Janice Newell Bissex, MS, RD and Liz Weiss, MS, RD, Co-authors, The Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers
The Meal Makeover Moms have created a series of online videos featuring cooking demonstrations and mealtime/pantry tips. Discover easy ways to improve your family's diet by watching more of their how-to videos.
If you’re paranoid about cooking poultry then join the club. Chicken and turkey can carry salmonella and other harmful bacteria that may cause food poisoning. We’re not trying to ruin your appetite but when poultry (or for that matter any raw meat) is on your dinner menu, be sure to follow these four simple food safety guidelines.
• Wash Your Hands --
Wash your hands in hot or warm soapy water before and after food preparation and make sure you do it for 20 seconds. Actually count to 20 the next time you’re at the kitchen sink because what you’ve been doing all along may, in fact, may be closer to a quick rinse.
• Keep Raw Meats and Ready-To-Eat Foods Separate --
If the juices from raw poultry or meat come in contact with the ingredients for your dinner salad there could be trouble at the table. To prevent cross-contamination, keep two plastic cutting boards in your kitchen; one for raw meats such as chicken and fish and the other for ready-to-eat foods like vegetables and bread. Also, if the man in your life loves to hang out by the backyard grill, please remind him that cooked chicken, fish, or meat should never go back on the same plate that held the raw food.
• Cook to Proper Temperatures --
Dangerous bacteria are killed when food is cooked to the proper temperature. While seasoned chefs and some savvy home cooks can tell if meat is done by simply poking it, most of us are better off buying an inexpensive instant-read meat thermometer … and using it. To be on the safe side, stick with the following "safe cooking temperatures" for poultry and other meats:
o Boneless turkey breast & roasts: 170°F
o Whole chicken & turkey, thighs, wings & drumsticks: 180°F
o Hamburgers, pork tenderloin: 160°F
o Steak, medium-rare: 145°
• Refrigerate Promptly Below 40°F --
Ask ten moms what the temperature of their refrigerator should be and chances are you’ll get ten different answers. Is it 30°F, 55°F, 20°F? The answer is below 40°F. Bacteria love to grow between 40°F and 140°F so if the temperature inside your fridge is above 40°F, bad bacteria can have a field day.
