Is paella safe to eat in pregnancy?
Seafood paella, vegetable paella, chicken and chorizo paella - are any safe to eat when pregnant?
In a nutshell
Yes, paella is safe - as long as it's properly cooked.
The expert view
Spanish dish paella is made with seafood and sometimes chicken or chorizo, so the main concern when you're pregnant is that everything is cooked properly and piping hot.
Shellfish such as prawns and mussels are fine to eat during pregnancy: read more about eating seafood in pregnancy.
Vegetable paella is also fine to eat – just make sure if you have leftovers they are cooled and put in the fridge within an hour of cooking, advises nutritionist Dr Rana Conway.
"You don't need to worry too much about food poisoning providing dishes such as paella or fish pie are piping hot when you get them," explains Dr Conway. "The same goes for meals like stir-fries and curries. The real risk is when foods are kept warm for a long time or left sitting at room temperature then reheated. Meals with rice can be a particular risk - if they're not eaten straight away then they should be put in the fridge within an hour of cooking."
"I made a vegetable paella tonight for tea thinking I could take some for my lunch at work tomorrow. I know there's a debate about reheating rice but…I would use the microwave at work. Seems a shame to chuck out leftovers." says Laura, a member of our MFM community.
Read more about pregnancy safety:
Is it ok to drink tap water abroad during pregnancy?
Authors
Magda Ibrahim is a freelance writer who has written for publications including The Times and Sunday Times, The Sun, Time Out, and the London Evening Standard, as well for MadeForMums.
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