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Can I eat McDonald's while pregnant?

3 to check Doola Scan's answer in the United States

At McDonald's, cheeseburgers, McNuggets, fries and the breakfast McMuffins show No known issues in Doola Scan; soft serve and McFlurry are Avoid in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland and Check in the US, UK and Canada. The Big Mac and other burgers with lettuce are Check everywhere, because every country asks for raw salad to be washed. The Filet-O-Fish is Check too, because fish counts towards each country's fish advice. Coke and coffee count towards your caffeine limit.

Checked against Doola Scan's pregnancy rules · Updated

  • Cheeseburger, hamburger and fries

    No known issuesIn all six countries

  • Big Mac and other burgers with lettuce

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Chicken McNuggets

    No known issuesIn all six countries

  • Filet-O-Fish

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Egg McMuffin and Sausage McMuffin

    No known issuesIn all six countries

  • Soft serve cones, sundaes and McFlurry

    CheckUnited StatesUnited KingdomCanadaAvoidAustraliaNew ZealandIreland
Doola Scan checking a menu
What each country says

McDonald's while pregnant: what each country says.

Each country's own pregnancy guidance on McDonald's, with a link to it. Doola Scan uses your country's first.

  • United States

    • Cheeseburger, hamburger and friesNo known issues
    • Big Mac and other burgers with lettuceCheck
    • Chicken McNuggetsNo known issues
    • Filet-O-FishCheck
    • Egg McMuffin and Sausage McMuffinNo known issues
    • Soft serve cones, sundaes and McFlurryCheck
    • FDAAvoid unwashed fresh vegetables, including lettuce and salads.Source
    • FDAFish is recommended but amounts limit mercury exposure.Source
    Coke and McCafé coffee
    • ACOGModerate caffeine (less than 200 mg a day) does not cause miscarriage or preterm birth.Source
    • FDANo set pregnancy limit; talk to your health care provider about whether to limit caffeine.Source
    • MyHealthfinder (HHS)Limit caffeine; ask your doctor if caffeine is safe for you, or try decaf.Source
    • ACOGModerate intake is not a major factor in miscarriage or preterm birth.Source

  • United Kingdom

    • Cheeseburger, hamburger and friesNo known issues
    • Big Mac and other burgers with lettuceCheck
    • Chicken McNuggetsNo known issues
    • Filet-O-FishCheck
    • Egg McMuffin and Sausage McMuffinNo known issues
    • Soft serve cones, sundaes and McFlurryCheck
    • NHSSoil on produce can carry bacteria and toxoplasma.Source
    • NHSTrying for a baby or pregnant: max 2 oily fish portions (140g) a week; tuna max 4 cans or 2 steaks a week.Source
    • NHSAny pasteurised ice cream is safe in pregnancy; only unpasteurised ice cream avoided.Source
    Coke and McCafé coffee
    • NHSHigh caffeine intake is linked to miscarriage and stillbirth.Source
    • NHSNo more than 200 mg caffeine a day in pregnancy.Source

  • Canada

    • Cheeseburger, hamburger and friesNo known issues
    • Big Mac and other burgers with lettuceCheck
    • Chicken McNuggetsNo known issues
    • Filet-O-FishCheck
    • Egg McMuffin and Sausage McMuffinNo known issues
    • Soft serve cones, sundaes and McFlurryCheck
    • Health CanadaRinse delicate produce under cool running water; scrub firm produce.Source
    • Health CanadaLow-mercury fish encouraged with no weekly amount; limit only fresh/frozen tuna, shark, swordfish, marlin, orange roughy, escolar.Source
    Coke and McCafé coffee
    • CPSLimit caffeine in pregnancy; consider cutting it out.Source
    • Health CanadaMaximum 300 mg caffeine a day when pregnant (about two 8-oz cups of coffee).Source
    • Health CanadaMaximum 300 mg caffeine a day when pregnant.Source

  • Australia

    • Cheeseburger, hamburger and friesNo known issues
    • Big Mac and other burgers with lettuceCheck
    • Chicken McNuggetsNo known issues
    • Filet-O-FishCheck
    • Egg McMuffin and Sausage McMuffinNo known issues
    • Soft serve cones, sundaes and McFlurryAvoid
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Wash fruit, vegetables and herbs to remove soil (toxoplasma).Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Other fish or seafood no more than 2 to 3 times a week (150 g serve).Source
    • NSW Food AuthorityDo not eat soft serve.Source
    • NSW HealthDo not eat soft serve ice cream.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Soft-serve machines can let listeria grow if not kept cold and clean.Source
    Coke and McCafé coffee
    • Better Health Channel (Victoria)Limit caffeine to 200 mg a day or less, or avoid it.Source
    • FSANZNo more than 200 mg caffeine a day from all sources.Source
    • healthdirectLimit caffeine to 200 mg a day when pregnant.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Maximum 200 mg caffeine per day (total) in pregnancy.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Maximum 200 mg/day.Source

  • New Zealand

    • Cheeseburger, hamburger and friesNo known issues
    • Big Mac and other burgers with lettuceCheck
    • Chicken McNuggetsNo known issues
    • Filet-O-FishCheck
    • Egg McMuffin and Sausage McMuffinNo known issues
    • Soft serve cones, sundaes and McFlurryAvoid
    • Health NZWash and dry all fresh fruit and vegetables well just before eating.Source
    • Health NZMost commonly eaten NZ fish can be eaten freely; low-mercury species need no restriction.Source
    • Health NZAvoid soft serve ice cream (listeria).Source
    Coke and McCafé coffee
    • Health NZNo more than 4 cups tea or instant coffee (or 3 plunger coffees) a day.Source
    • Health NZUp to 200 mg caffeine a day in pregnancy.Source

  • Ireland

    • Cheeseburger, hamburger and friesNo known issues
    • Big Mac and other burgers with lettuceCheck
    • Chicken McNuggetsNo known issues
    • Filet-O-FishCheck
    • Egg McMuffin and Sausage McMuffinNo known issues
    • Soft serve cones, sundaes and McFlurryAvoid
    • HSEWash all fruit, vegetables and pre-packed salads before eating.Source
    • HSEAvoid soft-serve ice cream (such as a '99') in pregnancy.Source
    Coke and McCafé coffee
    • HSELimit caffeine to 200 mg a day (2 instant coffees, 1 filter coffee, 2-4 teas); limit energy drinks.Source
What to check

Before you eat McDonald's.

  1. Skip soft serve in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland

    Health NZ and the HSE advise avoiding soft serve ice cream in pregnancy, and Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says soft-serve machines can let listeria grow if they're not kept cold and clean. That covers cones, sundaes and McFlurry. In the US, UK and Canada, Doola Scan shows Check. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby

  2. Treat burger lettuce as raw salad

    Every country asks for raw vegetables and salad to be washed in pregnancy, and the FDA names lettuce. You can't wash it yourself at the counter, so Doola Scan shows Check for burgers that come with lettuce. FDA

  3. Make sure breakfast eggs are cooked through

    The UK Food Standards Agency says that when eating out, pregnant people should make sure eggs are thoroughly cooked. The US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand ask for the yolk to be firm. FSA

  4. Count a Filet-O-Fish in your fish for the week

    The FDA recommends fish in pregnancy within weekly amounts, and Pregnancy, Birth and Baby suggests most fish no more than 2 to 3 times a week. Health Canada sets no weekly amount for low-mercury fish, and Health NZ says most commonly eaten fish can be eaten freely. FDA

  5. Add up caffeine from Coke and coffee

    The NHS, Australia, New Zealand and the HSE set 200 mg of caffeine a day in pregnancy, and Health Canada sets 300 mg. A cola and a coffee on the same day both count. NHS

Questions

About McDonald's
in pregnancy.

Most of the usual menu shows No known issues in Doola Scan: cheeseburgers, McNuggets, fries and McMuffins. Burgers with lettuce and the Filet-O-Fish are Check, and soft serve is Avoid in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland.

The guidance is the same in every trimester. Soft serve, raw salad, eggs, fish and caffeine are covered from the first weeks of pregnancy on, and nothing on the menu changes trimester by trimester.

A cheeseburger or hamburger shows No known issues. A Big Mac or any burger with lettuce is Check, because the lettuce is raw salad you can't wash yourself.

Chicken nuggets aren't named in any of these six countries' pregnancy guidance, so Doola Scan shows No known issues for McNuggets.

An Egg McMuffin or Sausage McMuffin shows No known issues. The UK Food Standards Agency asks pregnant people eating out to make sure eggs are thoroughly cooked, and the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand ask for a firm yolk.

Soft serve, sundaes and McFlurry are Avoid in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland, where the guidance names soft serve ice cream because of listeria. In the US, UK and Canada they're Check; the NHS asks you to avoid only unpasteurised ice cream.

It's Check in all six countries, because fish counts towards each country's fish advice. The FDA recommends fish within weekly amounts, and Australia suggests most fish 2 to 3 times a week.

None of these countries' pregnancy food lists names fast food as such; they list foods and ingredients. The NHS notes that fast-food outlets and takeaways are a source of salt, and the FDA suggests asking for less salt and checking nutrition information when eating out.

Burgers without lettuce, McNuggets, fries and McMuffins show No known issues. Burgers with lettuce and the Filet-O-Fish are Check, and soft serve is Avoid in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland.

Yes. Take a photo of the menu and Doola Scan marks each item against your country's pregnancy guidance, with what to ask. Menu scans are part of Premium.
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Point Doola at a plate, a menu or a label. It checks every ingredient against your country's pregnancy guidance and shows its sources. Food scans are free, 3 a day.

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Doola shows what official guidance says; it never diagnoses. No known issues means none of these countries' pregnancy guidance names it, not a promise that a food is safe.