Dishing Out Food Safety Tips for the Holidays

Photo of a gentleman in a wheelchair wearing an apron and matching chef hat in the kitchen surrounded by cooking tools and supplies holding his hand in a thumb up position. The bottom left corner displays text "Food Safety" with a green check mark.

The holidays are times for sharing favorite foods and dishes with family and friends. No one wants to give the gift of food or foodborne illness to their loved ones. Here are some tips from the Center for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration on how to keep everyone safe from foodborne illnesses while sharing meals.

Keep foods separated.

Keep meat, chicken, turkey, seafood, and eggs separate from all other foods at the grocery store and in the refrigerator.
Prevent juices from meat, chicken, turkey, and seafood from dripping or leaking onto other foods by keeping them in containers or sealed plastic bags.
Store eggs in their original carton in the main compartment of the refrigerator.

Cook food thoroughly.

Use a food thermometer to make sure meat, chicken, turkey, seafood, and eggs have been cooked to a safe internal temperature to kill germs.
Roasts, chops, steaks, and fresh ham should rest for 3 minutes after you remove them from the oven or grill.

Keep food out of the “danger zone.”

Bacteria can grow rapidly in the danger zone between 40°F and 140°F.
After food is prepared, keep hot food hot and cold food cold.
Refrigerate or freeze perishable food like meat, chicken, turkey, seafood, eggs, cut fruit, cooked rice, and leftovers within 2 hours. (This is 1 hour if food is exposed to temperatures above 90°F, such as in a hot car.)
The temperature in your refrigerator should be set at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0°F or below.

Use pasteurized eggs for dishes containing raw eggs.

Salmonella and other harmful germs can live on both the outside and inside of normal-looking eggs. Many holiday favorites contain raw eggs, including eggnog, tiramisu, hollandaise sauce, and Caesar dressing.
Always use pasteurized eggs when making these and other foods made with raw eggs.
Do not eat raw dough or batter. Dough and batter made with flour or eggs can contain harmful germs, such as E. coli and Salmonella.

Thaw your turkey safely.

Thaw turkey in the refrigerator, in a sink of cold water (change the water every 30 minutes), or thaw in the microwave.
Do not thaw turkey or other foods on the counter.
A turkey must thaw at a safe temperature to prevent harmful germs from growing rapidly. Learn more about preparing turkey safely. For more information on turkey safety visit https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/communication/holiday-turkey.html.

Wash your hands with soap and water during these key times when you are likely to get and spread germs:

Before, during, and after preparing food
Before eating food
After handling pet food or pet treats or touching pets
After using the toilet
After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
After touching garbage
Before and after caring for someone who is sick
Before and after treating a cut or wound
After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing

Holidays are meant for sharing love, laughter, and memories, not foodborne illness. Follow these tips to ensure your holiday meals are safe and delicious!

Watch this video on Holiday Food Safety from U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

References:

CDC. “Food Safety for the Holidays.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 14 Oct. 2020, www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/communication/holidays.html.

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “Holiday Food Safety.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2019, www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/holiday-food-safety.

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