With the 2025 holiday season here, many Americans are planning their holiday meals. Amid the rush, it’s easy to overlook essential food safety precautions, but following these tips from University of Tennessee Extension can help ensure you and your guests enjoy holiday meals that are both delicious and safe.
“Hosting a holiday gathering requires careful attention to food safety to prevent foodborne illnesses,” said Kristin Riggsbee, assistant professor and nutrition and food safety specialist with UT Extension Family and Consumer Sciences. “By following simple steps like proper handwashing and cooking foods to the right temperature, you can help protect your guests and make your celebration memorable for all the right reasons.”
So, what are the steps? Most cooks know, but they’re worth repeating:
1. Clean: The first step to preparing a meal safely is to ensure your cooking space, utensils and ingredients are clean. Start by thoroughly washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before handling food and after using the restroom, sneezing or handling raw meat. You should clean any surface that could touch food, including cutting boards, utensils and countertops with approved cleaning sprays, especially after contact with raw poultry, meats, seafood or eggs. Finally, be sure to rinse fruits and vegetables under cool running water, without soap, to remove harmful microorganisms.
2. Separate: To avoid cross-contamination, which occurs when raw foods or contaminated surfaces come into contact with cooked foods, wash your hands frequently and store raw meat on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Consider using separate cutting boards for raw meats and other high-risk items. The USDA advises against washing raw poultry, as this can spread harmful bacteria like Salmonella.
3. Cook: Always cook food to the correct internal temperatures to eliminate harmful bacteria, keeping hot foods above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. For meat, use a meat thermometer and be sure to check the thickest parts of meat to confirm they reach the safe temperature:
· Ground meat: 160°
· Poultry: 165°
· Ham: 145°
· Casseroles: 165°
· Beef, veal, lamb: 145° (rest for 3 minutes)
4. Chill or Keep Warm: Leaving food at room temperature for more than two hours increases the risk of bacteria growth that can cause food-borne illness. Consider serving small amounts of food at a time, storing the rest in the refrigerator or a warm oven. If you think any leftovers have been at room temperature for too long, it is safer to discard them.
5. Store: Leftovers are a great perk of the holiday season! To ensure they remain safe for consumption, it is important to store them correctly. Allow hot foods to cool, then place leftovers in airtight containers and store them in the refrigerator or freezer as soon as possible. Most refrigerated leftovers should be eaten within four days of the initial meal and frozen items are usually safe for three to four months. Avoid overcrowding your refrigerator, as it will struggle to maintain temperatures below 40 degrees.
6. Reheat: When reheating leftovers, ensure they reach at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit to kill any bacteria. You can reheat leftovers that are frozen, thawed or from the refrigerator. However, thaw frozen items safely by using the refrigerator, cold water or the microwave. Thawing in the refrigerator takes longer but is the safest method, as it keeps the food safe while it thaws.
While the risk of food-borne illness can seem scary, following these easy steps can make the holidays safer and more enjoyable for everyone.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.
Cranberry Salad
1 package cranberries (ground)
2 cups sugar
2 oranges (ground) peeling and all
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup diced celery
2 packages cherry Jell-O
3 cups boiling water
Mix cranberries with sugar, add nuts, celery, and oranges.
Mix Jell-O with boiling water. Let Jell-O cool then mix with cranberry mixture. Pour into mold and let congeal.
Submitted by: Velva Gray, Elmwood/Chestnut Mound FCE Club
Hence then, the article about food for thought holiday food safety was published today ( ) and is available on Smith County Insider ( United Arab Emirates ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Food for Thought – Holiday Food Safety )
Also on site :
- Kate urges people to celebrate Christmas with small gestures of kindness as she gives thanks for 'the beautiful tapestry of life' amid her health battles: Viewers praise her message of hope and are enchanted by carol concert duet with Charl
- A royal duet! Kate Middleton is joined by her daughter Charlotte on the piano as they perform together at the opening of the princess's star-studded Christmas carol concert
- Funeral held for martyr al-Houti in al-Haymah al-Dakhiliyah district