As we prepare our holiday dinners and get togethers this festive season, remember a few simple steps when prepping your meal to prevent food poisoning and enjoy a safe and happy feast:
- Carefully wash your hands often, and always before cooking or cleaning. Always wash them again after touching raw meat.
- Clean dishes and utensils that have had any contact with raw meat, poultry, fish, or eggs.
- Use a thermometer when cooking. Cook beef to at least 160°F, poultry to at least 180°F, and fish to at least 140°F.
- DO NOT place cooked meat or fish back onto the same plate or container that held the raw meat, unless the container has been completely washed.
- Promptly refrigerate any food you will not be eating. Keep the refrigerator set to around 40°F and your freezer at or below 0°F. DO NOT eat meat, poultry, or fish that has been refrigerated uncooked for longer than 1 to 2 days.
- Cook frozen foods for the full time recommended on the package.
- DO NOT use outdated foods, packaged food with a broken seal, or cans that are bulging or have a dent.
- DO NOT use foods that have an unusual odor or a spoiled taste.
If other people may have eaten the food that made you sick, let them know. If you think the food was contaminated when you bought it from a store or restaurant, tell the store and your local health department.
Read more about food poisoning and prevention on our online Health Library.
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