Holiday Food Safety
Many of us will be hosting parties this season — an important time to keep food safety on your mind.
Follow these food safety tips to lower your chance of food poisoning:
- Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
- Perishable foods should not be left out for more than two hours and even so, cold perishables should be kept in serving dishes over ice.
- When foods have reached their time limit, refrigerate them or toss them out.
- Hot sides and grilled meats should be kept at a temperature of 140°F or warmer until they are served.
Four Easy Steps to Food Safety
- Clean: Wash hands and utensils to avoid spreading bacteria when preparing food.
- Separate: Use different cutting boards for meat, poultry, seafood and veggies.
- Cook: You cannot tell it is done by how it looks! Use a food thermometer to make sure meats reach the proper temperature — 165°F for turkey and chicken, for example.
- Chill: Keep the fridge at 40°F or below to keep bacteria from growing.