Issue 129: Thanksgiving Food Safety and Storage: A Comprehensive Guide to a Healthy Holiday, Part 1.11/21/2024 If you are anything like me, you’re revving up for the holiday kickoff next Thursday - Thanksgiving! Many of us are planning not just the Big Feast, but several meals to feed our families as they come to stay with us. Or perhaps you’re supporting the main chef by providing a dish. Regardless, we’re all eager to nourish our people with food and presence. With all the cooking and parties over the next month or so, it’s a great time to bone up on food safety. Nothing ruins a party like food poisoning! You’ll want to tag or download this to support you throughout your holidays. Today we talk about food prep safety, and Thanksgiving Day you’ll have a quick primer on important cooking temps, leaving food out during the celebration, and leftovers. These are updated versions of one of my most popular newsletters, and critical information. Please share Inner Workings or the downloadable guide with others who need to know! And, as always, I invite your questions! By the way, ServSafe training taught me the “Big Five” that are easily transmitted by food: Norovirus (what we think of as “food poisoning”), Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli, and Hepatitis A virus. Good to know that you can avoid them by following this guide! In Wellness, Mary Virginia First Things First First, and I’m calling it out because I know how the holidays get: If you are sick yourself with a cold, the flu, COVID, fever, the sniffles, sore throat, cough, digestive issues, etc. — you should not be cooking for anyone else. If the meal is not made to your standard or someone is disappointed because you didn’t make a particular dish, everyone will survive emotionally. I promise. Sneezes and Coughs They happen even to people who aren’t sick sometimes. Walk away/point away from the prep area and absolutely cover your mouth and nose. Wash your hands thoroughly afterward! Wash Your Hands When Handling Food (and lots of other times!)You think people know about proper hand washing, but even when they know they often don’t do it. Make your sous chefs wash, too. Soap, very warm water, and 10-15 seconds of friction by rubbing hands together:
Food Storage: Before Cooking Assuring your food is safe to consume is just as foundational as the food itself. Know how to ID unsafe cans and food, how to store food in the fridge, and how to thaw your turkey and other animal protein. Did You Know Most Food-Borne Botulism is Caused by Canned Food? Botulism is a rare, but extremely serious illness caused by any one of three bacteria, most commonly Clostridium botulinum. The toxin it produces can grow in food, wounds, and the intestines of infants. It attacks the nerves and causes difficulty breathing, muscle paralysis, and even death without quick medical treatment. Unfortunately, improperly made or stored home-canned foods are the most common source. The bacterium’s spores can grow in these environments: low or no oxygen (anaerobic); low acid; low sugar; low salt; a certain temperature range; a certain amount of water. Note: Botulism doesn’t need oxygen to thrive, and heat kills it. Tune in next week, and keep the Inner Workings downloadable guide for cooking temperatures to keep your food safe. Throw Out:
Store raw meats and seafood below cooked foods and fruits, vegetables, breads, etc. to prevent any juices dripping on them from above. Options for Thawing Frozen Foods Safely
Preparing the Meal Now all the food is out and the cooking begins! Make sure you don’t accidentally introduce nasty little micro-visitors into your dishes. Wash Vegetables and Fruit Veg and fruit that have firm exteriors or rinds should be washed with soap, water, and friction and well rinsed. Why, you ask? Because this will keep you from transferring pathogens from the exterior to the interior, e.g. when cutting citrus fruits or winter squash or peeling potatoes. Be sure to rinse all other fruit and vegetables thoroughly with running water. Don’t Taste Your Food with the Same Implement You Use to Cook Use a clean spoon or fork to taste a dish every single time to prevent pathogens from your saliva getting into the homemade cranberry sauce or the mac’n’cheese. Don’t count on the food being hot enough to kill them! Keep Separate Cutting Boards and Containers for Raw and Cooked Foods Raw meat/animal products and cooked foods must have their own separate cutting board, separate containers/pans/bowls, and separate part of the counter to avoid cross contamination. Never, ever chop or store other foods (vegetables, fruits, breads, etc. etc.) on a cutting board or in a container that has had raw meat, seafood, or poultry on it. Dedicate their own chopping boards and containers to these (I’ll cut you some slack if the items being chopped will be cooking with the meat or poultry). Don’t Keep Cleaning Supplies by the Food
Tip of the Week A short walk after eating will help you balance your blood sugar, even if it’s just a ten minute stroll up and down the street. This can support you to prevent or manage illnesses related to blood sugar dysregulation, such as Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, and dementia.
Walk with a friend, your family, or the dog! Listen to a podcast or music! Look up at the trees and the sky and experience the wonder and joy of those blessings you started to notice at the beginning of this newsletter.
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AuthorI am Mary Virginia Coffman (I go by “Mary Virginia”), a clinical nutritionist who focuses on mental health, digestive health, metabolic health, and nervous system regulation. My unique combination of clinical interventions, education, and coaching will help you feel well in body, mind, and spirit. Categories |