Shop for non-refrigerated items first.

Place cold foods together in the grocery cart.

When your food is being bagged at the grocery store, ask the bagger to pack all of your cold foods together.

Try to go straight home after visiting the grocery store and refrigerate or freeze the foods as soon as you get home.

Do not overstuff your refrigerator. Cold air needs to be able to move around your food to cool it properly.

Your refrigerator needs to be at 40 degrees F (4.4 degrees C). There are refrigerator thermometers that will help you keep your refrigerator at the proper temperature.

Check your refrigerator thermometer daily. If the temperature is too hot, check it again in 30 minutes. If it is still too hot, lower the inside thermostat if possible. Food that is stored in a refrigerator that is too warm for over 2 hours should be thrown away.

The safest way to thaw foods is in the refrigerator. This allows for a slow and safe thawing.

It usually takes one day to defrost small amounts of food in the refrigerator.

Larger frozen items such as a frozen turkey will need more time to defrost completely in the refrigerator.

REMEMBER THE DANGER ZONE IS 40 – 140 DEGREES F (4.4 – 60 DEGREES C). WHEN FOOD IS LEFT ON THE COUNTER TO DEFROST OR IS DEFROSTED UNDER HOT WATER, IT IS IN THE DANGER ZONE WHERE BACTERIA GROW.

Is a fast way to thaw out frozen foods, but some precautions are needed.

Place the frozen food in a leak proof bag and submerge in cold tap water. Change the tap water every 30 minutes until the frozen food is thawed, or place the food in the sink and use cold, running water to thaw it. (Caution: this is really a waste of water - a valuable natural resource).

A microwave oven is another fast way to thaw out foods.

When the microwave is used to defrost, it will start cooking the frozen item. When using this method, the food needs to be cooked right after it is thawed to prevent bacterial growth on the food.

Do you look to see if the center is red?

Do you pierce it with a fork to see if the juices run clear?

Do you check the color of the food?

Calibrating the meat thermometer is one of the first things that should be done.

Insertion of the meat thermometer is also important. You want to be sure that you insert the thermometer properly so you can get a correct reading to determine if your food is done.

Different types of foods require cooking to different internal cooking temperatures to be safe. Below is a guide with all the temperatures that your food should reach before it is considered safe to eat. You can print this chart and place it somewhere in your kitchen so you can look at it when you are cooking.

Some fish and seafood products are not included on this chart. Follow these guidelines to make sure they are cooked properly.

Microwaves cook food unevenly – hot in some places and cold in others – so be sure to check the temperature in the center of the food not just on the edges.

When using a microwave to cook food, there are some rules to follow. Your dish should be covered, stirred, and rotated so that the cooking is more even.

If your microwave does not have a turntable, you should open the door and turn the dish 180 degrees by hand at least twice during the cooking time.

It is also important to observe any recommended standing time for the food. A lot of times the food is still cooking and needs a little time to cool so it can be eaten.

Bring all sauces, gravies, and soups to a boil when reheating.

Leftovers should be thoroughly reheated to 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Never eat foods containing raw milk or raw eggs.

Label foods with the date they were opened. It is easy to forget when an item was actually opened or used last.

Place all leftovers in safe, preferably air tight storage containers. Label the container with the name of the food and the date it was prepared.

You have probably heard the statement “keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold”. This is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick from eating something that was not stored properly or soon enough.

Hot foods should be kept at 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) or above. Cold foods should be kept at 40 degrees F (4.4 degrees C) or below.

Hot foods that are going to be cooled need to reach 40 degrees F (60 degrees C) within 2 hours.

Divide meat or poultry into small portions to refrigerate or freeze.

Refrigerate or freeze gravy, potatoes, and other vegetables in shallow containers.

Remove stuffing from whole cooked poultry and refrigerate separately from the poultry.

Any perishable food, including cut produce, left at room temperature for more than two hours needs to be thrown into the garbage.

Raw meat and poultry products in the refrigerator or freezer need to be wrapped securely so the bacteria juices do not drip onto other foods. Those in the refrigerator should be put on the bottom shelf, on a plate, or in a container.

What is the only way to make sure your food is free from the bacteria that cause foodborne illness? (Choose one answer)

The easiest way to remember the recommended cooking times for food is to: (Choose one answer)

You are finished grocery shopping, but have one more errand to run before you can return home. It is 98 degrees F (37 degrees C) today. How long do you have to refrigerate or freeze your cold foods to prevent excess growth of bacteria? (Choose one answer)