The long weekend is just around the corner (hallelujah!). Most of us will have a party of some sort for celebrations. But how do we make our food safe for our friends to eat!
Long Weekend Food Tips
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Wash hands before, during and after food preparation. Proper hand washing can reduce a large percentage of food poisoning cases. Also, washing your hands between tasks, like handling raw meat and then cutting vegetables, is important too
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Keep kitchen surfaces such as countertops, cutting boards and utensils, clean throughout meal preparation
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Always use two cutting boards: one for raw meat, poultry and fish and the other for ready-to-eat foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Make it easy to remember by using colour-coding the cutting boards
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Use separate spoons and forks to taste, stir and serve food.
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Use a food thermometer. It is the only reliable way to determine if your food is thoroughly cooked at the proper temperatures
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Refrigerate food within two hours of serving to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria that can lead to food poisoning
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Use a refrigerator thermometer and make sure it’s set at below 4°C
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Never allow foods to defrost at room temperature, on the counter or in warm water. Defrost food only in the refrigerator or in the microwave. When defrosting food in the refrigerator, remember to cover raw meat and place it on the bottom shelf so juices don’t drip onto other foods
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If taking food to parties, make sure to observe the same safety habits as at home — keep foods well-refrigerated and cook them to proper temperatures.
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When baking, avoid eating foods containing raw eggs such as cookie dough or cake batter. Raw eggs may contain harmful bacteria that can lead to food poisoning.
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