Get Your Popcorn!

Use separate cutting boards and plates for produce, meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs:

• Invest in multiple cutting boards: Remember to always wash them after use and replace them once they are worn.
  • Fresh produce: This includes all fresh fruits and vegetables that will may or may not be cooked before eating.
  • Raw meat: This includes all raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
• Utensils should be used for designated foods before and after cooking. Use separate plates and utensils for raw foods and clean plates for those same foods once they have been cooked.
• Always wash any surface, plates, cutting boards, countertops, and utensils, that have touched raw meat, poultry, or seafood. Use hot soapy water to clean these areas to reduce the chance of cross-contamination.

Keep foods separate:

• Even while shopping you can prevent cross-contamination. Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood in plastic bags when available to prevent their liquid from touching other items in your cart. When checking out place all raw meat, poultry, and seafood items in separate bags from other foods.
• Once at home place raw meat, poultry, and seafood in food-safe containers or in sealed plastic bags. If you do not plan to use them in the next 3-5 days freeze them for later use.
• Arrange your fridge so all raw meats, poultry, and seafood are located on the bottom shelves. This prevents any liquid from accidentally dripping on other foods.
• Keep eggs in their carton and store them in the main compartment rather than in the door where temperatures fluctuate more frequently.

–Written by Alicia Leitch, Nutrition Educator

Cooking foods to a safe temperature kills harmful germs and bacteria that can make you and your family sick.

• Invest in a food thermometer! Using a food thermometer is the best way to test the internal temperature of foods and know they are safe to eat. To use a food thermometer simply place the thermometer in the thickest part of the food once you believe it is done. Avoid touching the bones, fat, or gristle of the foods as their temperature may differ due to the foods density.
• What temperatures are safe?”
  • Fresh beef, pork, veal, and lamb should be cooked to 145°F and then let rest where as ground beef, pork, veal, and lamb should be cooked to 160°F and does not need to rest.
  • All Poultry (breasts, whole bird, legs, thighs, wings, ground poultry, giblets, and stuffing) as well as ground turkey and chicken should always be cooked to 165°F.
  • Seafood should be cooked to 145°F. At this temperature fish should flake with a fork.
  • Eggs should be cooked to 160°F.
  • All leftovers should be heated to 165°F to assure they are safe and ready to enjoy.

Keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold is also important!

• Hot foods should be kept at 140°F or above
• Cold foods should be kept at 40°F or below

Remember to keep your foods out of the danger zone (40°F-140°F). If food is left in the danger zone is must be discarded after 2 hours as it is no longer safe to eat. This is especially important as the weather warms up and people gather together over food. Keep all friends and family members safe by properly cooking foods and keeping them at a safe temperature.

For Additional Information Visit Foodsafety.gov

Spring cleaning doesn’t stop at the typical household chores. Food safety is a very important part of keeping your family healthy and happy! There are four basic steps to keeping food safe for you and your family all year long.

STEP 1:

CLEAN: Wash Hands and Surfaces Often

• To keep bacteria at bay always wash your hands before and after handling food. Hands should be washed with warm water and soap for 20 seconds or more!
  • Tip: Practice this with your family by washing your hands together while singing your favorite song. Any song longer than 20 seconds will do and you can choose a different song each time.
• Wash all kitchen surfaces including countertops, cutting boards, and utensils often with warm soapy water. This reduces cross-contamination between surfaces.
  • Tip: Wash all countertops before you begin. This will force you to clear all surfaces and allow you a fresh clean space to begin preparing food.
• Rinse produce under warm running water including anything with a skin that will be eaten such as apples and cucumbers.
  • Tip: Use a clean scrub brush on firm-skinned fruits and vegetables such as potatoes.
• Keep shopping bags, backpacks, and other objects off of surfaces used to prepare or serve food to reduce exposure to bacteria.
  • Tip: Put all groceries and other objects away before preparing food. This will allow you to stay clean and organized so you can focus on safe food preparation.

-Written by Alicia R. Leitch, M.S. Nutrition Educator

Sources:

Choosemyplate.gov. 2020. All About The Vegetable Group | Choosemyplate. [online] Available at: <https://www.choosemyplate.gov/eathealthy/vegetables&gt; [Accessed 29 April 2020].

cdc.gov. 2020. Food Safety Home Page | CDC. [online] Available at:<https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/index.html&gt; [Accessed 5 May 2020].