Scrambled eggs are beaten eggs cooked gently in a pan, often with a splash of milk or a knob of butter. Cooked through until set, they are a safe and quick pregnancy breakfast.
Why it's good in pregnancy
Two scrambled eggs give you around 12 g of protein and most of a day's choline for your baby's brain, plus vitamin D and iron. Scrambling makes it easy to fold in vegetables, so the plate carries more folate and fibre than the eggs alone.
Key nutrients
ProteinComplete protein for your baby's tissues and your own changing body.
CholineSupports your baby's brain development and neural tube closure.
Vitamin DHelps calcium reach your baby's growing bones.
IronContributes to the extra red blood cells pregnancy requires.
Serving ideas
Scrambled with spinach and cherry tomatoes
On wholegrain toast with avocado
Folded into a breakfast burrito with beans
With smoked paprika and feta, cooked through
Stirred through fried rice at the end of cooking
Safety
Cook until no liquid egg remains; skip soft, glossy restaurant-style scrambles.
Keep stirring over the heat until the eggs are set all the way through and no glossy, liquid patches remain; very soft French-style scrambles are not cooked enough unless the eggs are Lion-mark or pasteurised. Use pasteurised milk or cream if you add any. Eat scrambled eggs straight away rather than keeping them warm for long, and reheat leftovers until steaming hot. When eating out, ask for your eggs well done.
Common questions
Are scrambled eggs safe in pregnancy?Yes, as long as they are cooked until firm with no runny parts; that removes the salmonella risk.
Can I order scrambled eggs at a restaurant while pregnant?Yes, just ask for them cooked well done, since some kitchens serve them soft and still slightly wet.
Is it okay to add milk or cheese to scrambled eggs when pregnant?Yes, provided the milk and cheese are pasteurised, which almost all supermarket dairy is.
Did you know?
Scrambled eggs cook at a lower temperature than most dishes, which is why they are so often undercooked.
Adding vegetables to a scramble is one of the easiest ways to get folate alongside your choline.
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