The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is offering game day food safety tips to keep your football watching and Super Bowl parties safe for family and friends. If you are offering a buffet of foods to guests, these rules are even more important.
First, always wash your hands before preparing food. In addition, wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops. Clean fruits and vegetables under running water before cutting into them so bacteria on the peel doesn’t get onto the flesh.
Make sure that all meats, poultry, and egg dishes are cooked to safe final internal temperatures. All chicken products should be cooked to 165°F. Egg dishes and ground meats (except for ground chicken and turkey, which should be cooked to 165°F) should reach 160°F. And always use a food thermometer when preparing these foods to make sure they are safe to eat before you serve them.
Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. The danger zone for rapid bacterial growth is between 40°F and 140°F. Keep hot foods on warming trays or in slow cookers. Keep cold foods on ice. If you prepare foods in advance, divide them into shallow containers to cool and chill as soon as possible.
Those rules apply to takeout foods too. And any perishable foods that are out of refrigeration for two hours should be put in the fridge.
Watch the time: follow recommended cooking and standing times, especially when using the microwave oven, which can leave cold spots in food where bacteria can grow. Keep track of how long food is staying on the buffet.
Avoid cross-contamination, separating raw meats from ready-to-eat foods like veggies and fruit. And offer guests toothpicks or other serving utensils and small plates to avoid “double dipping,” which can transfer bacteria into the food.
Have a great time at your party and follow these game day food safety tips!
