How Safe is your Kitchen?

It's Monday, the beginning of yet another busy week for yours truly. Can you believe it, we leave this coming Saturday (the 18th) for Boston. I was just there in July...but then again I didn't visit with any family either.

My daughter and I watched a show on HGTV called "Kitchen Crimes". We were both seriously grossed out! One million germs (and counting) on the kitchen counters...eeeew! Makes me wonder what their bathrooms were like. Seeing the dog stealing food from off of the kitchen counter about put me over the edge. It also made me think about our cat. What IS she doing while we're sleeping?

I have my spray bottle (it contains water and bleach) in hand and wipe down my kitchen counter tops every morning, heaven knows my cat was probably walking all over it while we were sleeping. What I use is not an expensive cleaner and it doesn't take very much bleach, about 2 or so good drops per cup. Spray it on and let it stand on the counter tops for 2 minutes then wipe it down. There you have it, germs that can make you and your family very ill are gone! Food poisoning is fast becoming more common that you think. I've suffered food poisoning a few times since being married. Most of it was at the hands of a beloved family member (no not my husband) and once from a fast food restaurant. It all has to do with how clean your food preparation area is, properly storing said food and the #1 thing...you and anyone else that helps you in the kitchen has washed their hands with soap and warm water.

Food storage is another thing you really need to pay close attention to. Don't let meat defrost on the counter tops, that's just inviting trouble. Put it on a plate on a lower shelf in your refrigerator. Why a lower shelf? In case some of the blood/meat juice drips off of the plate you don't want it to contaminate other food items in the refrigerator. After your meal, promptly store all leftovers in containers and either freeze or refrigerate them. If possible label with the date and what is inside of the container. Keep leftovers in your refrigerator for no more than 3 days. I like to freeze my leftovers. I use those handy plastic boxes from Glad, I label them (I prefer not to have a surprise as to what I'm defrosting for dinner) and there you have it!

Pay close attention to how cold your refrigerator temperature is, is it cold enough? What about those expiration dates on things such as eggs? They are there for a reason, salmonella can set in, so dispose of them if they are past the date. You wouldn't think of pouring yourself or your children a glass of milk from a carton of expired milk, so why would you you use expired eggs?

The Holidays are upon us now, and it's time to think about food safety. No one wants food poisoning for Thanksgiving...most of all me!