Best Pregnancy Safe Cream Cheese (Updated 2026 Guide)
Updated July 13, 2026
The Answer
Cream cheese is generally a moderate risk dairy choice during pregnancy: choose products made with pasteurized milk and cream and avoid raw milk versions. Of 766 products we reviewed, 582 received an A grade.
The primary pregnancy consideration is whether the cream cheese was made from pasteurized dairy, since raw milk and products made from it should be avoided. Most products we reviewed rated highly, but some flavored or specialty formulations contained cautionary dyes, preservatives, sweeteners, or other ingredients.
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✓ What's Safe
- • “Pasteurized milk and cream” clearly stated on the ingredient list or packaging
- • A short, recognizable ingredient list centered on milk, cream, cheese culture, and salt
- • Plain or naturally flavored formulations without synthetic colors
- • Products with an A grade when comparing available options
- • Labels without unnecessary sweeteners or preservative blends
✗ What to Avoid
- • Cream cheese made from raw or unpasteurized milk
- • Red 40, artificial color, or Blue 1 in brightly colored flavored varieties
- • High fructose corn syrup in sweetened cream cheese spreads
- • Sodium benzoate, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate, or potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate added as preservatives
- • Horseradish containing varieties and specialty formulations containing seaweed or sodium nitrite
Most Common Ingredients in Cream Cheese Products
We analyzed 766 cream cheese products. Here are the most common ingredients, ranked by how often they appear:
Ingredients to Watch Out For in Cream Cheese
These are the most common flagged ingredients across 766 cream cheese products we analyzed.
red 40
CAUTION
Red 40 is a synthetic red food coloring. May affect neurobehavioral development based on animal studies at high doses. This synthetic red coloring appeared in 22 cream cheese products reviewed. It is rated CAUTION because high dose animal studies raise possible neurobehavioral development concerns.
Found in 22 of 766 products (3%)
artificial color
CAUTION
Artificial color is synthetic dyes added to foods and beverages. May affect neurobehavioral development in offspring based on animal studies. This broad label for synthetic dyes appeared in 8 products reviewed. It is rated CAUTION based on possible offspring neurobehavioral effects reported in animal studies.
Found in 8 of 766 products (1%)
blue 1
CAUTION
Blue 1 is a synthetic blue food coloring. Has limited human pregnancy data with possible neurobehavioral effects in animal studies. This synthetic blue coloring appeared in 8 products reviewed. It is rated CAUTION because human pregnancy data are limited and animal studies raise possible neurobehavioral concerns.
Found in 8 of 766 products (1%)
high fructose corn syrup
CAUTION
High fructose corn syrup is a sweetener derived from corn starch and widely used in processed foods and beverages. Has been associated with placental insufficiency, fetal growth restriction, and metabolic programming of offspring in animal studies, and with gestational diabetes and preeclampsia in epidemiological studies of humans. This corn derived sweetener appeared in 8 products reviewed, primarily as an unnecessary addition to sweetened formulations. It is rated CAUTION based on animal findings and epidemiological associations involving pregnancy and metabolic outcomes.
Found in 8 of 766 products (1%)
sodium benzoate
CAUTION
Sodium benzoate is a food preservative in beverages and processed foods. Has shown birth defects in animal studies at high doses and may form benzene when combined with vitamin C. This preservative appeared in 7 products reviewed. It is rated CAUTION because high dose animal studies reported birth defects, and it may form benzene when combined with vitamin C.
Found in 7 of 766 products (1%)
sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate
CAUTION
Sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate is a food preservative in beverages and processed foods. Has shown birth defects in animal studies at high doses and may form benzene when combined with vitamin C. This preservative combination appeared in 6 products reviewed. It is rated CAUTION due to the sodium benzoate concerns identified in high dose animal research and its potential interaction with vitamin C.
Found in 6 of 766 products (1%)
horseradish
AVOID
Horseradish is a pungent root vegetable used as a condiment. Contains compounds that may cause digestive irritation and has shown developmental toxicity in animals. This pungent ingredient appeared in 4 cream cheese products reviewed. It is rated AVOID because it may cause digestive irritation and has shown developmental toxicity in animals.
Found in 4 of 766 products (1%)
potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate added as preservatives
CAUTION
Potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate added as preservatives is a food preservative in beverages and processed foods. Has shown birth defects in animal studies at high doses and may form benzene when combined with vitamin C. This explicitly labeled preservative blend appeared in 3 products reviewed. It is rated CAUTION because of high dose animal findings associated with sodium benzoate and its potential to form benzene with vitamin C.
Found in 3 of 766 products (0%)
How Do Cream Cheese Products Stack Up?
We graded 766 cream cheese products for pregnancy safety. 582 received an A grade.
Best Pregnancy Safe Cream Cheese
We found 582 pregnancy safe options. Here are some top picks.
| Grade | Product | Brand |
|---|---|---|
| A | Cream Cheese | Philadelphia |
| A | Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese | Philadelphia |
| A | Einstein Bros Plain Whipped Cream Cheese Spread | Einstein Bros |
| A | Good Culture Cream Cheese Spread | Good Culture |
| A | Whipped Cream Cheese Spread | — |
Cream Cheese to Avoid During Pregnancy
These popular products received low grades due to flagged ingredients.
| Grade | Product | Brand |
|---|---|---|
| D- | Cream Cheese | — |
| F | Cream Cheese Spread | Happy Farms |
| F | Creamy Gourmet Cheese | — |
| F | Horseradish & Cheddar Cream Cheese | — |
| F | Cali Cream Cheese Roll Qbr, Cali Cream Cheese | — |
Your Questions Answered
Can you eat cream cheese when pregnant?
Yes, you can choose cream cheese during pregnancy when it is made with pasteurized milk and cream. Avoid versions made from raw or unpasteurized dairy. Check flavored varieties separately because their additives can change the product’s grade.
Can I eat a bagel with cream cheese while pregnant?
A bagel with pasteurized cream cheese can fit into a pregnancy diet. Confirm the dairy is pasteurized, particularly when ordering from a restaurant or small producer. The cream cheese label should also be checked for cautionary colors, sweeteners, and preservatives.
Why does pasteurization matter for cream cheese?
The category’s moderate risk rating comes from the dairy guidance to avoid raw milk and products made from it. Choosing cream cheese labeled as made with pasteurized milk and cream addresses that central concern. Do not assume an artisanal or unlabeled option is pasteurized.
Are plain and flavored cream cheeses equally suitable?
Not necessarily. Plain formulations often have simpler ingredient lists, while some flavored products contain synthetic colors, high fructose corn syrup, preservative blends, horseradish, seaweed, or sodium nitrite. Read each label rather than judging the entire category by one variety.
How many cream cheese products received a high grade?
We reviewed 766 cream cheese products, and 582 received an A grade. Another 125 received a B+ grade, while a smaller number fell into the C, D-, or F ranges. This distribution means there are many higher graded choices, but formulations still vary.
Which cream cheese ingredients deserve extra attention during pregnancy?
The main ingredients flagged in this category include Red 40, artificial color, Blue 1, high fructose corn syrup, sodium benzoate blends, horseradish, seaweed, and sodium nitrite. Their concerns range from limited pregnancy data to findings from animal or epidemiological studies. A simpler, pasteurized formulation makes it easier to avoid these ingredients.
How Do We Score Products for Pregnancy Safety?
We analyze each product's ingredients and category to flag known risks and provide cautionary notices for general category safety concerns.
A - Safe
Excellent choice! All ingredients are considered safe during pregnancy.
What to do: Use with confidence.
B - Likely Safe
Pretty much safe with very minimal risk. Some ingredients may have limited pregnancy studies, but no significant safety concerns have been identified.
What to do: Use with confidence.
C - Limit
Contains ingredients with some pregnancy considerations. Research shows these ingredients may have limited safety data, potential for minor hormonal effects, or require caution based on animal studies.
What to do: Use sparingly and consider safer alternatives when available.
D - Caution
Similar to C grade but contains multiple cautionary ingredients. The combination increases overall concern.
What to do: Try to avoid if that makes you feel better. If you've already used it, no need to panic.
F - Avoid
Contains ingredients with established risks during pregnancy. Research shows these can cause birth defects, developmental harm, or serious maternal complications.
What to do: Do not use during pregnancy. If you've already used it, don't worry - contact your OBGYN if concerned.
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References
- https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/rawmilk/index.html
- https://iawpwellnesscoach.com/red-40/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24257113/
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-022-00418-9
- https://medisearch.io/blog/red dye-40-and pregnancy
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2060889/
- https://oehha.ca.gov/sites/default/files/media/downloads/risk assessment/document/appendixf082820.pdf
- https://www.reddit.com/r/pregnant/comments/181obac/is_red_40_actually_harmful/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31679476/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9368057/
- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/red dye-40
- https://academic.oup.com/toxsci/article/61/1/92/1615305
- https://mothertobaby.org/baby blog/stay informed understanding the impact of the red dye no-3-ban on pregnancy and breastfeeding/
- https://mothertobaby.org/fact sheets/hair treatments pregnancy/pdf/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0300483X94901759
- https://mothertobaby.org/category/food beverages/
- https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-35309-y
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK582739/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10502305/
- https://www.cspi.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/resource/food dyes rainbow of risks.pdf