Keep Out Cooties! Food Safety Tips for Moms to Remember–Moms, did you know one in six Americans will get sick from food poisoning? Follow these food safety tips to keep your littles from a trip to the ER! Learn all about healthy food prep actions that you can take right here at Newsymom!

This is Public Health is brought to you in partnership with the Tuscarawas County Health Department.

This year, 100,000 Americans will get sent to the ER for foodborne-related illnesses. (Ohio Department of Health, Food Safety At Home) Food poisoning has long-term consequences on your health, so prevention is key to living a long, healthy life!

Let’s take you through the motions from start to finish of prepping a healthy, safe, and delicious meal to nourish your family, without causing high risk of food poisoning!

Shopping for Groceries

Keep these tips in mind while shopping for groceries to help save you time, money, and heartache while at the store.

Things to do BEFORE you hit the grocery store:

• Check the grocery store ads to incorporate foods on sale that will save you money.
• Download your grocery store app to add digital coupons to save you even more.
• Make your grocery list, so you know you have everything you need for meals before you leave the store.
• Plan to continue safety precautions against COVID-19 as you shop for groceries. (See the video below on the best ways to protect you and your family as you shop!)

Things to do WHILE at the grocery store:

• Use an app like Yuka to buy the healthiest items for your family.
• Separate your groceries in your cart and bags! Keep meats and eggs away from all your other groceries…Don’t cross contaminate.
• Also, make sure all meats are in plastic bags so juices don’t leak into your other items.
• Carry sanitizer/wipes with you in case you touch meats that leak on your hand when placing them in plastic bags!

Food Preparation At Home

Keep these food preparation tips at the front of your mind as you store, prepare, and cook meals for you and your family!

Storing Your Groceries

• If meat isn’t getting used for a few days, freeze them instead.
• Keep meats on the lowest shelf of your fridge, to avoid contamination if leaks start to drip!
• Eggs go on the shelves inside the main refrigerator, not the door. (The door is the warmest part of the refrigerator. You increase the risk of bacteria growth in your eggs!)
• Keep fruits and veggies in the crisper to help them last longer.

Cleaning and Prepping Your Meals

• Always wash your hands before, during, and after meal prep. Also, any time you touch soiled items (garbage, using the bathroom, touching your face, etc.)
• Wash your fruits and veggies under running tap water, but not your meat! Washing your meat causes bacteria to spread, splattering all over your sink, counters, and cabinets. (Read more about food-washing safety.)
• Use clean utensils for each aspect of your meal! When it gets dirty, wash with hot, soapy water. (As an extra precaution, use a mixture of 1 tablespoon liquid chlorine bleach to 1 gallon of water to sanitize utensils and surfaces!)
• Clean your cutting boards to avoid cross-contamination cutting fruits, veggies, and meats! Wash after every item or have separate boards for meats, fruits, and veggies.
• Keep clean kitchen rags or paper towels handy for spills. (Make sure you’re frequently washing rags on the hot cycle in your washing machine.)

Cooking Your Meals

Follow this table to cook your food to the appropriate temperature!

Whew! There’s so much that goes into food safety, but it’s so worth it when your littles are happily playing together at home, not hunched over in the ER waiting room.

When it comes to food safety, the Tuscarawas County Health Department should be first on your speed dial! Learn more by visiting their Food Safety Program page or call them at (330) 343-5550 if you suspect unsafe food practices in Tuscarawas County.

Melissa Klatt

Reporting