Can I Eat Hot Cheetos While Pregnant?

There are a lot of things you may consider giving up during pregnancy due to the risks involved. Are Cheetos one of those things?

Deciding To Eat Hot Cheetos

The debate over whether or not to eat hot cheetos is comparable to that of getting pregnant.

Pro’s of Eating Hot Cheetos

The pros are that the food tastes good. Many pregnant women like spicy or crunchy foods even more during their pregnancy.

Cons of Eating Hot Cheetos

The cons are that it can give you heartburn and upset your stomach.

The main issue with HOT cheetos is that they are spicy, which can cause heartburn.

That being said, Cheetos are a highly processed food that has a lot of dye and preservatives in them as well — so you may be taking some risk ingesting that type of food.

How do I know anything about this?

Hi, I’m Hilary — The Pregnancy Nurse 👩‍⚕️. I have been a nurse since 1997 and I have 20 years of OB nursing experience, I am also the curly head behind Pulling Curls and The Online Prenatal Class for Couples. 🩺​ While helping pregnant moms for all those years, I was asked LOTS of questions and discussed many with physicians at the nurse’s station. I love helping moms get answers to questions like these on the internet.

The Best Way to Eat Hot Cheetos When You’re Expecting

As one of the most popular spicy foods in the U.S., Cheetos are a fun snack for people of all ages. However, if you are pregnant or trying to conceive, it is important to know how to eat these hot snacks responsibly. Cheetos are safe for pregnant women and those trying to conceive as long as they follow some safety tips.

Pregnant or Trying To Conceive? Follow These Tips When Eating Hot Cheetos:

1) Always wash your hands before eating anything out of an open bag.

2) Make sure you use a napkin or hand towel when eating hot snacks (you don’t want to wipe your eyes with this Cheeto dust on them).

3) Eat only one chip at a time and take breaks between each chip — this will help your mouth/esophagus from becoming overwhelmed.

Should You Eat Hot Cheetos While Pregnant?

Beyond the spice level, I hear some people mention that the food is too loud for your baby’s ears.

Frankly, should we not eat celery or carrots while we’re pregnant? While the baby is in your stomach — these foods are loudest in your mouth, that’s pretty far from the baby’s ears.

Mostly pay attention to how you feel after eating the cheetos. If you don’t feel great, or have lots of heartburn — consider switching to another snack instead.

If you’re past 20 weeks I’d recommend figuring out what prenatal class you’re going to take. Studies show prenatal classes help moms enjoy their births even more — and I totally want that for you. This one can be done in just a few hours on your own timeline.

If you’re not sure if that is the class for you — check out this free “mini prenatal class” in my birth prep pack: