Christmas is a very festive season that involves plenty of gift-giving and sharing of food with our friends and loved ones. When it comes to food preparation and storage, everyone must be very careful. We also have to avoid food borne illnesses and still keep healthy. So before logging in to the internet to play for some Facebook poker chips, make sure that you have taken care of everything important for your Christmas dinner.
When buying fresh meat, purchase it as close to Christmas as possible to avoid rotting. Once you get home, make sure to store it in the fridge right away to maintain its freshness. When it comes to cooking, make sure that the meat is set out in the heat long enough to cook it thoroughly. You can use a food thermometer to check if the temperature of the meat is enough to be considered cooked. The juices of the meat should be clear and there should be no pink meat left.
When it comes to storing leftovers, the meat should be taken off the bone and cut into small pieces. It should be well covered and refrigerated. Refrigerated food should be eaten ideally within three days.
Keep a clean kitchen counter when preparing food. There are plenty bacteria that can thrive just with food preparation. The knives, utensils and chopping boards should also be properly cleaned whether you are handling raw or cooked food. Make sure that your hands are washed thoroughly before handling food.
Keep your family healthy this holiday for a smooth sailing celebration.