Ice cream is a frozen blend of milk, cream, sugar and flavourings, churned until smooth. Supermarket tubs and wrapped ice creams are made from pasteurised ingredients and are safe in pregnancy; treat them as the sweet treat they are.
Why it's good in pregnancy
A scoop brings a little calcium and protein from the milk, and a cold, sweet food can be genuinely welcome when nausea or a hot third trimester makes other things unappealing. Eaten as an occasional treat it fits easily into a balanced pregnancy diet.
Key nutrients
CalciumA 100 ml scoop gives around 100 mg of calcium from the milk, a small contribution to your baby's bones.
ProteinA scoop carries 3–4 g of protein, a bonus rather than a reason to eat it.
Serving ideas
A scoop of vanilla with fresh berries
A wrapped ice cream lolly on a hot day
Gelato in a cone from a parlour
Frozen yogurt tubs for a lighter option
Safety
Shop-bought ice cream is made with pasteurised milk and is fine.Skip homemade ice cream made with raw egg unless pasteurised eggs are used.
Buy sealed tubs or wrapped ice creams and keep them frozen solid at -18°C (0°F); do not refreeze anything that has melted. Homemade ice cream is only a concern if the recipe uses raw egg — choose a custard base cooked to 71°C (160°F), a no-egg recipe or pasteurised eggs. Scoops from an ice-cream parlour are fine; it is soft serve from a machine that needs more thought. If you have gestational diabetes, a small scoop after a meal rather than on its own will blunt the sugar rise.
Common questions
Can I eat ice cream while pregnant?Yes — shop-bought and parlour ice cream is made with pasteurised milk and egg, so it is safe as an occasional treat.
Is gelato safe during pregnancy?Yes, gelato from a shop or parlour uses pasteurised ingredients; only homemade versions with raw egg need a second thought.
Why do I crave ice cream when pregnant?Cold, sweet and creamy foods often appeal when nausea, heartburn or heat make other foods unappealing; a modest scoop is fine.
Did you know?
Gelato is churned with less air and less cream than ice cream, so it is denser but often slightly lower in fat.
A standard 100 ml scoop has around 10–15 g of sugar, about half a can of cola's worth.
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