Holidays involve gathering family, preparing food, and enjoying festive meals together. But those activities can bring unwanted guests – foodborne illnesses. Whether you are cooking for a large group at home or bringing prepared food to a group potluck there are some basic food safety principles that can help you enjoy special events large or small, indoors or outdoors, all year ’round.
As with all cooking, there are 4 steps to food safety: Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill.
- Wash hands and all surfaces often, especially between handling different types of food, for example, after washing vegetables and before cutting meat.
- Don’t cross contaminate – keep food and utensils, including cuttings boards, separate while preparing and when storing in the refrigerator.
- Cook all foods to the specific safe internal temperature for the type of food.
- Refrigerate promptly – beware the “danger zone” between 40°F and 140°F, keep hot foods above 140°F and cold foods below 40°F even when serving on a buffet or transporting to an event.
- Reheat cooked foods to at least 165°F, or boiling for soups, sauces, and gravies.
Two-hour rule – If perishable food is kept at room temperature, do not leave it out for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the ambient temperature is 90°F or above).
*** These basic tips are true for serving and storing food for all occasions. To learn more about specific Holidays and Seasons, please visit Food Safety by Events and Seasons