Have a Food Safe 4th of July #FoodSafe4th

How can you NOT love Independence Day? It's so festive, with friends and family gathering from near and far to celebrate. And, of course, the FOOD. Grilling and cookouts are a huge part of the 4th of July holiday. And while picking up ingredients for your cookout may be in the plans, contracting food poisoning is not.

YUCK!



Food poisoning is not simply an upset stomach; it is a serious public health threat in America. In fact, the CDC estimates that about 1 in 6 Americans (about 48 million people) could suffer from foodborne illness this year. The result is approximately 128,000 hospitalizations and sadly, an estimated 3,000 deaths!

Because warm weather events often present an opportunity for bacteria to thrive and high temperatures cause bacteria to multiply more rapidly, the summer months typically see a spike in reports of foodborne illness and outbreaks.

And friends? Seeing ISN'T believing. Did you know: Many people assume that if a hamburger is brown in the middle, it is done. However, looking at the color and texture of food is not enough— you have to use a food thermometer to be sure! According to USDA research, 1 out of every 4 hamburgers turns brown before it reaches a safe internal temperature. 


YIKES!

We need to grill safe this summer. The USDA has shared some great food safety tips just in time for the 4th of July holiday:

• Carry cold perishable food like raw hamburger patties, sausages, and chicken in an insulated cooler packed with several inches of ice, frozen gel packs, or containers of ice. 

• Be sure raw meat and poultry are wrapped securely to prevent their juices from cross-contaminating ready-to-eat food. If possible, store these foods near the bottom of the cooler, so that juices don't contaminate other foods in the cooler. 

• If you can't keep hot food hot during the drive to your location, plan and chill the food in the refrigerator before packing it in a cooler. Reheat the food to 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer. 

• A general rule of thumb for entertaining: keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Keep cold foods chilled to 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below and hot foods heated to 140 degrees Fahrenheit or above. 

• The two-hour rule is also in effect: food should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours. If bringing hot take-out food (like chicken fingers, wings etc.), eat it within 2 hours of purchase (1 hour if the temperature is above 90 °F). 

• Instead of using large serving bowls, serve dips and items with dairy in smaller containers. Make several in advance and keep them chilled in the refrigerator or coolers until you need them. 

• Offer serving spoons and small plates to reduce opportunity for guests to eat items like dip and guacamole directly from the serving container (double-dipping is a no-no and can increase the chances for food contamination).

Join the conversation! The #FoodSafe4th Twitter Chat is TODAY at 1pm EST.
Follow hosts @martieparty @buzzmommy and @usdafoodsafety to learn more and get some great recipes.

For more great resources, check out the "Is It Done Yet?" brochure from USDA.

School Lunch Food Safety

It's nearly the end of November, and we've been into the school groove for almost 3 months now. As a mom who is new to the "school-aged child," it has been a bit of a learning curve to making lunches every day. For preschool, I only had to pack lunches 3 or so days a week. Now, it's 5 days a week (and 3 or 4 of those days I need to pack two lunches - one for Chica and one for Bug)! And since Chica is in Full Day Kindergarten, I also have to provide a healthy snack. 

It takes a lot more planning and preparation than I am used to!

Some days, it is all I can do to throw together a well-balanced lunch. When Chica started Kindergarten, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't give her the same boring lunch every day. I look back guiltily over her preschool lunches, which consisted of a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich, yogurt and maybe a snack bag of pretzels or goldfish. Every day. That's it. I still feel bad about it! Now that we are in Elementary School, I'm working hard to shake things up (thank you Pinterest!)

But with all of the creative energies it takes amidst chaotic and hectic days, sometimes I am not always mindful with how I am handling the food safety end of packing lunches. After learning from the USDA about food safety a few months ago, I have changed a lot of my food handling techniques. It's hard not to once you are so aware! I utilize these strategies with dinner and baking, but it never occurred to me to handle lunches with the same care.

Did you know: 1 in 6 Americans (about 48 million people) could suffer from foodborne illness this year. The result is approximately 128,000 hospitalizations and sadly, an estimated 3,000 deaths!

We need to be packing those lunches with care!

Luckily, the Ad Council and USDA have worked together to create this very helpful guide on how to pack a safe and satisfying lunch. Whew!

Check out How to Pack a Safe & Satisfying School Lunch by Food Safe Campaign (Ad Council, USDA, HHS) on Snapguide.

They've also put together these awesome tips:

Tip #1: If the lunch you’re packing contains perishable food items like cold cut meats, eggs and yogurt, make sure to pack it with freezer packs or keep it otherwise chilled. Harmful bacteria multiply rapidly in the "Danger Zone" — the temperatures between 40 and 140 °F (4.4 °C and 60 °C). So, perishable food transported without an ice source won't stay safe long.

Tip #2: Frozen juice boxes can also be used as freezer packs. Freeze juice boxes overnight and use as freezer packs. By lunchtime, the juice should be thawed and ready to drink!

Tip #3: Pack lunches in an insulated, soft-sided lunch bag. Lunches with perishable food items can be unsafe to eat by lunchtime if packed in an old-fashioned brown paper bag.

Tip #4: If there is a refrigerator at school, tell your child to keep their lunch inside. But leave the lid of the lunchbox or bag open so that cold air can better circulate and keep the food cold.

Tip #5: After lunch, discard all leftover food, used food packaging, and paper bags. Do not reuse packaging because it could contaminate other food and cause foodborne illness.

Do you feel better prepared to pack safe and healthy lunches? 

To learn more, visit FoodSafety.gov.

FOOD SAFETY!

Confession: Up until a few months ago, I used to thaw frozen meat on the counter.

Gasp! Shock! Gnashing of Teeth! 

I know. 

I grew up in one of those houses, where meat was thawed via countertop with reckless abandon. Since then, I've come to realize that my food safety knowledge is somewhat skewed. When I found out that this method was completely and totally unsafe, I started questioning all of my food preparation theories!  What is a safe thawing method? How quickly does one need to freeze meat after purchasing? Can you refreeze thawed meat? Does microwaving kill all bacteria? Do I really need to use a food thermometer?

The USDA has an answer for that.

Thanks to their Food Safety website, the USDA gives all food handlers an amazing go-to resource  (yes: if you ever prepare a meal, you are a food handler!).  Once I found it, I spent lots of time clicking through to get answers to all of my burning food safety/food preparation questions. And boy, am I glad I did. I've been remiss in many food prep areas!

They've also created this helpful infographic to "debunk" some of the more common food myths:

How helpful is that?

I'd love to hear from you: 

What are YOUR worst Food Prep offenses? 

What are some of your burning Food Safety questions?

Here's to safer cooking and eating!