Preparing holiday meals can be frantic, but they should not be unsafe. This year is the perfect time to throw out old habits and set new traditions to practice food safety!
Reckless Thawing:
Old Habit: thawing meats on the kitchen counter or under hot water
New Tradition: Thaw meat in a refrigerator set at or below 40°F. If short on time, wrap the meat and thaw it in a sink full of cold water, making sure to replace the water every 30 minutes. Meat can also be cooked to its internal safe temperature 165°F in an oven, but it will take longer than it would if it was thawed.
Holding Out on Hot Stuff:
Old Habit: allowing foods to cool before moving them to the refrigerator for storage
New Tradition: Place foods right into the fridge after cooking, and use a shallow container to allow quicker cooling.
Covered Dish Delivery:
Old Habit: bringing meal dishes on long car rides as they are
New Tradition: Pack cold dishes in a cooler with ice packs to keep them cool while traveling. Ensure they are kept below 40°F. Transport hot dishes either in an insulated bag or covered with foil and insulated with towels. Ensure they are above 140°F.
Rocking the Gravy Boat:
Old Habit: serving leftover gravy without heating it first
New Tradition: Bring leftover gravy to a boil on the stove before re-serving to eliminate harmful bacteria. Use all leftovers within 3-4 days.
Festive Floor Grazing:
Old Habit: using the “five-second rule" to decide whether to eat food that fell on the floor
New Tradition: Do not eat holiday treats that have touched the ground.
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