When indulging in street food during pregnancy, expecting mothers should be mindful of a few potential risks to ensure their health and that of their baby.
Street Food: Things in Mind
If you truly cannot stay away from street food, keep these things in mind to stay safe when eating out.
Choice of Place For Street Food
- Instead of eating from a street vendor or stall, opt for a reputed snack chain or restaurant that is known for its quality, hygiene, and service. Contamination from poorly washed utensils or ingredients can lead to foodborne illnesses like salmonella or E. coli, which are especially dangerous during pregnancy.
- Eateries with flies, mosquitoes, or any other pests are best avoided.
- Take a look at the staff. They should be in clean clothes or uniforms. Servers and kitchen staff should be wearing gloves and caps while preparing and serving food.
Order the Right Food
What you’re eating is as important as where you’re eating. Always keep the following in mind:
- It’s best to order freshly prepared food. Stick to hot, cooked foods which are usually made only once you’ve placed your order.
- Avoid dishes with raw ingredients. Unwashed, unpeeled fruit and vegetables may carry pesticides, or toxoplasmosis from the soil. Contaminated produce is often the cause of infections, such as hepatitis and typhoid.
- Avoid toppings like, Chopped coriander (dhaniya), mint (pudina) leaves, ginger (adrak), onions (pyaaz), and sliced lemons (nimbu) as they can harbour germs if they haven’t been washed and stored properly.
- Stay away from anything with chutneys, sauces, or condiments that have been left out in the open all day. The same goes for pre-prepared snacks and namkeen, usually left on the open counter. It can be hard to tell how long the food has been sitting there, attracting germs. At the very least, it could well have been exposed to dust, fumes, smoke, and other contaminants.
- Avoid dairy items as well. It’s often difficult to tell if the curd or paneer is fresh. These items can go bad very easily, especially during the hot and humid months, or if they haven’t been refrigerated properly. Unpasteurised milk or food made from it may also cause listeria.
- If possible avoid jal jeera, aam panna, or nimbu pani as they might have been prepared with unfiltered water.
- Avoid freshly squeezed juices or shakes; you just don’t know when the fruits were cut and for how long they have been lying unused. It’s also difficult to tell how often the juicer has been cleaned and if all efforts have been made to prevent cross-contamination.
- Keep foods that are excessively spicy or deep-fried, such as samosas or heavily spiced chaat to a minimum. These foods can trigger heartburn, acid reflux, or indigestion, which are common discomforts during pregnancy.
Takeaways Food Tips
- Many restaurant and snack chains offer home delivery or takeaway menus. If you decide to get some food packed, always choose a place known for fresh and hygienic meals. Be sure to ask how long the food will stay. Most places usually recommend you consume the food in a few hours, or at best the same day.
- Always order food from a place that uses tamper-proof packaging. The delivery service team should take proper steps to ensure that the food is stored and transported at the correct hot or cold temperature. If the food isn’t at the right temperature it can get spoilt very quickly, especially in changing temperatures.
- There’s no harm in giving in to your cravings now and then, but remember moderation is best. Deep-fried, sugary, or ghee-laden foods are unhealthy, so don’t make these a regular feature.
Try to make healthy food choices. This will make it easier for you to get all the nutrients you and your developing baby need.