A burrito is a large flour tortilla rolled around rice, beans, a cooked protein, cheese and salsa. It is a safe, filling meal in pregnancy as long as the fillings are hot and freshly cooked and the dairy is pasteurised.
Why it's good in pregnancy
Few takeaway meals pack as much into one hand: beans and rice for fibre and slow energy, meat or tofu for protein and iron, and cheese for calcium. A well-built burrito covers most of a balanced plate, which makes it a sensible lunch in the second and third trimesters when appetite and nutrient needs both rise.
Key nutrients
ProteinBeans plus chicken, beef or tofu easily deliver 25 g or more, supporting your baby's growing tissues.
FiberBeans and rice together give a solid dose of fibre, which helps counter the constipation that iron tablets can bring.
IronBlack or pinto beans and any meat filling contribute iron, better absorbed thanks to the vitamin C in salsa.
CalciumCheese and sour cream add calcium for your baby's bones and teeth.
Serving ideas
Chicken, black bean and rice burrito with salsa
Vegetarian burrito with pinto beans, grilled peppers and cheese
Breakfast burrito with firm scrambled egg and potato
A smaller burrito bowl with extra vegetables and no tortilla
Half a burrito with a side of corn salad
Safety
Safe when the fillings are freshly cooked and served hot.Sour cream and cheese in shops are almost always pasteurised; ask if you are unsure.Skip cold salsa bars and guacamole that have been sitting out for hours.
Choose burritos assembled to order with meat, beans and rice straight from the hot line, and ask for the whole thing to be grilled or pressed if the shop offers it. Pre-made chilled burritos should be microwaved until steaming in the centre, not eaten cold. Shop and restaurant cheese, sour cream and crema are made from pasteurised milk in almost every case, but a small taqueria or market stall may use homemade queso fresco, so ask. Guacamole and pico de gallo are fine when freshly made; avoid open salsa bars that have sat at room temperature for hours. Eat leftovers within a day, reheated once until hot throughout.
Common questions
Can I eat a burrito while pregnant?Yes, a burrito with freshly cooked, hot fillings and pasteurised cheese and sour cream is a safe and balanced meal.
Is the sour cream and cheese on a burrito safe in pregnancy?Almost always, as chain restaurants and supermarkets use pasteurised dairy; if you are at a small stall or abroad, ask whether the cheese is pasteurised.
Is Chipotle safe during pregnancy?Yes, the proteins and beans are cooked and held hot and the dairy is pasteurised; choose freshly made items and eat them promptly rather than hours later.
Did you know?
Burrito means 'little donkey' in Spanish, possibly because the rolled tortilla resembled the bedrolls donkeys carried.
Pairing beans with a tomato salsa roughly doubles how much of the beans' iron your body can absorb.
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