News From Pueblo
Whether it’s your first time cooking Thanksgiving dinner for the in-laws or the umpteenth time you’ve overseen a casual feast for 25, the last thing you want to send your guests home with is a food borne illness. Brush up on ways to keep your kitchen clean and your food bacteria-free with the free Feast on Food Safety package from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service and the Federal Citizen Information Center.
The day before you have 15 hungry guests is no time to worry about safe food handling. Start adding just a few easy steps to your daily routine now, before you’re running around madly trying to get everything ready. That way, when your guests show up, washing your hands and countertops frequently and cooking foods to the right temperatures to kill bacteria will be second nature. There are handy pull-off reference cards in the Feast on Food Safety package that outline the basics of keeping food safe.
Prevent cross-contamination by using different cutting boards for raw meat, poultry, and seafood and another for veggies. Use a food thermometer, instead of checking to see if something “looks” done, to make sure food is hot enough. Post the chart of safe minimum temperatures that’s included in the package so you don’t forget what they are. And if you don’t already have multiple cutting boards or a food thermometer in your kitchen, you’ve got the start of a great holiday gift list!
If turkey’s on the menu, the Feast on Food Safety package has all the help you need to cook the perfect bird. How long should you thaw a frozen 12-pound turkey? What’s the safest way to stuff a turkey? And how long do you need to let those delicious roasting turkey smells waft through the air before you can pull it out of the oven? All the answers are in this free package.
With the Feast on Food Safety package and a little practice, you’ll be able to keep your focus on enjoying meals with family and friends, instead of worrying what bacteria might be lurking in your kitchen or their food. There are three easy ways to order this package:
* Send your name and address to Feast on Food Safety, Pueblo, Colorado 81009.
* Visit www.pueblo.gsa.gov/rc/n69feastonfoodsafety.htm to place your order online or to read or print these and hundreds of other Federal publications for free.
* Call toll-free 1 (888) 8 PUEBLO. That’s 1 (888) 878-3256, weekdays 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time and ask for the Feast on Food Safety package.
* Get even more information and take advantage of online government services resources at www.USA.gov and www.GobiernoUSA.gov – your official English and Spanish web portals to the Federal government.
Posted on October 26, 2007