Is Turkey Safe During Pregnancy? (Updated 2026 Guide)

Updated September 9, 2026

The Answer

Yes you can eat turkey during pregnancy when it is properly cooked and handled, but undercooked poultry and unheated deli turkey need precautions. Cook raw turkey to 165°F; reheat deli or cured turkey to 165°F or until steaming hot.

The main pregnancy consideration is foodborne illness: raw turkey needs thorough cooking, while deli turkey needs reheating to reduce Listeria risk. Refrigerate turkey, prevent cross contamination and eat promptly after heating, regardless of its ingredient grade. Sodium nitrite in some cured turkey warrants moderation rather than a blanket ban: pregnancy evidence is limited and observational, and ordinary food exposure is not proven to harm the fetus.

Pregnancy Safe is 100% independent and research driven. No companies pay to promote or sponsor products.

✓ What's Safe

  • • Check whether the package contains raw poultry, cooked turkey or deli slices so you use the right preparation method.
  • • Use a food thermometer to confirm raw turkey reaches 165°F, including ground turkey and turkey cuts.
  • • Heat deli and cured turkey to 165°F or until steaming hot, then eat promptly.
  • • Choose turkey that has been properly refrigerated and follow its storage and cooking instructions.
  • • Choose freshly cooked, unprocessed turkey more often if you want to reduce frequent cured meat intake.

✗ What to Avoid

  • • Avoid undercooked turkey; do not rely on appearance alone to confirm it has reached 165°F.
  • • Avoid eating refrigerated deli turkey cold, even when the package says ready to eat.
  • • Do not treat organic, uncured or nitrate free labels as protection against Listeria.
  • • Avoid letting raw turkey or its juices contact cooked food, utensils or serving surfaces.
  • • Avoid leaving cooked turkey unrefrigerated for extended periods or saving leftovers without prompt refrigeration.
  • • Avoid making turkey cured with sodium nitrite an everyday default; occasional regulated food exposure is not the same as high dose exposure.

Most Common Ingredients in Turkey Products

We analyzed 26 turkey products. Here are the most common ingredients, ranked by how often they appear:

salt
54%
turkey broth
38%
water
38%
modified food starch
23%
sodium phosphate
23%
turkey
23%
sea salt
19%
sugar
19%
onion powder
15%
caramel color
12%
dextrose
12%
flavoring
12%

Ingredients to Watch Out For in Turkey

These are the most common flagged ingredients across 26 turkey products we analyzed.

sodium nitrite

Caution

Sodium nitrite is a chemical compound commonly used as a preservative and color fixative in processed meats.

Is regulated at low food additive levels, but frequent cured or processed meat intake has limited observational pregnancy concerns; cyanide antidote and contaminated water exposures are separate issues.

Flagged in 3 of 26 products (12%)

Turkey Products We've Analyzed

Our catalog contains ratings for 26 turkey products. These are database grades, not independent safety certifications.

Catalog ingredient grades do not measure current-label completeness, pathogens, preparation, caffeine or clinical pregnancy suitability. These counts include unreviewed records and are not a percentage of independently verified safe products.

A
18 (69.2%)
B
5 (19.2%)
C
3 (11.5%)
D
0 (0%)
F
0 (0%)

Pregnancy Safe Turkey Products

Popular options from our catalog, prioritizing A and B ingredient grades, with C grade options used to fill remaining places. Within each group, products are ordered by searches in Pregnancy Safe, not retail sales. Read the cautions and guidance above; grades do not verify a complete current label or guarantee pregnancy safety.

Grade Product Brand
B+ 6"" Turkey, Oven Roasted Turkey W/ Lettuce And Tomato On Fresh Baked Wheat Roll —
A All Natural Turkey Breast —
B+ Chef Select Turkey Breast & Gravy Butterball
A Everyday Fresh Turkey Breast Tenders Butterball, Butterball Llc
A Turkey Breast Filets Butterball, Butterball Llc

Your Questions Answered

Is it okay to eat turkey while pregnant?

Yes, provided you cook and handle it properly. Raw turkey should reach an internal temperature of 165°F, while deli turkey should be reheated to 165°F or until steaming hot. An ingredient grade cannot tell you whether turkey contains pathogens or has been stored safely.

Can I eat Thanksgiving turkey while pregnant?

Yes roast turkey is an option when it reaches 165°F internally. Check with a food thermometer rather than relying on its browned exterior. Keep raw poultry juices away from prepared foods, serve promptly and refrigerate leftovers promptly.

Is turkey bacon safe during pregnancy?

Turkey bacon can be an option when properly cooked and handled. Check whether it is raw or precooked, follow the package instructions, and heat cured turkey to 165°F or until steaming hot. If it contains sodium nitrite, occasional intake is not equivalent to high dose exposure, although limiting frequent cured meat intake is a reasonable precaution. The word turkey does not remove the need for food safety precautions.

Can I eat a deli turkey sandwich during pregnancy?

Heat the deli turkey to 165°F or until steaming hot before adding it to your sandwich, then eat promptly. Simply warming the bread does not establish that the meat has been heated sufficiently. These precautions still apply to packaged, ready to eat, organic and uncured deli turkey.

Is nitrate free turkey safer during pregnancy?

A nitrate free label does not remove Listeria risk or replace reheating. Uncured products may contain celery powder, which is not automatically free of nitrate or nitrite. Sodium nitrite at ordinary food additive exposure is not proven to harm the fetus; the pregnancy concerns around frequent processed meat intake come from limited observational evidence.

Does an A grade mean turkey is guaranteed safe during pregnancy?

No ingredient grades do not measure pathogens, storage, cooking or clinical pregnancy suitability. Our catalog contains 26 turkey products, including 18 graded A, but those are not 18 independently verified safe products. Records include unreviewed entries, and incomplete information is not proof of harm. Check your actual package and follow the preparation precautions for its form of turkey.

How to Interpret These Ratings

Our ingredient and category rules generate letter grades from the information recorded in the catalog. Missing ingredients and broad category assignments can affect the result. These grades do not measure your dose, confirm a complete current label, or test a product for contamination.

A high grade is not a guarantee of pregnancy safety. A low grade is not, by itself, proof of harm from every use. Follow the product-specific guidance above, check the actual package, and ask your prenatal clinician about supplements, treatment decisions or uncertain exposures.

References

  1. https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-internal-temperatures
  2. https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/prevention/index.html
  3. https://www.fda.gov/food/people-risk-foodborne-illness/cooking-food-safety-moms-be
  4. https://hfpappexternal.fda.gov/scripts/fdcc/index.cfm?id=SODIUMNITRITE&set=FoodSubstances
  5. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-9/section-424.21