Cream Cheese During Pregnancy: Labels, Cheesecake, and Spreads

The short answer: Yes, you can eat cream cheese while pregnant when it is made with pasteurized milk. CDC's pregnancy food-safety chart names cream cheese, along with cottage cheese, string cheese, feta, and mozzarella, as a safer choice when made with pasteurized milk. CDC's Listeria prevention page lists it the same way. Cheese made from unpasteurized (raw) milk is on CDC's riskier list.

Why do some lists say you can't eat cream cheese when pregnant?

Because cream cheese is a soft cheese, and short "avoid soft cheese" lists drop the pasteurization detail. CDC's riskier column is about soft cheese made from unpasteurized milk and queso fresco-type cheeses; pasteurized cream cheese is in its safer column. The FDA notes that milk sold across state lines is pasteurized, but some cheeses are not, especially those produced and sold locally on dairy farms or at local cheese stores.

What cream cheese can you eat while pregnant?

Any cream cheese whose label says it is made with pasteurized milk (or lists pasteurized milk or cream in the ingredients). FDA's advice is to check the label on every dairy product, keep milk products refrigerated at 40°F or below, and follow "use-by" dates. PregNut does not verify brands, so read the package you buy. For a house-made spread at a café or a farmers' market cheese, ask what it is made from, and skip it if no one can confirm.

Can you eat cheesecake while pregnant?

Usually yes, with two checks: the cheese and the eggs.

• Baked cheesecake: cream cheese is baked with eggs. CDC lists egg dishes without meat or poultry cooked to 160°F as a safer choice. Store-bought cheesecake is a common option; the FDA says store-bought versions of raw-egg foods are often already cooked or pasteurized.
• No-bake cheesecake: check the recipe. If it uses raw eggs, it falls under CDC's riskier list of foods that contain raw or undercooked eggs; CDC's safer option is pasteurized eggs in foods that will not be cooked. If it has no eggs, the cream cheese rule applies: made with pasteurized milk.
• Leftovers: the FDA's 2-hour rule applies; refrigerate within two hours (one hour above 90°F).

Our raw-egg foods guide covers mousse, tiramisu, and other no-bake desserts.

Is cream cheese frosting or dip OK?

Yes, when the cream cheese is pasteurized and any eggs are cooked or pasteurized. Keep frosted cakes and cream cheese dips refrigerated, and follow the same 2-hour rule at parties. A bagel with cream cheese is fine; a bagel with lox is a separate question, covered in our smoked salmon guide.

What nutrients does cream cheese provide?

Cream cheese is mostly fat and calories. PregNut's historical USDA-based data lists cream cheese at 350 calories, 6.15 g protein, and 97 mg calcium per 100 g. Cottage cheese lists 11.12 g protein per 100 g; see our cottage cheese guide and calcium foods guide for higher-calcium options.

Common questions

Is cream cheese safe in the first trimester?

CDC's chart does not set different cheese rules by trimester. Pasteurized cream cheese is on its safer list throughout pregnancy.

What if I ate cream cheese that wasn't pasteurized?

An exposure does not mean you have an infection. Tell your prenatal care team what you ate. For Listeria, CDC says pregnant women should call the doctor right away if they have a fever and feel more tired and achy than usual.

Is whipped or flavored cream cheese different?

The check is the same: the label should show pasteurized milk or cream. Flavorings do not change CDC's cheese guidance.

Related: feta, soft cheese, and sour cream.

Sources: CDC safer food choices for pregnant women, CDC preventing Listeria, FDA dairy and eggs for moms-to-be, FDA ready-to-eat foods for moms-to-be, and CDC food-poisoning symptoms. This guide is educational and does not replace prenatal care.