Holiday Home Food Safety Tips

Holiday Foods
Haul out the holly and clear off some counter space: chances are your kitchen will soon turn into holiday headquarters. Whether you’re cooking a traditional feast, wrapping packages or baking cookies with the kids, follow these simple food safety tips from the American Dietetic Association.

Safe Holiday Workshop
Two thirds of family dining tables typically double as work stations for such tasks as folding laundry, paying bills and helping with homework, as well as wrapping gifts and making holiday crafts. Between chores, keep your table dinner-ready by wiping with a paper towel and spray cleanser, disinfectant wipes or hot, soapy water and a sponge or dishcloth.

Holiday Reheat and Eat
No holiday is complete without lots of leftovers – so make sure yours are packed up properly. Within two hours of cooking, leftover food should be cleared from the table and placed in containers no more than three inches deep to ensure quick and even cooling. (Turkey should be removed from the bone and stuffing should be removed.)
*Cooked turkey and other meat dishes, stuffing, casseroles, cooked vegetables and potatoes can last in a refrigerator set below 40? F for four days – at which point they should be eaten or thrown away.
*To keep foods longer, store them in a freezer set at or below 0? F. For optimum quality, eat stuffing, casseroles and other sides you’ve stored in the freezer within one month, eat turkey and other meat dishes within two months.

Big Help from Little Helpers
Of the 60 percent of moms who ask for help in the kitchen, half call on their kids (rather than their husbands, friends or other relatives) to lend a hand. The holidays can be a great time to reinforce food safety techniques. Before they pitch in, encourage children to wash their hands in warm soapy water for 20 seconds (about 2 choruses of “Jingle Bells”).

Edible Gift Etiquette
Nearly three out of four survey respondents have made a gift of food in the past, and 60 percent plan to give an edible gift this year. Pack your gift to go the distance by keeping these tips in mind.
*To arrive safely, perishable foods such as meat, poultry and cheeses must be kept at or below 40?F.

*Make sure perishables are refrigerator cold before packing. (Meat and poultry may be frozen solid.)
*Use insulated cooler or heavy foam or corrugated cardboard box as packed with a cold source such as dry ice or freezer gel pack. (Don’t touch dry ice with your bare hands!)
*Wrap the box in two layers of brown paper.
*Mark the box “Keep Refrigerated” and if you’re packing with dry ice, mark the box “Contains Dry Ice.”

*If you’re sending through a mail-order company, make sure the company ships food cold or frozen, packed properly and by the fastest shipping method possible.
*Check your gift recipients’ travel plans before you ship and give them a heads up when to expect it so they can plan to be home.
*Give the gift of food safely! If you’re sending a turkey, roast or holiday meat dish, include a food thermometer and attach a list of proper internal cooking temperatures.
*If possible, to minimize risks, opt for food gifts that aren’t perishable.