Is Eggnog Safe During Pregnancy? Store-Bought vs Homemade (2026 Guide)

Short answer: the carton of eggnog at the grocery store is pasteurized, and pasteurized, alcohol-free eggnog is safe to drink during pregnancy. The eggnog ladled from a punch bowl at a holiday party usually is not, because traditional recipes use raw eggs, and many festive batches also include rum, bourbon or brandy.

That one distinction, pasteurized versus raw, settles almost every eggnog question. The rest of this guide covers the edge cases: homemade eggnog you can actually make safely, "aged" eggnog, eggnog lattes, and what to do if you drank some before checking.

Medically reviewed by: [placeholder]. Last updated: September 21, 2026.

Why raw-egg eggnog is a real risk in pregnancy

Traditional eggnog is an uncooked custard: raw eggs, cream, sugar and spices. Raw or undercooked eggs can carry Salmonella, and the FDA's egg safety guidance is blunt about the fix: eggs need to be cooked, or the product needs to be made with pasteurized eggs.

Pregnancy raises the stakes twice over. Your immune system is naturally suppressed while pregnant, so foodborne infections are both more likely and harder to shake, which is why the FDA lists pregnant women among the people at highest risk from food poisoning. And a serious Salmonella infection during pregnancy can lead to dehydration, bacteremia, and in severe cases complications for the baby, including preterm labor. The CDC's Salmonella guidance covers symptoms and when to seek care.

This is the same raw-animal-product logic that applies to unpasteurized soft cheeses and cold deli meat: the category is fine, the unpasteurized or uncooked version is the problem.

Store-bought eggnog: safe, and here is why

Commercial eggnog sold refrigerated in US grocery stores is made with pasteurized milk and pasteurized eggs. Pasteurization heat-treats the ingredients to kill Salmonella and Listeria, which removes the raw-egg risk entirely. The label will say "pasteurized," and mainstream brands (the store-brand carton, the seasonal dairy-brand nogs, shelf-stable and canned versions) all qualify.

Two things still worth checking on the carton:

1. Alcohol. Most grocery cartons are alcohol-free, but spiked ready-to-drink eggnog exists and is clearly labeled. No amount of alcohol is considered safe in pregnancy, per ACOG's guidance on alcohol and pregnancy. Zero is the number.
1. Caffeine, if it is a coffee drink. An eggnog latte made with pasteurized eggnog is fine from a food-safety standpoint; the espresso counts toward the 200 mg daily caffeine ceiling that ACOG recommends. Our caffeine in pregnancy guide has the per-drink numbers.

Sugar is the honest footnote: eggnog is a dessert in a glass, around 20 g of sugar per cup. Safe is not the same as unlimited, especially with gestational diabetes screening in your third trimester. The NHS healthy-eating-in-pregnancy guidance is a good baseline.

Homemade eggnog you can actually drink while pregnant

You do not have to skip homemade entirely. Two safe routes:

• Use pasteurized egg products. Cartons of pasteurized liquid egg or in-shell pasteurized eggs swap 1:1 into any recipe, with zero cooking required.
• Cook the custard. Heat the egg-milk base gently to 160°F (71°C), stirring constantly, then chill. That temperature kills Salmonella per FDA guidance, and it is how most "cooked eggnog" recipes from US extension services work.

What does not work: relying on alcohol to sterilize the batch. "Aged eggnog" recipes claim that weeks of sitting in bourbon kill the bacteria. Even if aging reduces bacterial counts, the result still contains alcohol, which rules it out in pregnancy on its own. Two strikes, skip it.

The quick decision table

I already drank some. Now what?

If it was store-bought and alcohol-free, nothing to do. If it was homemade with raw eggs, do not panic: most servings carry no bacteria, and the odds of any single glass causing illness are low. Watch for Salmonella symptoms over the next 6 to 72 hours (fever, diarrhea, vomiting, cramps) and call your provider if they appear, or if you develop a fever of any kind. Mention the exposure at your next appointment either way.

Check the specific carton in seconds

Ingredient labels on seasonal drinks are long, and "pasteurized" is not always where you expect it. Oli scans the barcode or label of any drink and gives you a safe, caution or avoid verdict for your trimester, with the reason spelled out. The free web checker works without the app if you just want a one-off answer, and it pairs well with our guides to honey and the complete pregnancy food safety list.

FAQ

Can I drink store-bought eggnog while pregnant? Yes. Refrigerated cartons in US grocery stores are made with pasteurized milk and eggs, which removes the Salmonella risk. Check that it is the alcohol-free version.

Is Starbucks eggnog latte safe during pregnancy? Yes from a food-safety standpoint: coffee chains use pasteurized commercial eggnog. A tall eggnog latte contains roughly 75 mg of caffeine from the espresso, which fits within the 200 mg daily limit ACOG recommends.

What happens if a pregnant woman drinks eggnog with raw eggs? Most likely nothing, since most eggs do not carry Salmonella. But if infection does occur, pregnancy makes it more serious. Watch for fever or gastrointestinal symptoms for up to three days and call your provider if any develop.

Does the alcohol in aged eggnog make it safe from bacteria? No. Aging in spirits may reduce bacterial counts, but the drink still contains alcohol, and no amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy per ACOG and the CDC. Avoid it on both grounds.

Can I have eggnog in my first trimester? Yes, the pasteurized, alcohol-free kind is safe in every trimester. The raw-egg risk does not change by trimester, so homemade raw-egg nog is out for all nine months.

Is eggnog safe while breastfeeding? Pasteurized eggnog is fine while nursing. Occasional moderate alcohol has different, less strict guidance during breastfeeding than pregnancy; the CDC's alcohol and breastfeeding page covers timing if you choose to have a spiked glass.

How much sugar is in eggnog? Around 20 g per cup for standard commercial eggnog, similar to soda. Safe, but worth moderating, particularly if you have or are being screened for gestational diabetes.

Sources: FDA egg safety, FDA at-risk groups, CDC Salmonella, ACOG on alcohol, NHS diet in pregnancy, CDC alcohol and breastfeeding.

This article is for informational purposes and is not medical advice. Always confirm with your healthcare provider.