Is Burgers & ground meat safe during pregnancy?
Cook burgers and ground meat to 160°F (165°F for ground chicken or turkey) — no pink or rare burgers in pregnancy.
What the sources say
USDA and CDC advise cooking ground meats like beef, pork and lamb to 160°F and ground poultry to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer; color isn't a reliable sign. Raw or undercooked meat can carry Toxoplasma and other germs (CDC, FDA). Order burgers well-done, and cook raw sausages (bratwurst, Italian, breakfast, Mexican chorizo) through. No special restriction while breastfeeding (CDC).
Common alternatives
Also listed as
burger, hamburger, cheeseburger, ground beef, ground pork, ground lamb, meatballs, meatloaf, rare burger, pink burger, medium rare burger, smash burger
Sources
- USDA/FSIS: Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart
- CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women
- CDC: Preventing Toxoplasmosis
- FDA: Toxoplasma (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be)
- Mayo Clinic: Pregnancy nutrition: Foods to avoid during pregnancy
- CDC: Maternal Diet and Breastfeeding
Last reviewed . This is general information, not medical advice. Ask your doctor or midwife about your own situation.