With the holiday season upon us you’re probably anticipating an upcoming family meal you’re hosting or helping to prepare food for. Nothing ruins a holiday like a trip to the emergency room for food poisoning. Check out our tips for ensuring your holiday ham is safe to consume this Christmas.

• When shopping for groceries, always make sure raw meat, seafood or poultry is kept separate from other food items in the cart and buy your cold foods last.
• Always begin food preparation by thoroughly washing your hands with warm, soapy water. You should wash your hands several times throughout the food preparation process, particularly after handling raw meat, eggs or unwashed veggies. Then, wash them again when your tasks are completed.
• Use separate cutting boards for raw meat and other foods like bread and veggies.
• Wash cutting boards and any items used for raw meat immediately with hot, soapy water or in the dishwasher.
• Prepare uncooked recipes before recipes containing raw meat and store them safely out of the way to prevent cross-contamination.
• No matter how tempting it may be, never, ever eat raw dough or batter containing eggs unless you’re a big fan of E.Coli and Salmonella.
• Always use a meat thermometer to check the temp before pulling food out of the oven.
• Keep hot food hot and cold food cold with the use of chafing dishes, crock pots or ice. Hot foods should always be kept above 140℉ and cold items should remain under 40℉.
• Discard perishable food items that have been sitting out for more than two hours.
• If you’re pregnant, stay away from the eggnog and New Year’s Eve champagne. Any amount or type of alcohol can adversely affect your baby’s growth and development.