Food Safety Tip #1 - Cooking Food Adequately

I never realized how much I would hear about food safety going into nutrition. But since starting the upper nutrition classes (about two years ago) I've heard about it in more classes than I can count (ok, not really, but I've learned it in over 5 classes!). Food safety is super important and is not to be taken lightly.

The populations most at risk are the elderly, infants, young children, pregnant women, people with cancer, and people with HIV/AIDS. But this doesn't mean a normal, healthy person can't get sick. So I'm here to help break down what is important and how to make your eating a safe experience!

Cooking food to its proper temperature, especially meat, is going to be one of your best protections against food borne illnesses. The easiest way to do this is to purchase a meat thermometer. It's a simple, cheap way to assure that you are cooking your meats properly. You can purchase one at almost any grocery store, and they are usually under $10. You don't need anything fancy. Place the thermometer in the thickest part of the meat and read the temperature. Below is a chart you can easily print out and place on your fridge for quick reference.

*To print just right click and open in new window. From there you can print. Enjoy!!

**table retrieved from http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/mintemp.html