So we can't eat hummus now???

[JFTB1177]

It's me again, Ms. Neurotic.

Just irritated. I went to the store because I was craving hummus and pita. When I got home I did a real quick search on the net to double check and make sure it was fine to eat while PG, figuring it would say it was 100% fine!

So why did all these articles appear linking store-bought hummus to listeria outbreaks???? CRAP!!!!

Sorry for YET another food question, but do any of you guys eat hummus (esp store bought- I'm not about to make my own) while PG?

[~Demeter~]

Stop looking it up on the net. Of course you're going to find articles about it if you are looking specifically for something. I swear, you could google pregnant women shouldn't eat carrots and find something. It's not helping your peace of mind to keep looking things up...

[Annie Mac]

When I was pregnant, there were several months I consisted almost entirely on crappy deli meat turkey on saltines. It was the only thing I could keep down. Deli meat seems to be top of the list for listeria warnings, but I figured better that than nothing! Anyway, I never got sick and the baby came out perfectly healthy. I had my first child before the internet, so ate many things that they say you shouldn't eat. I just didn't know. She was also fine.

I know you said you weren't about to make it yourself, but hummus is super easy and quick, especially in the food processor.

[lillymonster]

Originally Posted by ~Demeter~

Stop looking it up on the net. Of course you're going to find articles about it if you are looking specifically for something. I swear, you could google pregnant women shouldn't eat carrots and find something. It's not helping your peace of mind to keep looking things up...

YES! Stop looking stuff up. Honestly I eat everything in the high risk listeria group. I am just happy I could keep it down at all. I lived off salads and blue cheese dressing for my first 12 weeks.

You can't worry about everything you eat. I actually have never worried about one thing I have eaten. I have probably eaten a "don't" at least once or twice. I went my entire last pregnancy eating tuna and lunch meat and not even knowing there could be any issue.

[Qbear'smama]

I eat store-bought hummus all the time, I even mix spicy hummus into the dreaded canned tuna (with a little mayo to make it creamy, soooo delish!!) I just can't worry about everything I eat, I get cravings and I go for it, for the most part. I agree that the net gives too much info in some cases. There is a doom and gloom story for every scenario.

Toast the pita to go with the hummus, crispy pita is the best!!

[TnMsMama]

Put down the whiskey and the marlboros if you partake of them, and then quit worrying! Being preggo is an excuse to eat anything you want! You're killing the joy of the hungry fat girl trapped inside you. If you google hard enough, I'm sure you can find somebody someplace saying just aobut everything is bad for you.

Did you get a list from your OB/midwife of foods to avoid? If so, follow that, just for peace of mind, otherwise, pig out.

I'm on baby #3 and have eaten just about everything under the sun and even had a few beers while pregnant (I get STRONG beer cravings while preggo, hate it the rest of the time) and I have 2 gorgeous healthy brilliant kiddos!

(even changed the cat box with kiddo #1)

Do we need to ground you from google??? LOL

[Chamomile Girl]

Originally Posted by JFTB1177

Sorry for YET another food question, but do any of you guys eat hummus (esp store bought- I'm not about to make my own) while PG?

Why not make your own? Hummus is one of the easiest foods to put together. Faster and safer to make your own than go to the store.

[Sunflower223]

I have to agree with the others. Looking stuff up is going to drive you crazy. Just about every food has been linked to an outbreak of some kind at some point in history. I did this the whole time I was pregnant with my first, looking stuff up and freaking out about every little thing, it was horrible. I specifically remember being afraid to eat ice cream because of something I read on the net. You don't need that kind of stress. Hummus is fine!

[JamieCatheryn]

If you buy canned chickpeas it's super easy to make it: open the can, puree them with a stick blender, add a bit of lemon and garlic and olive oil. You could get tahini to add too. If you do from dry raw chickpeas it'd take soaking and cooking for a long time, but you could make a huge batch and freeze, very economical.

[dakotablue]

I LOVE hummus I would be very sad If I couldn't eat it. If your hummus was being left out like a salad bar...personally I wouldn't do it. Its like lunch meat (I don't eat anyway) It is safe if handled properly and refrigerated when left out that could be an issue. But then again that's any food. You can find articles about not eating fresh fruit that's been left out as well. Room temperature is bad....taken with grain of salt because come on, how long have fridges been around?

Anyone have good recipe they use? measurements and stuff...I loved tribe hummus, but can't do the soy (DS allergy)

[TnMsMama]

This is really close to the recipe I use

http://mideastfood.about.com/od/appe...usbitahini.htm

It might be the same, mine is in a book and I've got a sleeping baby on my chest so I can't (dont wanna) go grab it.

This is REALLY similar tho - I know I add more garlic cuz I love garlic.

[Twinklefae]

Just eat it. It'll be fine. (I don't make hummus. Ever.) And then make sure to talk to your care provider about all your anxiety. I'm worried about you.

[thebigfam]

Originally Posted by ~Demeter~

Stop looking it up on the net. Of course you're going to find articles about it if you are looking specifically for something. I swear, you could google pregnant women shouldn't eat carrots and find something. It's not helping your peace of mind to keep looking things up...

Just to prove your point I googled carrots and pregnancy and this is what I got.

"Don't eat too many carrot while pregnant cuz an overdose in vitamin A and beta carotene is not healthy for the fetus."

Seriously lay off the google! I eat whatever I want. I really like Jimmy Johns sandwiches and have eaten them a few times this pregnancy it has turkey, and sprouts and mmmmmmm. anyways just eat and be happy! enjoy the little one growing inside you!

Big Momma

[ThisCat]

I agree with everyone that says to chill on the google searches. Talk to your health care provider or consult a good pregnancy book about the things that need to be avoided or limited, and just relax about everything else. Anything could be contaminated with something, but the chances are small, so there is no sense in fretting about every single thing.

In answer to your question, I wouldn't have thought twice about eating store bought hummus while I was pregnant, although at home I would have made it myself because I like mine the best (no more difficult to make in food processor than a smoothie is to make in a blender). I mean sure I guess like any processed food, store bought hummus could be contaminated with listeria, but so could raw produce, and I didn't avoid that.

The only food I was concerned with was deli meat since statistically speaking it was one of the more likely foods to be contaminated with listeria. So just to be safe, I slightly heated it (just till it barely steamed). Other than that, I carried on as usual, well other than the morning sickness aversions and crazy pregnancy cravings. Oh, and I laid off the booze other than a very occasional small glass of celebratory champagne.

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by thebigfam

I really like Jimmy Johns sandwiches and have eaten them a few times this pregnancy it has turkey, and sprouts and mmmmmmm.

*drool* they are sooooooo awesome!

I havent had one since the beginning of summer when I took my mom there while garage saling! Not because of pregnancy (I was already 4-5 months along at that point!) but because I just dont know if there are any around where I moved to lol.

Now I really REALLY want a hunters club!

[broodymama]

ITA with the others. Step away from the internet, grab a good (non-pregnancy related ) book and enjoy your hummus!

[Drummer's Wife]

Lady, relax . You can have hummus. From a store, or from your kitchen. It's fine, promise. Since the world wide web is so huge and full of fabulous info, I'm going to bet you could look up any food item and find somethng that states consuming during pregnancy or lactation may be risky. And it's not like your fetus is exactly eating these things, yk?

Seriously, if you are really worried about unsafe foods, ask you midwife or OB for their opinion. I'm all for researching and informing myself and all that - but if you arethat anxious about it all, talk to your professional HCP. They will calm your fears so you can pig out like a good pregnant girl does

[mntnmom]

with one of my babe's milk and meat made me nauseous. I might have *died* without my hummus!!

[AFWife]

I've learned that the best way to freak yourself out is to consult Dr. Google for your health questions. I bet if you kept reading there are just as many articles/blogs talking about how GREAT hummus can be for your growing baby. *shrugs* It's all in who you ask.

[JFTB1177]

Thank you guys so much once again! You know, I think I will pass off my store-bought hummus to my mom and try the recipe TnMsMama posted! I didn't realize it was so easy to make... I'm really SO not a homemaker type. I mean I try to eat healthy and I feed my family healthy stuff, but I always do the short-cut to everything if you kwim or just buy organic ready-made stuff (I know, lazy!).

You're right... I'm sure one could link everything to an outbreak. I told my mom about the whole hummus thing and she was just shaking her head and said when she was PG with me and my siblings (32, 29, and 23 years ago) she ate whatever the heck she wanted and we were fine. My mom is also a former OBGyn nurse. But MAN the internet is SCARY! And confusing... like one article will say "hummus is great when you're pregnant" or "a turkey sandwich on wheat is a great snack during pregnancy" and then the article right after will have you in cold sweats, thinking if you ate those things something would happen to your baby!

And what the heck are Jimmy Johns??? lmao!