For a mom, there’s much joy seeing everyone gather around the dining table, bonding over food you lovingly prepared. While you do your best to serve your family dishes that are delicious and satisfying, it is equally important to ensure that the food is safe for consumption.
Practicing the highest standards of food safety, cleanliness, and hygiene is a must now more than ever. After all, you don’t want anyone in the household to get sick from food-borne diseases or suffer from food poisoning—especially when you have babies or children around.
Keep your family safe from consuming something that could potentially harm their health by bearing in mind these safe food preparation tips.
1. Wash your hands.
This should be the first thing to do before any food preparation process—the pandemic has highlighted how keeping our hands clean is non-negotiable to prevent viruses from spreading. Before you touch any food or ingredient, thoroughly wash your hands with hand soap or liquid hand wash. Remember to scrub the surface between your fingers and under your nails for at least 20 seconds (or sing “Happy Birthday” twice). Rinse with warm water and dry using a clean towel or hand roll towel.
2. Ensure that your kitchenware and tools are clean.
Every time you prepare a new dish, make sure that all your cooking tools have been washed with hot, soapy water. These include your plates, knives, spoons and forks, ladles, pots, pans, and chopping boards among others. Clean them with a reliable dishwashing liquid and make it a habit to clean them after every use.
For breastfeeding moms, make sure to clean your baby’s bottle with a gentle baby bottle wash that can clean even hard-to-reach areas.
3. Know how to choose and clean fruits and vegetables the right way.
Food safety precautions don’t just start at home—they start while you are still at the market buying all the ingredients you need. If you’re about to buy fruits and vegetables, choose fresh ones and not those with bruises and damages. Always separate them from raw meat and seafood. If you are not going to cook them yet, store them in the refrigerator to avoid spoilage. Wash them only with running water and without any soap or detergent. If you see any damaged parts, peel them off and set aside.
4. Clean preparation and cooking surfaces.
From countertops to tables, make sure that all surfaces that come in contact with your food are clean and free from any bacteria. Choose gentle disinfectants and surface cleaners with pleasant odors, so you don’t get distracted by a strong smell while you are cooking. Overall, it’s a must to have a squeaky clean kitchen as you do all the food preparation and cooking in this part of your home.
5. Store food properly.
Aside from properly handling food, safe storage is also a must. Organize leftovers or individual ingredients using separate food containers. You can also label them accordingly.
The general rule is to put food in the refrigerator within 2 hours after you cooked or bought them. If you think certain foods are spoiled or expired already, throw them right away. You can also be strategic when loading your refrigerator: place food within the same category such as fruits or vegetables in one shelf, and separate them from the rest to avoid cross-contamination.
6. Cook food thoroughly.
The way you cook your food is very important to avoid any incident of food poisoning. Certain types of food like meat, seafood, eggs, and poultry have to be cooked really well to get rid of any bacteria and prevent complaints of diarrhea or tummy aches.
The standard cooking temperature is at least 75 °C, because this is most likely to kill any food bacteria. For most meats, ensure that there aren’t any pink parts or raw blood left. If you are cooking or heating food using a microwave, consider covering the food with a microwave-safe lid as this may promote even cooking.
7. Separate towels for cleaning from towels for handling food.
Do not use the same towel for both purposes. Remember, the towels you use for cleaning your countertop may have disinfectant in them and you don’t want that to come in contact with your vegetables or fruits. Separate the two to make sure your food is free from any chemical.
This article does not provide medical advice, it is intended for informational purposes only. The article is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.
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