Holiday food safety

In the midst of the holiday season, it can be easy to forget food safety basics with all the baking, cooking, and festivities that occur. Keep these tips in mind when stocking up your fridge and whipping up holiday treats in the kitchen:

Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds under warm running water prior to any food prep, taking care to thoroughly clean under the nails and between fingers.

Avoid cross-contamination. Use a separate cutting board for produce and meats, and never use a wood cutting board to prepare meat as juices that contain bacteria can seep into the wood. Separate your foods. Keep meats wrapped in an enclosed container on the bottom shelf of the fridge so that drippings do not make their way onto fresh produce or uncooked foods.

Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. The fridge should be kept between 32-40 degrees Fahrenheit while the freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook foods to the proper temperature to avoid food-borne illness from bacteria. The CDC recommends the minimum internal cooking temperatures for the following meats:

Fish: 145 degrees

Poultry: 165 degrees

Ground beef: 160 degrees

Ground turkey, chicken: 165 degrees

Roasts, steaks, and chops: 145 degrees

Chill foods properly. Foods should not be left out for more than 2 hours after finished cooking, but ideally should be placed in the fridge right away and put into shallow containers to cool quickly. Consume leftovers within 3 days.

Thaw frozen meats in the fridge, microwave, or in a sink of cold water. Never leave out on the counter to thaw at room temperature.

Use leftovers up! To avoid food waste and an overflowing fridge, simmer bones and meat pieces with herbs in water to create a stock or broth. Cooked vegetables can be chopped and added to scrambled eggs or casserole dishes. Cooked grains like rice, quinoa, or stuffing can be wrapped in collard greens or a whole wheat tortilla with sliced veggies for a lunch wrap. Be sure to reheat sauces, gravies, and soups to boiling in order to kill any bacteria.

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Natalie Colla, RDN, LDN, is a Registered Dietitian and graduate of the University of Idaho Coordinated Program in Dietetics.