Avoid These Foods When You Are Pregnant and Save Money

I recall years ago when I visited my gynecologist's office to confirm that the two lines on my pregnancy test were indeed identifying that I was pregnant. After peeing into a cup and being escorted into a cold and muted examination room, the nurse confirmed that the test was positive. She left the room and came back with a handful of printed papers (which looked like someone's dissertation) and plopped it onto a table right next to me.

I stared at it for a few seconds, and then called my husband to confirm the news. After waiting endlessly for the doctor, I eventually grabbed a handful of handouts and began sifting through them.

Besides the initial pregnancy packet which talked about the stages of pregnancy and what to expect during those ten months, the thickest handout from the pile was all about nutrition during pregnancy and more specifically, what not to eat when you were pregnant. Everything from things I didn't know you could eat like shark, to the more obvious no-nos like alcohol.

What I found interesting was that the foods that should be avoided during pregnancy were also high priced items. Great news for anyone with a bun in their oven.

For the pregnant momma who worries about eating for two, on a budget, saving money couldn't be simpler. Avoiding foods that could potentially harm the baby and pregnancy, inherently helps the bank account.

For a quick guideline of what not to eat from the Mayo Clinic:

1. Seafood high in mercury - swordfish, shark, king mackerel,and tilefish.
2. Raw, undercooked or contaminated seafood. Say bye-bye to sushi, but cha-ching to the bank account.
3. Undercooked meat, poultry and eggs - such as deli meats, pates, meat spreads, eggnog, and hollandaise sauce.
4. Unpasteurized foods - Brie, Feta, Camembert, Blue cheese, Mexican-style cheeses, and unpasteurized juices.
5. Unwashed fruits and vegetables - specifically raw sprouts like alfalfa, clover, radish and mung bean.
6. Large quantities of liver. I don't eat liver so I'm not knowledgeable on the varieties out there.
7. Excess caffeine - which is generally not good (the empty calories from soda are bone-depleting) and the costs of Starbucks can add up. Plus, water is free and so much better for you and the baby.
8. Herbal tea - definitely avoid red raspberry leaf as they cause contractions, which I had to learn the hard way.
9. Alcohol - which is linked to stillbirth, miscarriage, and fetal alcohol syndrome. It's an unnecessary cost (I'm sure a wine-lover would disagree) that could not only harm the baby but money you could use towards buying a good prenatal supplement.

During my pregnancy, I avoided pretty much everything on the list and I could honestly say that we saved a good amount of money (sushi was my biggest weakness). We used it towards purchasing diapers and other necessities for the baby. It was a win-win situation for us because we had a healthy baby and a very happy savings account at the end of ten months.