by Lori Wuellner
Ever have a stomach ache after eating a hefty holiday feast? You may think that you just ate too much, but it could be a case of food-borne illness.
Here are ways to handle perishable foods safely and enjoy a healthy holiday.
Planning ahead for food safety
• Prepare perishable foods (those containing meats, eggs, dairy products, and fruit or vegetable mixtures) no more than 1 day before a meal, unless the food will be frozen. For example, assemble a casserole 1 day in advance, put it in the refrigerator, then bake it on the day of the meal, allowing an extra 15 to 20 minutes of cooking time.
• Similarly, cut up fruits and vegetables for a salad or relish tray 1 day before the meal, then put them in covered containers on refrigerator shelves that are above any raw meat.
• Purchase fresh turkey products no more than 2 days before the meal. For longer storage, freeze it. Allow 24 hours of refrigerated thawing time for each 5 pounds of food weight. You can leave a thawed turkey in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Do not rinse off the turkey, since that only splashes germs around. Cook a turkey until a food thermometer shows that the thickest part has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Protecting potluck foods
• Travel no longer than 30 minutes with perishable foods. Keep hot foods hot by carrying them in insulated containers, or wrap the dish in foil and heavy towels. Place cold foods in a cooler with ice or freezer packs.
• On arrival, place cold foods in the refrigerator and hot foods in a heated oven to keep them hot.
• If traveling for longer distances, take non-perishable foods instead, such as uncut fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, crackers, breads or unopened beverages.
Serving strategies
• Do not leave perishable foods at room temperature for longer than 2 hours, including preparation, travel and serving time.
• Avoid adding fresh servings to perishable foods that have been sitting out. Instead, replace empty dishes with fresh foods in clean dishes.
• Serve small bowls or trays of foods with about the number of servings that will be eaten in 30 minutes or less.
Keeping leftovers safe
• Discard perishable foods left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
• Refrigerate or freeze hot foods in shallow containers at a depth of 2 inches or less until cool.
• Eat all perishable leftovers within 4 days, or for longer storage, freeze them.
• Thaw perishable frozen foods in the refrigerator or heat them in a microwave oven, but do not thaw them at room temperature. If you thaw food in a microwave oven, continue to heat it until it is fully cooked. Reheat hot foods to 165 degrees F. or higher.
(Source: Dining on a Dime, December/January 2014)
Lori Wuellner is a Wyandotte County Extension agent, Family and Consumer Sciences, K-State Research and Extension, 1216 N. 79th St., Kansas City, Kan. Telephone 913-299-9300, email [email protected].
If you’ve grown tired of leftovers and need to “amp” up on veggies after the holidays give the following recipe a try:
Vegetarian Chili with Spinach
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons oil
1 15-oz. can chili-style beans
1 15-oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained (or any other type of bean)
1 14 ½ oz. can of unsalted stewed tomatoes
4 oz. frozen spinach (or more)
3 cups brown rice, cooked
Saute chopped garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients except rice and bring to a boil. Simmer until heated through, about 10 to 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve over brown rice.
Serves 6: Nutrition Information per serving…268 calories; 3.1g total fat; 0.7g saturated fat; 11g protein; 49g carbohydrates; 0mg cholesterol; 11g dietary fiber; 396mg sodium
(Source: Fruits & Veggies More Matters, www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org)
Skillet Pizza
1 (6-7 inch) flour tortilla
1 tablespoon prepared spaghetti sauce
2 tablespoons chopped vegetables (broccoli, onion, peppers, and mushrooms)
3 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions:
1. Pre-heat electric skillet to 350 degrees F.
2. Wash fresh veggies and chop.
3. Spread spaghetti sauce over tortilla.
4. Sprinkle veggies and cheese over spaghetti sauce-topped tortilla.
5. Place tortilla in skillet.
6. Cover and heat for 2 minutes or until cheese melts.
7. Remove pizza from skillet and cut into 4 wedges.
Makes 1 serving: Nutrition information per serving…241 calories; 8g total fat; 3.5g saturated fat; 16mg cholesterol; 453mg sodium; 31g total carbohydrates. (Source: Cooking Core, K-State Research & Extension; University of Missouri Extension