Mothering › Forums › Pregnancy and Birth › Birth and Beyond › Fruit, Cheese Tray for Labor
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Fruit, Cheese Tray for Labor

post #1 of 29
9/13/10 at 4:37pm
Thread Starter 
I'm planning what foods I have on hand during labor and one of the ideas that came to mind was a nice cheese tray with crackers and fruit... I'm thinking of something a little nicer than a standard cheddar, colby jack tray. Of course I'm not looking for crazy exotic and expensive either.

I don't know much about cheeses, and on top of that I don't know if I should still be careful of certain cheeses because of listeria. Seems like during early postpartum my immune system will still be a little down, right?

I always like Meunster with crackers, and fresh mozzarella. I'm thinking apples and pears for the fruit tray. Any other ideas?
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 29
9/13/10 at 4:57pm
No cheese you would have on a cheese tray would be an issue.

For fruits I suggest adding grapes. Grapes go great with cheese (I used to work in a deli, we would often use grapes to garnish cheese trays)
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 29
9/13/10 at 5:06pm
Don't know much about cheese (I'm a long-time vegan), but I would say a variety of different tastes and textures is important. What sounds/ tastes good one second may not the next.

Something easy to add to a cheese tray would be hummus and some kind of nut butter. You could just add some veggies, too. I think with both my previous labors my favorite food was apples and celery with soy nut butter.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 29
9/13/10 at 5:13pm
I don't have any suggestions, I just wanted to say that that is such a yummy sounding idea!

Mmmmm!
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 29
9/13/10 at 5:45pm
sounds good to me. Quick and easy, your attendants will love you for it. Grapes were one of the few things I could eat in my last labor.

I'm planing on having miso soup ready to be thrown together this time (for me anyway) It was the only thing that sounded appealing at all for me in labor, and I didn't have any
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 29
9/13/10 at 7:35pm
This is an awesome idea and I am stealing it!
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 29
9/14/10 at 4:04am
Definitely like this idea! I agree with going for a variety of cheeses so you please whatever your palate happens to be at the time as well as your attendants'. Apples, pears, and grapes all pear...err, pair... very well with cheese, so those are excellent choices. Grapes are also a great way to get extra fluids which never hurts in labor.

I do like the idea of other little things, too, like nut butter, crackers, hummus... I think I would do crackers and peanut butter because I love apples with PB and it's a great, easy, energy booster. Definitely must add to my lists!
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 29
9/14/10 at 7:36am
I'm not sure about in the states, but where I live fresh mozzarella (the kind found in balls, stored in water) is offlimits because of listeria - it's not pasteurized. (I live in Italy, where it's everywhere and I miss it so much!!) I have had it when I've been to the factory, fresh out of the vat (OMG - now I'm drooling!) and felt safe, but nowhere else, because here, it's not refrigerated. It's simply stored in the water on a counter and eaten within a few days after making.

Maybe in the states it's pasteurized, but you might want to check the container to make sure.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 29
9/14/10 at 7:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by spargel View Post
Maybe in the states it's pasteurized, but you might want to check the container to make sure.
Unless she is buying from a cheese producer, it is likely the usual pasteurized prepackaged mozzarella that pretty much every deli over here has.

Of course, she can always ask to be safe... I can tell you I had stranger questions asked of me when working in the delis!
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 29
9/14/10 at 8:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaerynPearl View Post
Unless she is buying from a cheese producer, it is likely the usual pasteurized prepackaged mozzarella that pretty much every deli over here has.

Of course, she can always ask to be safe... I can tell you I had stranger questions asked of me when working in the delis!
Forgive me, but if this is for during labor anyway...I would break out the "forbidden fruit!" errrr, cheese.

I mean, yeah Listeria is still a risk (it always is), but the big issue during pregnancy is for the miscarriage risk to the baby, not so much directly to mom.

Not that you want to be sick pp, but....
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 29
9/14/10 at 8:28am
Just be wary of using apples and pears because they will brown if left out for a while. You can store them in a bowl covered in Sprite and they won't oxidize like normal, if that is an option.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 29
9/14/10 at 9:02am
Thread Starter 
Thank you everybody for your comments! I'm getting so excited about this I might just make a practice tray before labor. (I still have several months as I am due in January.)

As far as apples browning... now, granted, this is my second baby and I'm not quite expecting another 28 hour labor (please, oh, please)... but anyway I'm pretty confident that Cameo apples (my favorite variety) will hold up as long as I refrigerate them anytime I'm trying to sleep. I've had them 3 days after cutting up, at which point they're only just starting to brown and still crisper than most other varieties of apple.

Grapes are definitely a good idea... not sure what their availability will be in January, but they would make a nice addition if we can get them.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 29
9/14/10 at 9:26am
you can also toss the apple/pear slices with a few teaspoons of lemon juice to keep them from browning.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 29
9/14/10 at 5:35pm
wow, I wish I could have eaten while I was in labor. Even from the beginning, I couldn't get anything down. I either threw it up or had diarrhea. In the throws of labor, I had to be reminded to even drink something. Afterward though, man...I had a feast! It was the best meal ever. I still remember the tastes very clearly. Anyway, to answer your question, mild fruits would seem to be the best thing. apples, pears, grapes, melon, even mango and kiwi perhaps? For cheese, I'd do some smoked gouda, muenster, havarti and a really sharp cheddar. Just because those are all my favorites. I can't imagine having eaten them in labor though!
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 29
9/14/10 at 5:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by spargel View Post

Maybe in the states it's pasteurized, but you might want to check the container to make sure.
In the states it has to be pasteurized (or aged at least 60 days) by law. Its illegal to sell (or even make for your own personal use) otherwise.
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 29
9/14/10 at 6:05pm
Bought a meat and cheese tray today for my labor (but my labor will be sometime within the next 2 weeks...)

Also bought grapes and a few other nommies.

but cheese tray is such a good idea!
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 29
9/14/10 at 6:32pm
I have to put a plug in for Dubliner Cheese and Grapes.....its Devine!
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 29
9/14/10 at 7:23pm
Soaking apples/pears in a bowl of water with a little lemon juice will stop the oxidation without changing their flavor so much. Also, yes, there are definitely varieties that don't brown so fast! Those were an awfully nice discovery for a party we had!
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 29
9/14/10 at 10:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MaerynPearl View Post
Bought a meat and cheese tray today for my labor (but my labor will be sometime within the next 2 weeks...)

Also bought grapes and a few other nommies.

but cheese tray is such a good idea!
It was the cheese tray, she was waiting on that. She's probably ready to make her entrance now!
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 29
9/14/10 at 11:21pm
Ooo that is a good idea. I would have puked it all up, but still a good idea. I'd stick with cheeses you wouldn't mind coming back up, just in case.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Birth and Beyond
Mothering › Forums › Pregnancy and Birth › Birth and Beyond › Fruit, Cheese Tray for Labor