I just want a turkey sandwich!!

elittler

OP, have you tried doing this to your sandwich? Then you won't *actually* be eating it.

LegalLadyBug

So eat one? I eat Subway all the time and did with DD. Almost any food product can be dangerous to your health if not stored or prepared correctly. I got food poisoning from a dominos pizza once. You're going to be pretty hungry if you don't eat anything that could possibly ever have bacteria or make you sick :-/

elittler

ElTrain5

LoHerrim said:

FWIW the CDC reported 1,600 cases of illness due to listeria last year for the United States out of 313.9 Million people. This calculates to about .00051% of the population. Out of the 1,600 that did get sick if 17% of those were pregnant women, that means 272 cases were pregnant women. 272 out of 313.9 million US citizens equals out to be about .000087% of the population. That's less of a chance of contracting listeria than getting pregnant after having a tubal ligation (1.4%). 

YAY FACTS!!!!

Pepper6

I eat a turkey sandwich (cold) at least once a week.  In fact, it's what I had for dinner last night.  H and I are meat snobs now apparently and I can't do the pre-packaged crap anymore, I have to get it at the deli counter. 

I was worried about the whole 'listeria on deli meat' for like a second after I found out I was pregnant...and then I did my own research and found that the risk was low enough to not deprive myself.  I have no interest in living in a bubble just because I'm pregnant...

MissBHaven1024

I eat a turkey sandwich everyday! Even worse, I eat it cold!

If you want the sandwich, you should eat it. Following all those "rules" will drive you nuts at some point. Everything is moderation! 

ElTrain5

almendarez said:

I refuse to eat uncooked lunch meat and unpasteurized dairy.  It's not worth the risk!

"Pregnant women make up 17 percent of all cases of listeriosis. Once in the bloodstream, Listeria bacteria can travel to any site, but seem to prefer the central nervous system and the placenta. The fetus is unusually prone to infection from L. monocytogenes, which can lead to a miscarriage, stillbirth, or infection of the neonate and health problems following birth."

Source: https://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09372.html and there are a million other sources... and turkey is the one cold cut with the worst risk of listeria.

almendarez said:

BTW, just because you haven't gotten sick yet doesn't mean you wont. It might be rare but it could happen.

According to FoodSafety.gov, sources of listeria are 

Sources

Ready-to-eat deli meats and hot dogs Refrigerated pâtés or meat spreads Unpasteurized (raw) milk and dairy products Soft cheese made with unpasteurized milk, such as queso fresco, Feta, Brie, Camembert Refrigerated smoked seafood Raw sprouts

No one said anything about RAW lunch meat.

I generally consider "uncooked" and "raw" to be synonymous

hollygb22

I like seeing the comparison to veggies

My doc said moderation..that chances of getting sick from listeria from deli meat is the same from bagged salad, spinach and other fruits and veggies.

I think the only big thing I was no on were the high mercury fishes

kahorstman

Meh, I had the most delicious wegmans turkey sub last night, baby is fine. Considering i didn't even know I was pregnant the first 6 weeks and it survived the alcohol I drank and cigarettes I smoked (quit all of it as soon as I found out) I'm not concerned about a random turkey sandwich. I refuse to live in a bubble because I'm prego. I haven't gotten a flu shot either! Eat the sandwhich if you want it!

emfoxc

elittler said:

Of course cold cuts aren't raw but that doesn't mean they don't carry bacteria.  They need to be heated to sizzling hot before you eat them in order to kill any bacteria.

So you want me to burn my mouth? I mean, it sounds like you're saying the sandwich can't even cool down before you eat it.

My old doctor in WA and new OB in CA both separately advised microwaving the deli meat until it is steaming before eating any.  Any possible germs will be killed in that process.  If it cools down to comfortably warm, you're just fine

KeyLime81

I've had a lot of turkey sandwiches!!  It was one of the few meals that would always stay down during first tri.  In general, I try not to eat too much lunch meat because it has a lot of sodium and other not so great ingredients, but everything in moderation, right?

Go have the turkey sandwich, OP.

MrsRahl

Just eat a hoagie  Peace of mind because it's hot, and SO DELISHESSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!

AlyciaandRich

I have been craving tuna grinders hard core and caved a few times. I needed my tuna!

almendarez

MrsRahl said:

Just eat a hoagie  Peace of mind because it's hot, and SO DELISHESSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!

Yum! Or a hot meatball sandwich, mmm.. 

lellymine

My dr said statistically speaking you have more chance of your husband murdering you while pregnant than getting listeria. That's right after she cleared me for cold deli meats and sushi. This thread made me crave it so much that I'm typing this while eating a lunchable. With cold turkey and ham AND it's from a gas station. Taking a walk on the wild side.

k2k2tog

My primary doc gave me a very short list of things to avoid: alcohol, soft cheeses, deli meats, and sushi. Then, I went and did some research. I have consumed all four of those things over the past four months. My OB never talks about food. In fact, I don't think she's given me a single rule for my pregnancy at all. I luuuurve my OB. 

That said, I'm not a huge fan of cold cuts. Except for summer sausage. Mmm... summer sausage.

lclark79

Just eat the sandwich. I'm a vegetarian, who eats fish, but I've been craving ham and cheese. And guess what, I've been eating ham and cheese at least once a week. It's not like you're eating road kill.

kellyjayne

I'm pretty sure that a turkey sandwich on wheat bread loaded with veggies would have been 100,000 times healthier than the burger and fries and I just devoured. But no one ever told me I couldn't have fries, so I should eat them every day, right?

Dharmatron

Is that Jersey Mike's??? Those sandwiches are so good!

snowpants

Oh...we should use facts when debating topics like this??

Turkey sandwiches are delicious.  FACT.  Boom.

katekat8721

I just went to Subway and got an oven roasted chicken breast sandwich. FOOT LONG.

The babies seem to like it. 

nflan16

I went to subway yesterday with the intention of treating myself to a turkey sub for the first time since becoming pregnant, but then I saw it sitting out and decided I didn't want to risk it. I went with a blt and it was delish!

tklemp1

I eat lunch meat every once and a while but I heat it first. I did sneak a few salami, cream cheese, pickle roll ups at Christmas...but I felt super guilty for letting my craving have contol.

LegalLadyBug

I can't read this anymore, I'm about ready to kill someone for a cold cut trio sub.

chaysefaith

LoHerrim said:

BTW the title of this thread made me think of the Suicidal Tendencies song "Institutionalized"

"All I want is a Pepsi, and she wouldn't give it to me
All I wanted was a Pepsi, just one Pepsi, and she wouldn't give it to me.
Just a Pepsi."

Well, now I have that Savage Garden song stuck in my head...

"Anytime I need to see your face I just close my eyes 

And I am taken to a place 
Where your crystal minds and magenta feelings 
Take up shelter in the base of my spine 
Sweet like a chica cherry cola"

chaysefaith

LoHerrim said:

Lol I'm glad someone got my punk rock reference. 

I grew up in Seattle in the 90's...

curlylocks3

nutmegs8 said:

I microwave my ice cream to make sure there is no bacteria present before I ingest it.

Do you then drink it through a straw like a milkshake or with a spoon like soup? Think carefully, there could be listeria lurking inside your straw!1!11!1

flerlgirl

FWIW, I ate deli meat and had cats and drank caffeine while I was pregnant with DS and he was born really early and very sick... wait. 

otter1103

@LoHerrim

I am always on mobile so don't get to see siggys. Now that I'm on a break at a computer to Bump, I see what everyone is talking about- diving giraffes. I'm sitting here giggling as I watch it over and over!

babybean82

Wow just reading the title of this post has my mouth watering for a turkey sandwich..... but I already had lunch and second lunch today so I should probably wait...

dragonfly711

I had a ham and cheese sandwich today. Didn't heat it either!!!

almendarez

joules235 said:

My issue with lunch meats are the nitrates, I don't worry about the listeria risk because its far higher in vegetables and fruits anyway. Just use common sense, heat it up if you want NBD.

They sell nitrate free lunch meat and bacon and sausage, etc. Antibiotic and hormone free too.

Read247

babybean82 said:

Wow just reading the title of this post has my mouth watering for a turkey sandwich..... but I already had lunch and second lunch today so I should probably wait...

MrsCase1

I always eat mine cold, along withother cold cuts. My doctor has no problem with it. Deli meats is one of the pregnancy issues that has blown way out of proportion and caused lunacy and fear-mongering.  

Lindsleigh77

I just devoured a foot long subway BLT for lunch and it was delicious. Sandwiches rock!

kbellizio3

EAT IT! I've had subway like a million times since being pregnant (I usually get them heated, but I don't get them heated from the sub shop down the street). Now I know my local hoagie place is super clean, I know the people who work there and we eat breakfast there once a week (delicious hash browns), so honestly, eat the sandwich. I've also had sushi and tuna while being pregnant (gasp! But no more than 12oz a week as per OB recommendation). Oh and I still eat my steak medium. Use your judgment. There's no reason to live in a bubble

brooklyngirl46

My theory is that they give the risks because they know that women will inevitably have food on the no-no lists either by accident, or once-in-a-while. Putting a list out prevents women from piling on the risks every other day.

I err on the side of caution. I try to limit my intentional risks. My pregnancy has had enough issues already, though. It comes down to what you are comfortable with.

mamabird19

I understand the moderation idea and the worry for bacteria and not wanting to take the risk (i personally am choosing to refrain even though I have been wanting some turkey deli meat sooo badly.)

but either I way in my personal opinion, if you are going to eat it I would get organic turkey meat that doesn't have nitrates in it. Those are super bad for both you and the baby. But, it is hard to protect yourselves from every risk. I know everyone does the best they can.

 All that to say, I feel ya sista!

katiebartton

kahorstman said:

Meh, I had the most delicious wegmans turkey sub last night, baby is fine. Considering i didn't even know I was pregnant the first 6 weeks and it survived the alcohol I drank and cigarettes I smoked (quit all of it as soon as I found out) I'm not concerned about a random turkey sandwich. I refuse to live in a bubble because I'm prego. I haven't gotten a flu shot either! Eat the sandwhich if you want it!

I love wegmans subs, yum!!!

katiebartton

krptcmschfmkr128 said:

Is now a good time to admit I've had an Angry Orchard and a Woodchuck in the past 2 weeks? I mean, they have less alcohol than the glass of wine I drank on Christmas...

I have woodchuck in my fridge that I've been drooling over. I have zero self control so if I open 1 it will lead to more so I've been just looking and dreaming