Food Safety at Home

Food safety is important for everyone. Use this quick guide to keep food safe in your kitchen:

• Always start food preparation with clean hands. It’s simple advice, but important to remember: 20 seconds under warm water with lots of soap.

• Wash all produce with cold water, including fresh herbs, greens, and sprouts.

• Make it a habit to wash off tops of cans before opening, including drink cans.

• Never thaw frozen food at room temperature. Use the refrigerator, microwave, or cold running water.

• Never reuse the same cutting board, knives or other equipment without first a thorough washing when working with raw meat or poultry.

• Do not use plastic wrap or plastic/Styrofoam containers in the microwave; paper towels are fine.

• Check the temperature of your fridge and freezer: the fridge should be at or below 38 degrees Fahrenheit, the freezer at 0 degrees.

• Cooked leftovers should not be kept in the fridge for more than 7 days. Remember the saying, “When in doubt, throw it out!”

It is also a good idea to cook with a thermometer to ensure the proper final cooking temperatures. I use a quick read thermometer…. It’s so easy to use! Information on final cooking temperatures is here.

Happy cooking!