Eating at Subway and salad bars?

[Yank in Oz]

Hello ladies, just got my BFP today! Very excited, I am almost 5 weeks along now.

Anyway, I work in the city and am accustomed to getting takeaway for lunch. I know many takeaway foods are now off-limits, but there are two things I am hesitant to give up: Subway sandwiches, and Sumo Salad (an Aussie place with made-to-order salads). I have read ordering salad is "risky" because you don't know if/when it has been washed, and you should only eat it if you washed it yourself. But really, living in a modern country, aren't the food hygiene standards really stringent? I find it hard to believe I will be poisoned by lettuce!

I feel like I am going to eat less healthily now that I am pregnant if I can't get my lunchtime salad fix! Does anyone else find all these food restrictions really aggravating?

 

[kat2504]

In a restaurant I would expect the salad has been very well washed. Imagine if there was dirt in it and someone complained? They could get shut down. Places like that often have very good food hygiene regulations, better than many of us follow in our own homes!

You can get food poisoning from any food item so if you want to avoid all risk you will have to starve. I would say the places you are eating should be fine. And if you go with everything you read, you wouldn't eat at all! As you say, in a modern country restaurants have to follow certain standards. That includes washing salads.

In the UK salad is not on the list of foods that we are told to avoid. The general advice is just practise good food hygiene.

 

[Mid.night]

Hi,

I know what you mean, sometimes when youre at a place for lunch it seems all you can have is chips or something equally as unhealthy!

I'm sure they are requires to wash the salad, maybe you can ask them what their procedures are and maybe they will show you in the kitchen to see how they operate, we used to do that at the restaurant where I used to work.

I think subs are ok, just ask for the meat heated then you won't feel worried

 

[NotNic]

Just so you know Yank - Sumo Salad is in London now, so you can come and visit and still get your usual

I have to say since finding out last week, I have successfully managed to consume something on a 'banned list' every day, quite unintentionally! Me thinks I need to do some proper research! I have looked at some of the things and there seems to be a lot which are on there because there is a slight risk of food poisoning, rather than something that causes definite harm. I won't be eating pate, tuna etc., and I am regretfully saying 'bye for now' to unpasturised cheese, serrano ham, carpaccio and blue steak (even though I have never heard of anyone having food poisoning from an antipasti plate before!) but I will eat seafood and medium rare beef when I know that the produce is from a reputable place and things are cleaned and cooked properly. I guess I'll also be a bit more observant on BB dates too and not just going by a 'sniff test'. Some of it does seem like scare mongering to me. If we had a bit of common sense and some good hygiene practices I think we'll probably be okay.

 

[tung]

I don't think you should have deli meats. Maybe get a grilled chicken sub. I think salads are okay. I would like to think and hope that they wash their veggies.

I started bringing lunch everyday because in my 3rd or 4th week of pregnancy I got food poisoning. I'm not exactly sure what it was from. But I think it was the pizza I bought for lunch. I had diahrea for 9 days straight (sorry tmi).

Good luck!!

 

[kat2504]

again, in the UK cold meats are not on the banned list as the risk is so minute - about the same as the risk of eating lettuce. obviously the meat has to be stored hygienically for it to be safe, same as any other food.
Look up the health guidance for your country on the internet. I personally eat any food that is not on ALL the banned lists for westernised countries. But it is up to the individual to decide what they are happy to do.

 

[roxursox302]

I go to Subway all the time. I just have them toast my sandwich a little longer than normal. As long as your deli meat is heated to steaming there is no risk. I don't have much on salads as I'm not a huge salad fan anyway!

 

[MonkeyFeet]

In the UK deli meats are not banned, I once heard you're more likely to get listeria from bagged supermarket salad than from meat on the deli counter (which is generally the reason they say avoid) I really can't see a salad or a sandwich at subway being an issue. They will have really strict hygeine policies, you could always ask them to put on fresh gloves when making your sandwich so you're sure it hasn't touched anything you shouldn't have. Whilst the risks of food poisoning should you get it are pretty horrible so you should be careful the chances of getting food poisoning are pretty slim and the things you list shouldn't do any harm.

 

[susan36]

this post has made me crave a toasted blt from subway

 

[sweetpeaxo]

Lol I now want an Italian Bmt from Subway !

 

[CharmingBeake]

I'm 12 weeks and I'm very guilty of eating those pre-made salads. I've had several since I found out I was pregnant, and honestly, at times, it was all I could stand to eat. Still, I understand why they tell you to be cautious, but a few here and there might not hurt? Especially if its from a higher-end place. I wouldn't recommend those pre-made gas station salads or anything, but a salad from a cafe or restaurant should be fine. I've been getting mine at Panera and haven't had any problems.

 

[Haack]

I'm in my 3rd tri... just wandering the forums.

I go to Subway all the time. Honestly there isn't any type of fast food that I have completely cut out of my diet. Everything in moderation. Tuna has always been my favorite sub from Subway. However, I have tried to steer towards other sandwiches because too much tuna is bad due to mercury. However, having it sometimes is good because of the Omega 3. Salad isn't on the "don't eat list" in USA... but I will warn you. When you are pregnant... your digestive system can be unpredictable. Fresh veggies can be harder to digest sometimes. Usually I am fine... but one time I had a salad and 1-2 days later my tummy/side hurt so bad I could hardly walk for 1-2 days. I pretty much recognized what the problem was on my own. I made a big pot of bean soup and drank plenty of liquids and I was all better within 2 days.

 

[artiste]

I don't like the food restrictions either but I'm glad I haven't been eating out salads now because I just heard on the radio that the company that supplies a lot of restaurants in my city with lettuce are recalling it for listeria. I'm in Canada and apparently this is affecting the US as well right now.

I was eating at subway the roasted chicken because they microwave it but then I realized that they don't change their gloves from when they do deli meats so I think I'm going to stop eating there too. The way I see it is, it's inconvenient, but better safe than sorry and it's not like it's for the rest of my life, just the rest of my pregnancy.

 

[Babyfever24]

A lot of times it has absolutly nothing to do with the washing or sanatizing of the produce or lunch meat. It doesn't matter how high scale of a place your getting these things from it matters where they were grown. Here in colorado we just had a large outbreak of lysteria in cantalopes. Can't really wash a cantalope to ensure its clean and there have been several deaths and even more hospitalized, as a previous poster mentioned we also just had a recall on lettuce. I would say be cautious and toast your subs and everything will be fine

 

[pinklightbulb]

I've had Subway through my last pg, and will through this one, you will be fine

 

[KiwiMOM]

meatball subs over here, and I've pretty much had one a day for over a week now I don't restrict my diet all that much honestly, because my mother is an OB and told me what to avoid, un-pasteurised milk and products of it and lunch meat.. as long as I'm eating balanced meals I feel ok, and there is a chance of getting all of that stuff at home too.. just be careful.

 

[rhdr9193..x]

Mmmmmmm bacon sub with ketchup and hot chilli sauce.... I want one right now x

 

[Yank in Oz]

Thanks for all your responses ladies. I went to the GP today, and she was adamant that I should not eat salad unless I washed it myself! I am so conflicted now. All these food restrictions seem a little hysterical at times, but better safe than sorry, I suppose. Looks like I will be bringing my lunch to work!