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The last thing you want this season is for a foodborne illness to pop up and ruin your vacation plans. One moment, you’re fine; Next, you’re canceling all your obligations for the foreseeable future and living off Pepto.

Luckily, avoiding foodborne illness — at least when it comes to the kitchen, cooking, and food preparation — is easy enough if you follow a few rules. Even though it might be easy But sometimes it is equally It’s easy to forget or overlook those food safety standards. Sometimes you eat raw cookie dough because you’ve always eaten it. You’ve never been sick from it before…until you were sick.

To help ensure the holiday season is as healthy and happy as possible. Here’s a refresher on four basic food safety rules you need to follow during the holidays.

A fully stocked refrigerator  (but rather sloppy)
Party Photo/Shutterstock

1. Keep the refrigerator in order.

During the sometimes hustle and bustle of the holidays, You often don’t think about keeping the whole house in order. At least it’s not time to do a quick clean before the grandparents arrive. However, don’t let your refrigerator fall into chaos. Especially if you’re thawing a turkey. (which it should be) always Store it in the refrigerator) or store anything else that you cannot safely eat raw.

In addition to keeping the refrigerator clean, Store all meat and eggs in a separate area of ​​the refrigerator. They cannot drip or touch other objects and should be stored in a sealed container or bag. (And while you’re there Make sure your refrigerator is set to a safe temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder.)

Roast Turkey in the Oven with a Meat Thermometer
James Bo Insagna/Shutterstock

2. Use your thermometer.

You probably have a cooking thermometer — use it.

Casual holiday party  On the table with full plates
Erin Donaldson/Shutterstock

3. Don’t leave food outside.

You’ve finished cooking an amazing, healthy holiday meal. Distribute buffet style food for the whole family. And everyone agreed that everything was perfect… What can go wrong? If you leave the food out long enough to give everyone a second or third, You could endanger your entire crew. All leftovers should be put away within two hours of cooking. within one hour if the temperature in your kitchen is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit

Picture of two glasses filled with homemade eggs with nutmeg.

4. Think again about raw eggs.

Some holiday foods, like Eggnog and French Silk or other pies, call for raw eggs. It is important to realize that this poses a (small, but present) risk. For this reason, some members of your household or family may need to avoid these foods (for example, young children or the elderly). Additionally, all Times you cook with raw eggs Use pasteurized eggs that have been heated and are less likely to make you sick.

No raw eggs, no problem? Not so fast. Raw flour can cause foodborne illness. Therefore, even flour without eggs may not always be safe to taste.

Have questions or need additional advice? Check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s food safety page.

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