Food safety is an important part of our daily lives. If you’re preparing or serving food for the big game, it’s essential that anyone in your family who prepares meals knows how to prevent the spread of foodborne bacteria and viruses. Be the MVP of your party by following these food safety tips.
Tackle food prep head-on
Before and after handling food, wash your hands, counters and utensils thoroughly, especially when working with raw meat. You should also rinse fruits and vegetables under running water before slicing or dicing.
Score a touchdown with your team by
- keeping raw meats separate from other foods
- using dedicated utensils and cutting boards for raw and prepared food and
- cooking meat thoroughly based on safe internal cooking temperatures.
These steps help prevent cross-contamination and keep your squad ready for game time.
Make the right play
From watching the commercials to the halftime show, it’s easy to get caught up in the festivities of the big game. That’s why it’s important to store your food properly to keep it at a safe temperature so you can continue to feast.
You’re in the temperature danger zone when your food is between 41 and 135 F. You should avoid eating food that has been in the temperature danger zone for more than 2 hours. To keep food safe after cooking, use coolers to store cold food or an insulated container to keep dishes hot.
Postgame huddle
Once the winning team hoists the trophy, it’s time to pack up your leftovers.
Divide leftovers into small portions, put them in shallow containers, and refrigerate or freeze them immediately. When reheating food, make sure leftovers reach a temperature of 165 F.
