week guide.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you eat feta while pregnant?
- Yes — feta is safe in pregnancy as long as it's pasteurised, which most supermarket feta is. Feta often gets lumped in with the soft cheeses to avoid, but it's actually fine in pregnancy when it's pasteurised. Although feta is soft, it's stored in salty brine and is acidic, which makes it far less hospitable to listeria than mould-ripened cheeses like brie. Almost all feta sold in supermarkets is made from pasteurised milk — a quick check of the label confirms it. The only versions to avoid are feta (or feta-style cheese) made from unpasteurised (raw) milk. So a Greek salad or a feta-topped traybake made with pasteurised feta is safe. If you're unsure at a restaurant, it's reasonable to ask, or to have the feta cooked into the dish.
- Why is feta considered safe in pregnancy?
- Feta often gets lumped in with the soft cheeses to avoid, but it's actually fine in pregnancy when it's pasteurised. Although feta is soft, it's stored in salty brine and is acidic, which makes it far less hospitable to listeria than mould-ripened cheeses like brie. Almost all feta sold in supermarkets is made from pasteurised milk — a quick check of the label confirms it. The only versions to avoid are feta (or feta-style cheese) made from unpasteurised (raw) milk. So a Greek salad or a feta-topped traybake made with pasteurised feta is safe. If you're unsure at a restaurant, it's reasonable to ask, or to have the feta cooked into the dish.
- When should I avoid feta during pregnancy?
- Avoid feta made from unpasteurised/raw milk.