Where do you draw the line with deli meat and listeria risk?

[Anonymous]

I'm struggling to find protein lunch options around my office, mostly b/c of ruling out deli meats. I'm obviously avoiding quiznos, subway, etc. that are shipping their pre-sliced meats around the country. I'm wondering if you would go to a higher quality deli, a strict kosher deli, or a deli that literally carves their meat in front of you. I thought the risk came from bacteria staying on the commercial slicers, but I'm really not sure what's safe, and I need to find a way to get some protein in the middle of the day. (And yes, I have tried bringing my lunch from home, but with getting dh and dd out the door, having to work after dd goes to bed, and being completely 2st trimester EXHAUSTED it just isn't happening.)

[Anonymous]

You can still go to Subway and the like if you want - they have other options like egg salad, tuna salad, roasted chicken, meatballs subs, etc. I am avoiding deli meats too but most delis have these items.

[Anonymous]

We eat normal pre-packaged deli meat from the grocery store and I have been fine! If you are concerned, you can microwave the meat or maybe your sandwich to kill any bacteria.

[Anonymous]

Quiznos and Subway can toast your sandwich so that might kill some bacteria. I didn't really try to avoid anything while pregnant.

[Anonymous]

I'll be honest, I just ate it and it has been fine thus far (35 weeks).

[Anonymous]

My first pregnancy, I just limited deli meats but didn't eliminate them. This pregnancy, I don't worry about it all. I do wonder if some people are judging me as I wait in line at Subway. But, my OB never said to avoid deli meats - it was just something I read.

But I can understand if you're concerned and want to play it very safe. Most deli's (including Subway) have microwaves. Just ask them to zap the meat for you. I've even seen people ask for the sandwich preparers to change gloves before making their sandwich.

[Anonymous]

Get chicken: chicken sandwiches or chicken salads.

[Anonymous]

Why chicken (or egg salad as mentioned above, for that matter)? That's just as likely to have germs on it if it's sitting in the same counter, isn't it. Just curious on the reasoning!

[Anonymous]

Had same concerns. I avoided deli meats (listeria) and tunafish (mercury). After I researched what listeria could do to a fetus I took it seriously.
Agree with some of the posts on chicken or meatball.
Here are some protein options:
Egg Salad sandwhich
Peanut butter and jelly
Tofu imitation bologna or deli meats from the vegetarian section of grocery store (high in protein)
Cottage cheese with cut up apples, pineapple and peaches

[Anonymous]

Grilled chicken is not a deli meat.

[Anonymous]

Wow, didn't even think about the gloves.

So what is it about deli meat that makes you susceptible to listeria? Everything I read says to avoid deli meat, but nothing goes into detail. Are cured meats bad as well, like proscutto? What about hard salami? I would think that a place that carves the meat at the counter (like Philips?) would be ok, because how would that be any different than turkey meat from a Thanksgiving turkey?

Side note: is listeria pronounced like Wisteria Lane from Desperate Housewives?

[Anonymous]

pp here. Does anyone have a good link to detailed info about listeria that discusses the different sources?

[Anonymous]

My OB just told me to heat my sandwiches, which I only sometimes do.

[Anonymous]

My OB just told me to heat my sandwiches, which I only sometimes do.

I think the op is having trouble finding options while at work. I'm in the same boat. Heating a sandwich isn't really an option, particularly if you haven't told anyone about pregnancy yet.

[Anonymous]

I don't do deli meats, but I do the egg salads, chicken salads, etc. I also do roasted turkey that they cut in front of you (it's a fill bird that they cut w/ a knife as people place orders). I agree, it's probably the most difficult pregnancy restriction, precisely because of the work lunch issue. Soup and salads are option, but I find a salad isn't very satisfying and it's been kinda warm to make soup appealing.

Potbelly's also toasts their sandwiches.