If you’ve ever carried your baby during the sweltering highs of summer then you’ll know how good something ice-cold can be.
In this post, we answer the question can pregnant women eat frozen yogurt or frozen custard which are two of the most popular alternatives to ice cream.
Let’s get started.
Can Pregnant Women Eat Frozen Yogurt or Frozen Custard?
So long as either are commercially made then frozen yogurt and frozen custard are both safe to eat during your pregnancy.
However, soft or homemade versions of both may not be safe to eat due to being made with unpasteurized ingredients.
Pregnancy-Safe Store-Bought Frozen Yoghurt and Custard
Before we look at whether or not store-bought frozen yogurt and custard are safe, first let’s formalise what we mean by store-bought.
When we talk about store-bought what we’re talking about is the tubs that you’ll pick up at the supermarket or grocery store and not the stuff that you’d find in the mall or from a machine.
So is store-bought frozen yogurt and custard safe? Absolutely! All the brands that we’ve checked are made with pasteurized ingredients so are completely safe to eat during pregnancy.
While the list of brands below is safe to eat at the time of writing, make sure you check the label yourself just in case anything has changed.
Ben & Jerry’s – Ben & Jerry’s only use pasteurized dairy which means all their frozen yogurt is safe to eat in pregnancy.
Bulla Frozen Yogurt or Custard – Bulla Frozen Yogurt or Custard is an Australian brand who like all Australian brands are legally bound to use only pasteurized milk in their range of products.
Kemp’s – Kemp’s is a really well know commercial brand that uses pasteurized milk and cream in all their frozen dairy products.
Yasso Frozen Yogurt – You’ll find Yasso in the frozen section of most supermarkets. The brand uses pasteurized milk making them safe to eat.
Why Soft-Serve Frozen Yogurt or Frozen Custard May Not Always Be Safe in Pregnancy
Okay so now we move on to the biggest question that I’m often asked – can I eat frozen yogurt from the shops I see in the mall like Andy’s Frozen Custard, Culver’s Frozen Custard, Rita’s Frozen Custard, and Sweetfrog, Pinkberry and Yogurtland
Typically, these shops will sell ‘freshly prepared’ frozen yogurt or custard. The good news is that all the shops we listed above use pasteurized ingredients.
There’s one other extremely important thing you’ll want to keep in mind before you rush out to your nearest frozen yogurt shop and that’s the machine.
A soft-serve machine could be a source of Listeria, a harmful bacteria that grows in cool, moist places like the inside of machinery used to serve frozen custard. However, this is typically only an issue if the machine isn’t properly maintained and hasn’t been cleaned and sterilized properly.
Thankfully, all of the brands listed above have extremely strict processes for cleaning and sterilizing their machines making the chances of Listeria developing extremely unlikely.
Regardless of where you choose to get frozen yogurt from the best thing, you can do is use common sense. If the place looks dirty and the machines don’t look clean then avoid them and go somewhere with higher cleaning standards. Remember you can always check the cleanliness rating or even just Yelp.
Is Frozen Yogurt or Custard Better for Pregnant Women than Ice Cream?
Speaking of common sense, most people will know that too much ice cream isn’t great for you at any time, especially during pregnancy. This has given rise to the belief that frozen yogurt and custard are much better for you.
Wrong.
Like ice cream, frozen yogurt, and frozen custard should be eaten in moderation during your pregnancy.
The Bottom Line
Can pregnant women eat frozen yogurt or frozen custard? Absolutely with the majority of commercial products you find in the mall or supermarket being safe to eat due to them containing pasteurized ingredients. That said, always ensure that it’s a commercial product not homemade, and served from a clean-looking machine in a shop.
Image by Debs
Ellen Fetters
Ellen Fetters, is a former Children's and Young People's Nursing Practice with an BSc from the University of Sunderland. After completing her SCPHN - HV she then worked as a Health Visitor within the local community.
In 2017 Ellen left nursing to launch Parenting Click, an online parenting resource aimed at creating happier families through better parenting.
She lives with her husband, beautiful baby girl, and two darling dogs. She spends her free time writing, running and learning how to become a better parent.