Can you eat parmesan while pregnant?

Yes, you can eat parmesan while pregnant. Current NHS guidance specifically lists parmesan as a hard cheese that is safe to eat during pregnancy, whether it is made from pasteurised or unpasteurised milk.

That means parmesan does not need to be cooked before you eat it. You can have it grated over pasta, shaved onto a salad or incorporated into cooked dishes.

This can seem surprising if you have heard that all unpasteurised cheese should be avoided during pregnancy. The guidance is more specific than that. Hard cheeses such as parmesan are treated differently from unpasteurised soft dairy products and mould-ripened soft cheeses.

Why is parmesan safe during pregnancy?

Parmesan is a hard cheese.

Current NHS pregnancy food guidance says that pasteurised or unpasteurised hard cheeses, including cheddar, Gruyère and parmesan, are safe to eat.

This is different from the guidance for some soft cheeses. Mould-ripened soft cheeses with a white coating, such as brie and camembert, and soft blue-veined cheeses such as gorgonzola and Roquefort need to be thoroughly cooked until steaming hot before they are eaten during pregnancy.

The NHS explains that unpasteurised or soft ripened dairy foods may contain listeria bacteria. The type of cheese therefore matters when deciding what is suitable.

Parmesan falls within the safe hard-cheese category.

Can you eat unpasteurised parmesan while pregnant?

Yes. According to the NHS, both pasteurised and unpasteurised hard cheeses such as parmesan can be eaten during pregnancy.

This is an important exception to the broader advice about avoiding certain unpasteurised dairy products.

You may see “raw milk” or “unpasteurised milk” listed on some traditional parmesan-style cheeses. If the product is genuinely a hard cheese such as parmesan, current NHS guidance includes it among the cheeses that are safe to eat.

If you are unsure what type of cheese a particular product is, especially an artisan cheese that resembles parmesan but has a different texture or production method, check the packaging or ask the retailer.

Does parmesan need to be cooked?

No. Parmesan does not need to be cooked to make it suitable during pregnancy.

You can eat it cold or at room temperature as part of a meal, provided it has been stored and handled correctly.

For example, parmesan can be:

grated over freshly cooked pasta
shaved onto a salad
added to risotto
sprinkled over soup
baked into a dish
used in sauces and fillings

Cooking parmesan is perfectly fine, but it is not a pregnancy food safety requirement.

This differs from brie, camembert and certain blue cheeses, which the NHS advises cooking until steaming hot before eating during pregnancy.

Can you eat parmesan on pasta while pregnant?

Yes. Parmesan on pasta is fine during pregnancy.

The parmesan itself does not need additional cooking. You can grate or shave it over the finished dish.

The other ingredients in the pasta still need to follow pregnancy food safety guidance. If the dish contains meat, eggs, seafood or another type of cheese, check the relevant advice for those ingredients rather than assuming that every pasta dish has the same food safety considerations.

For packaged sauces and prepared meals, follow the manufacturer’s storage and cooking instructions.

Can you eat parmesan in a salad?

Yes, parmesan can be eaten in a salad during pregnancy.

The main additional consideration is the salad itself. NHS pregnancy guidance advises thoroughly washing fruit, vegetables and salads to remove traces of soil.

If you buy a pre-packaged salad containing cheese or other dairy products, the NHS advises keeping it chilled and eating it before the use-by date.

Restaurant salads may contain other ingredients that have their own pregnancy guidance, such as raw or lightly cooked eggs, cured meat or certain fish. If you are unsure what a dish contains, asking is reasonable.

The parmesan does not need to be removed simply because it is uncooked.

What about pre-grated parmesan?

Pre-grated parmesan can be eaten during pregnancy.

Check the product’s storage instructions and use-by or best-before information. Some grated cheeses need refrigeration after opening, while shelf-stable products may have different instructions.

Food should be stored according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Pre-grated products may also contain additional ingredients to help prevent the cheese from clumping. If you have allergies or particular dietary requirements, check the ingredients list.

From a pregnancy cheese-safety perspective, parmesan remains a hard cheese.

Is Parmigiano Reggiano safe during pregnancy?

Parmigiano Reggiano is a traditional Italian hard cheese and can be eaten during pregnancy under NHS guidance for hard cheeses such as parmesan.

Traditional Parmigiano Reggiano is made using raw milk, which can make people understandably cautious after reading general advice about unpasteurised dairy.

However, current NHS guidance explicitly states that pasteurised or unpasteurised hard cheeses, including parmesan, are safe to eat during pregnancy.

You therefore do not need to avoid Parmigiano Reggiano solely because it is made from unpasteurised milk.

What about parmesan-style cheese?

Many supermarket products are sold as Italian hard cheese or parmesan-style cheese rather than Parmigiano Reggiano.

If the product is a hard cheese, it generally fits the same NHS category as other hard cheeses.

If you are unsure because a product has an unusual texture, ingredients or storage requirements, check its label. You can also ask the manufacturer, retailer, midwife or pharmacist if you want clarification about a specific product.

Pregnancy food guidance is easier to apply when you identify the actual type of cheese rather than relying only on the product name.

Is parmesan nutritious during pregnancy?

Parmesan can be part of a varied pregnancy diet.

NHS guidance says dairy foods such as milk, cheese, fromage frais and yoghurt provide calcium and other nutrients. Calcium is important for normal bone health, and dairy foods are one source of it.

Parmesan can also be salty, so it makes sense to consider it within your overall diet rather than thinking of it as something you need to eat specifically because you are pregnant. NHS pregnancy guidance recommends cutting down on salt.

There is no need to measure every sprinkle of parmesan or make individual meals perfect. A varied diet across the day and week matters more than any single ingredient.

Is parmesan different from brie and blue cheese?

Yes, and this distinction explains much of the confusion around cheese during pregnancy.

Parmesan is a hard cheese, and the NHS lists pasteurised and unpasteurised hard cheeses as safe to eat.

Brie and camembert are mould-ripened soft cheeses with a white coating. Soft blue cheeses include gorgonzola and Roquefort. These cheeses need to be cooked until steaming hot during pregnancy.

Pasteurised soft cheeses such as mozzarella, feta, ricotta, cream cheese, halloumi and burrata can be eaten without cooking.

So there is no single rule that applies to every cheese. Checking the type of cheese is the useful part.

When to get professional advice

You do not normally need to contact your midwife simply because you have eaten parmesan during pregnancy. Current NHS guidance specifically lists parmesan among the hard cheeses that are safe to eat.

Speak to your midwife or GP if you become unwell after eating something you are concerned about, or if a medical condition means you have been given individual dietary advice.

If you are pregnant and think you may have listeriosis, the NHS advises getting an urgent GP appointment or contacting NHS 111. You can also contact your midwife for advice.

Possible symptoms of listeriosis include a high temperature, aches and pains, chills, feeling or being sick and diarrhoea. During pregnancy, stomach ache or noticing your baby moving less than usual can also occur.

For a life-threatening emergency, call 999.