Food Safety For The Holidays
 | Author:
Allison Kosto, MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent
MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent |
Food Safety For The Holidays Allison Kosto, MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent Food Safety for the Holidays
BY: Allison Kosto, MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent
Does holiday meal planning make you cringe? Or are you excited to figure out the big meal? Regardless of which side you are on, planning your holiday meal can be a lot of work with so many things to figure out.… when should you start thawing the turkey or ham? What do we do for family members with allergies or special diets? How do you line up cooking the meat, rolls and potato dishes when you only have one oven?…yes, this can all lead to a little stress.
Not to add another worry to the pile, but the best way to ruin a perfect holiday is food poisoning. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 48 million people get sick (1 in 6), 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die from food-borne diseases each year in the United States. Many of these cases are preventable by preparing food safely at home.
As with many topics, Extension has many great resources when it comes to food safety. Here are a few of my favorite food safety tips for the holidays: • Thaw frozen food and meat using the fridge, cold water or microwave. Keep in mind that it takes 24 hours to thaw five pounds in the fridge. So if you have a frozen 20-pound turkey for Christmas, you’ll want to put it in the fridge by December 20th. • Cook meat thoroughly. Beef, pork and lamb should have an internal temperature of 145 degrees F for medium rare and 160 degrees for medium well. Poultry should be cooked until 165 degrees and ground meat until 160 degrees. • Keep food hot (at least 200-250 degrees) in the oven or cold in the fridge until serving. • Use small platters and refill them as needed instead of large platters. This helps ensure that your food is at safe temperatures for a longer period of time. • On a buffet table, use warming dishes or slow cookers where possible to keep hot foods 140 degrees or warmer. Use nesting dishes with ice to keep cold food at 40 degrees or cooler. • Observe the two-hour rule. Food should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers. Throw away any food that has been out longer than two hours. • Eat leftovers within 3 to 4 days. Leftovers should be reheated to 165 degrees. Keep in mind that microwaves heat unevenly, so make sure your entire plate is at the right temperature. • Cleanliness throughout the preparation and meal is essential. Have clean hands, sanitize your workspace and use clean utensils.
Placing a large amount of warm leftovers in the fridge can be problematic as well. It can cause other leftovers and items in the fridge to warm up. Bacteria can grow quickly between 40 and 140 degrees. It’s best to prepare the leftovers so they cool rapidly. Use shallow containers. Divide large cuts of meat into smaller pieces. Stir soups and stews to allow them to release their heat. You can also place deep dishes in cool water to chill them prior to putting it in the fridge. Avoid overfilling the fridge and allow space in between foods so that the cold air can circulate.
You can get more information on food safety at your MSU Extension Office in Broadwater County at 416 Broadwater or call 460-266-9242. Wishing you a safe and happy holidays!
