danger zone

Food Safety for the Holiday Season

Thanksgiving table with roasted turkey, sliced ham and side dishes

With many different holidays approaching, it is important that we do our best to keep our family and friends safe. Having large holiday dinners is fun, exciting, and a great way to spend time with our family and friends, but a case of food poisoning can ruin any celebration. To keep your family and friends safe, follow these tips from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help prevent food borne illness during the holidays:

  • Keep foods separated
  • Cook food thoroughly
  • Keep food out of the “danger zone”
  • Use pasteurized eggs for dishes containing raw eggs
  • Do no eat raw bough or batter
  • Thaw your turkey safely
  • Wash your hands

At your family gatherings, there are some individuals who are at high-risk for food poisoning or foodborne illness. The group of individuals who are more likely to get sick and have a more serious illness because they have an inability to fight germs are:

  • Adults aged 65 and older
  • Children younger than age 5
  • People with weakened immune systems
  • People who are pregnant

People who are listed in the above group should avoid eating undercooked or raw beef, chicken, pork, turkey, eggs, and seafood, raw or lightly cooked sprouts, and raw milk and cheeses.

When serving foods at your holiday parties or get togethers, follow the two-hour rule. When you have food sitting out, the rule is for any perishable food items (meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, cut fruit, some vegetables, and cooked leftovers) to be thrown away if they have been left out for two hours or more.

Proper storage of leftovers is an important factor in food safety. The CDC lists the proper way to store and reheat leftovers.

Storage and Reheating Leftovers:

  • Divide leftovers into smaller portions or pieces for faster cooling, place in shallow containers, and refrigerate or freeze.
  • Leftover foods should be refrigerated at 40°F or below as soon as possible and within 2 hours of preparation. It’s OK to put hot foods directly into the refrigerator in small portions.
  • Leftovers should be reheated to at least 165°F before serving. This includes leftovers warmed up in the microwave.
  • Learn how long food can be stored safely in the refrigerator and freezer.

Do your part in keeping your family and friends healthy this holiday season by following these simple tips for food safety!

Resources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, November 30). Food Safety for the Holidays. Centers   for Disease Control and Prevention.                 https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/communication/holidays.html

U.S.D.A. Food Safety and Inspection Service. Danger Zone” (40 °F – 140 °F).            https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-               basics/danger-zone-40f-140f

U.S.D.A. Food Safety and Inspection Service. Let’s Talk Turkey-A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a         Turkey |Food Safety and Inspection Service. (n.d.). https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-              food-handling-and-preparation/poultry/lets-talk-turkey-roasting

Author: Megan Taylor, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences/4-H Youth Development, Union County

Reviewer: Jennifer Little, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Hancock County