Food Safety Suggestions

It is vitally important to keep foods safe to eat. Here are some helpful tips:

A. INVEST IN A FREEZER AND REFRIGERATOR THERMOMETER TO STORE FOOD SAFELY.

1.    Your refrigerator temperature should be at 40°F (4.44°C) or below.
2.    Keep your freezer temperature below 0°F (17.8°C).
3.    Keep your refrigerator and freezer no more than 75% full to run efficiently. This leaves room for air to circulate.

B. COOK FOODS TO THEIR PROPER INTERNAL TEMPERATURE:

     145°F (62.8°C) - Beef, lamb & veal steaks & roasts, medium rare (medium - 160 °F or 71.1°C).
     145°F (62.8°C) - Fish
     160°F (71.1°C) - Ground beef, pork, veal & lamb. Pork chops, ribs & roasts. Egg dishes.
     165°F (73.9°C) - Ground turkey & chicken. Stuffing & casseroles. Leftovers.
     170°F (76.7°C) - Chicken & turkey breasts.
     180°F (82.2°C) - Chicken & turkey, whole bird, legs, thighs & wings.

C. KEEP COLD FOODS COLD AND HOT FOODS HOT!

     The food temperature danger zone is between 41°F and 141°F (5°C and 51°C) Bacteria grow rapidly between these temperatures
     Discard any food left out at room temperature for more than two hours. Discard after one hour if the temperature was above 90°F (32.2°C).
     Place leftovers into shallow containers and immediately put them in the refrigerator or freezer for rapid cooling. (It's a common fallacy that food should be cooled at room temperature before refrigerating!)
     Reheat any leftovers to an internal temperature of 165°F (73.9°C).

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS - SOME IMPORTANT TIPS...

Freezing

     Don't freeze 2-3 of your meals when you get home! Keep them in the refrigerator to enjoy this week.
     Eliminate air from bags before freezing, but leave some room for liquids to expand.
     Place the rectangular foil pans on the shelf first, then put zip-top freezer bags on top of them.
     Keep your freezer at 0°F (-17.8°C) or lower. This is the optimal temperature for retaining nutritional content, flavor and texture.
     For best results, store frozen meals for no more than 60 days.

Thawing

     For best results, thaw in the refrigerator for 1-3 days. Microwave defrosting is not advised as it sometimes partially cooks parts of the food.
     Do not thaw food on the counter-top as this promotes bacterial growth and air-borne illnesses.
     Do not go directly from freezer to oven, unless cooking instructions specifically call for this.

Cooking

     Take this opportunity to check the spice level and add a dash of spice or salt if needed.
     Give your recipe a good stir. Gravies and sauces may separate during freezing.
     Follow cooking instructions as provided. Internal temperature of all foods need to reach at least 165°F (73.9°C). See below if you need an extra copy.
     Do not cook or microwave food in the zip top freezer bag!
To view cooking instructions, select an item from menu list, then click on "Nutritional info. and more".