Amish Country
Well-known member
I'm not a medical professional or some sort of sanitation or kitchen expert and cannot give advice on those subjects. Here is what I am doing for myself and my family in the hope it with help lessen common food related hazards for us this holiday season.
1) For $3.00US I picked up a oven thermometer to check my oven temperature to verify the temperature I am setting it at is the same as the temp in the oven. *
2) I plan to swap out my meat thermometer for a brand new one. It is probably about 10 years old and probably over due.
3) I picked up a small container of fresh, non-scented liquid chlorine bleach and intend to make a weak bleach solution (as per manufacturer's instructions) this is to be used to sanitize: counter tops, door knobs, dish washer (especially the gaskets), fridge, trash containers, plastic kids toys (which are safe to use bleach on), bath tubs, toilets and sinks.
4) Dishes, cutlery, pots, pans, bowls and cooking are getting a good scrubbing and if safe to do so a run through the dish washer.
5) Use by dates are to be checked for freshness and safety.
6) Counter clutter has been minimized.
7) Spices have been gone through, clearly labeled and out of date ones culled.
8) Clean and sanitize as I work.
9) The fridge needs a good cleaning.
10) I like to take a cooler with ice when food shopping takes me a distance. I found out the hard way once how fast poultry can spoil. Also just because it is cooler outside does not mean it is cooler in the nicely heated vehicle.
11) Meat will be properly defrosted, wrapped and in my fridge. Poultry will be carefully checked to make sure it is fresh, has been properly cleaned and is safe to eat. I found a cricket tucked under the wing of a holiday turkey when I was a child. My mother would have been "mortified!" if one of the aunts had come across it first.
12) Keep a closer eye on the kids in the kitchen. Voice of experience here. The ingredients for my birthday cake were measured out perfectly. Only one slight problem: 2 cups of salt were mistakenly substituted for 2 cups of sugar. Boy was Mom surprised!
13) Keep soap and a dispenser of hand sanitizers on the sink counters.
14) Holler and threaten (Christmas is coming!) as needed to ensure that the muck boots are taken off in the mud room and other outside dirt (manure included) is not tracked through the house.
15) Keep a box of tissues handy for sniffles and sneezes.
16) I just picked up extra soap for the dishwasher both manual and automatic so it will not run out of the holiday.
17) I also bought a few pairs of kitchen gloves to protect my hands from the hot water and bleach. Normally I use baking soda, water and vinegar to clean the kitchen but once in a while I like to give it a good cleaning and wipe down with a sanitizing bleach solution.
18) Hoildays at our home usually includes a lot of cooking and vegtable chopping. It probaly would not hurt to check the medicine cabniet and the first aid kit.
19) The kitchen fire extigisher is ready and close at hand (out of the reach of small childern) if needed.
20) We have had some new arrivals. Our family has been blessed. We have now have two new cousins; one an infant the other is just starting to walk. Guess I will have to look into making the house child (infant/toddler) safe. It probably would not be a bad idea to tack up Poison Control's phone number next to the phone... just in case.
21) Pot and pan handles on the stove and counters will have to be turned in so they cannot be grabbed by curious toddlers.
22) Knives and other sharp objects will have to be kept out of the child's reach.
23) Cleaning fluids and anything that could harm an inquisitive child will have to be put out of reach or locked away.
24) It looks like we may have to get some child safety outlet plugs to help keep little fingers and other inappropriate thing out of outlets.
25) It probably would not hurt to clean the carpets.
*A few years ago we had a turkey, done on the outside but raw on the inside. It had one of those plastic pop out when done buttons in it. The button popped but the bird was not done. I personally do not trust those things because of that experience and have not seen them lately.
1) For $3.00US I picked up a oven thermometer to check my oven temperature to verify the temperature I am setting it at is the same as the temp in the oven. *
2) I plan to swap out my meat thermometer for a brand new one. It is probably about 10 years old and probably over due.
3) I picked up a small container of fresh, non-scented liquid chlorine bleach and intend to make a weak bleach solution (as per manufacturer's instructions) this is to be used to sanitize: counter tops, door knobs, dish washer (especially the gaskets), fridge, trash containers, plastic kids toys (which are safe to use bleach on), bath tubs, toilets and sinks.
4) Dishes, cutlery, pots, pans, bowls and cooking are getting a good scrubbing and if safe to do so a run through the dish washer.
5) Use by dates are to be checked for freshness and safety.
6) Counter clutter has been minimized.
7) Spices have been gone through, clearly labeled and out of date ones culled.
8) Clean and sanitize as I work.
9) The fridge needs a good cleaning.
10) I like to take a cooler with ice when food shopping takes me a distance. I found out the hard way once how fast poultry can spoil. Also just because it is cooler outside does not mean it is cooler in the nicely heated vehicle.
11) Meat will be properly defrosted, wrapped and in my fridge. Poultry will be carefully checked to make sure it is fresh, has been properly cleaned and is safe to eat. I found a cricket tucked under the wing of a holiday turkey when I was a child. My mother would have been "mortified!" if one of the aunts had come across it first.
12) Keep a closer eye on the kids in the kitchen. Voice of experience here. The ingredients for my birthday cake were measured out perfectly. Only one slight problem: 2 cups of salt were mistakenly substituted for 2 cups of sugar. Boy was Mom surprised!
13) Keep soap and a dispenser of hand sanitizers on the sink counters.
14) Holler and threaten (Christmas is coming!) as needed to ensure that the muck boots are taken off in the mud room and other outside dirt (manure included) is not tracked through the house.
15) Keep a box of tissues handy for sniffles and sneezes.
16) I just picked up extra soap for the dishwasher both manual and automatic so it will not run out of the holiday.
17) I also bought a few pairs of kitchen gloves to protect my hands from the hot water and bleach. Normally I use baking soda, water and vinegar to clean the kitchen but once in a while I like to give it a good cleaning and wipe down with a sanitizing bleach solution.
18) Hoildays at our home usually includes a lot of cooking and vegtable chopping. It probaly would not hurt to check the medicine cabniet and the first aid kit.
19) The kitchen fire extigisher is ready and close at hand (out of the reach of small childern) if needed.
20) We have had some new arrivals. Our family has been blessed. We have now have two new cousins; one an infant the other is just starting to walk. Guess I will have to look into making the house child (infant/toddler) safe. It probably would not be a bad idea to tack up Poison Control's phone number next to the phone... just in case.
21) Pot and pan handles on the stove and counters will have to be turned in so they cannot be grabbed by curious toddlers.
22) Knives and other sharp objects will have to be kept out of the child's reach.
23) Cleaning fluids and anything that could harm an inquisitive child will have to be put out of reach or locked away.
24) It looks like we may have to get some child safety outlet plugs to help keep little fingers and other inappropriate thing out of outlets.
25) It probably would not hurt to clean the carpets.
*A few years ago we had a turkey, done on the outside but raw on the inside. It had one of those plastic pop out when done buttons in it. The button popped but the bird was not done. I personally do not trust those things because of that experience and have not seen them lately.