Denver (Nov. 18, 2024): This holiday season, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has a recipe for success: “Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill.” These four simple food safety tips are your secret ingredients for keeping the holidays merry, bright—and free of foodborne illness.

“Food safety doesn’t have to be complicated,” said Troy Huffman, CDPHE’s retail food program manager. “By following a few easy guidelines, Coloradans can enjoy safe and delicious meals. And here’s a pro tip: If you’re not feeling great, skip the chef hat. Cooking while sick is a recipe for spreading illness.”

Want to serve up a perfectly thawed turkey? Start early! A good rule of thumb is to allow 24 hours in the refrigerator for every 4-5 pounds of frozen turkey. Once thawed, your bird can hang out in the fridge for a few days before hitting the oven.

For more turkey tips and holiday food safety know-how, visit the CDC’s page on preparing your holiday turkey safely. Let’s make this holiday season all about joy, laughter, and deliciously safe meals!

Follow these four basic food safety tips during holidays and every day.

Clean

Wash your hands with soap and water periodically while preparing food, especially after handling raw meat, seafood, fish, or poultry. Also, clean food preparation surfaces frequently, especially after using them to prepare raw foods.

Separate

Cross-contamination can occur when bacteria from raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs spread through the kitchen and get onto ready-to-eat foods and surfaces. To minimize the risk:

• Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from other foods when shopping and in the fridge.
• Use separate cutting boards for meat and seafood and a different one for foods you don’t plan to cook. 
• Thoroughly clean and sanitize countertops, cutting boards, knives, and other utensils during and after food preparation.

Cook

Get a cooking thermometer, and use it properly.

• Place the thermometer in the thickest part of the food, and don’t let it touch bone, fat, or gristle.
• Cook turkey and stuffing separately. Cook turkey and other poultry to an internal temperature of 165 Fahrenheit or above.
• Cook ham to an internal temperature of 145 Fahrenheit or above.
• Cook recipes with eggs to 155 Fahrenheit or above.
• Find a detailed list of temperatures and foods to learn more.

Chill

Refrigerate all leftovers at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below within two hours after cooking. Do not leave foods containing meat, dairy, eggs, fish, or poultry at room temperature. This includes casseroles and pumpkin or other custard pies that are popular during the holidays.

For more information and resources, visit the CDC Food Safety website.

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