When consuming food, we often forget to think about the risk of acquiring a food-borne illness. But what about being mindful about how you prepare food too? Avoiding the transmission of foodborne illness is an important part of keeping yourself and others healthy.

Most of us know that it’s important to wash our hands frequently when handling food but there are other things that are equally important such as making sure to cook fish, seafood, meat, poultry and eggs to a minimum internal temperature to ensure that harmful bacteria will be killed. Here are some key points to remember. For more detailed information on Food Safety, read our complete guide.

• Check the expiration date of items before you prepare a meal.
• Don’t cook or prepare food if you are sick.
• Use separate cutting boards for raw meat and produce then wash the cutting boards with soap and water and dry before storing.
• Wash fruits and veggies (with cold running water) to remove possible pesticides or bacteria just before cooking or eating.
• Store all food at the appropriate refrigerator/freezer temperature to ensure it continues to be fresh and safe to eat (less than 40° F).
• Use an ice pack to keep your school lunch cool or store in a refrigerator until you are ready to eat it.

– Kiana