Being informed about the nutrients in your foods will help you to provide a healthy diet for your family, but it is also important to prepare and store food safely to minimize the risk of illness.
Washing hands
Washing your hands is the crucial first step in keeping food safe. Doing this properly, for 20 seconds, removes almost half of all causes of illnesses from food. Teaching your children to sing the song “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” as they wash their hands can show them the length of time it should take for them to wash their hands.
Always wash hands:
- Before preparing food
- After touching raw meat, poultry, fish or seafood
- After using the washroom
- After handling pets
- After sneezing or coughing
Preparing your cooking space
Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils and counter tops with hot soapy water before, during and after each use.
Use separate utensils and equipment (e.g., cutting boards) for raw foods.
Keep hot items away from the reach of children, including the cords of appliances, as children may pull these items down, causing a scald or a burn. Learn more about burn prevention in the home by reading Burns: Household safety and prevention.
Chilling food
Keep food chilled at 4 °C (40 °F) or lower. Cold temperatures prevent most harmful bacteria from growing and reduce the risk of food poisoning.
There are two key tips for keeping your food chilled:
- Follow the two-hour rule
- Store meats at the right temperature for the right amount of time
Two-hour rule
Under the "two-hour rule", you should refrigerate or freeze all perishables (fresh food that can go bad) within two hours of buying or preparing them. If the weather is hot (warmer than 32 °C), chill or freeze the food within one hour. When you go grocery shopping, buy cold and frozen food last.
Storing meat
It is essential to chill meats promptly. It is also important to store raw meat, poultry, fish and seafood separately from other foods.
The table below shows how long you can safely store different types of meat.
Note: Count the days listed in this table from the date the meat was 'packaged on' (as shown on the label) or the date it was bought if it is from a butcher.
| Food | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Raw | ||
| Ground meats | 1-2 days | 2-3 months |
| Seafood | Lean fish: 3-4 days Fatty fish: 3-4 days Shellfish: 12-24 hours |
6 months 2 months 2-4 months |
| Chicken or turkey (whole or pieces) | 2-3 days | Whole: 12 months Pieces: 6 months |
| Beef | Chops, steaks: 2-3 days Roasts: 3-4 days |
10-12 months |
| Lamb, pork or veal | Chops, steaks: 2-3 days Roasts: 3-4 days |
8-12 months |
| Bacon | 7 days | 1 month |
| Cooked | ||
| Deli meat | Baked: 3-5 days Cured or smoked: 6-7 days |
1-2 months |
| Beef, veal, lamb or pork | 3-4 days | 2-3 months |
| Fish or poultry | 3-4 days | 4-6 months |
| Casseroles, meat pies, meat sauce | 2-3 days | 3 months |
Cooking hazardous foods
Some foods have a minimum internal cooking temperature that is required to kill the germs that can cause food poisoning.
Use a clean food thermometer to determine whether the food is at a safe temperature. Insert the thermometer through the thickest part of the food, to the middle. It should not be touching bones.
The table below includes safe minimum cooking temperatures.
| Food | Minimum internal cooking temperature |
|---|---|
| Whole poultry | 82°C (180°F) |
| Ground poultry, poultry products, poultry pieces | 74°C (165°F) |
| Food mixtures containing poultry, eggs, meat, fish or other hazardous food | 74°C (165°F) |
| Pork, pork product, ground meat other than ground poultry | 71°C (160°F) |
| Fish | 70°C (158°F) |
| Shellfish | 74°C (165°F) |
You can find more tips from the article Food poisoning: Protecting your family.
Choking prevention
Most instances of choking are due to small, round or cylindrical foods such as grapes, hard candies, nuts, and hot dogs. Children under three years of age are at the highest risk of choking, as they are still learning to chew and swallow.
To prevent choking:
- Cut potentially hazardous foods into smaller pieces before giving them to a child.
- Always supervise children while they are eating, and ensure they chew before swallowing.
- Discourage your child from running or walking while eating.
To learn more about choking prevention, see Preventing choking in toddlers and preschoolers.