September is Food Safety Awareness Month
by Phillips Clinic on 08/31/25
FOOD SAFETY IN YOUR KITCHEN
When you prepare meals and snacks for yourself, your family, and your friends, it is important to follow simple food safety tips to help prevent foodborne illness, also known as “food poisoning.”
Whether you are a home cook, a professional chef, or a recipe writer, there are some easy steps you can take to help keep your food safe all the way from the grocery store to the kitchen table.
Food safety starts in your shopping cart! Keep produce separate from meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs in your shopping cart and in your grocery bags.
STEP 1: CLEAN
Lather up: Before eating, wash your hands with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds. Count to 20 slowly or sing the “Happy Birthday” song to yourself twice.
Eat clean: Rinse fruits and veggies under running water. Slicing or dicing? Scrub ‘em anyway–germs can jump from rinds to the insides during cutting and peeling.
Rules for tools: Wash cutting boards, knives, and other cooking utensils in hot, soapy water or the dishwasher after each use.
Create a safe cooking space
Wash countertops, cooking surfaces, and insides of the refrigerator, freezer, and microwave frequently with hot, soapy water.
Clean it before you crack it open
Wash food packaging, especially lids of cans and jars, before opening.
STEP 2: SEPARATE
No touching
Raw meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and flour should never come into contact with produce or any food that is ready-to-eat—keep them separate while shopping, storing, and cooking.
Put a lid on it
Place raw meats in sealed containers or plastic wrap on lower shelves of the fridge or freezer.
STEP 3: COOK
Heat it before you eat it
Use a food thermometer to check that your food has reached a safe temperature.
145 °F for seafood
145 °F with a 3-minute rest time for beef, pork, and ham
160 °F for ground meat, meat mixtures, and egg dishes
165 °F for poultry, microwaved foods, and reheated leftovers
STEP 4: CHILL
Keep your cool
Chill groceries, leftovers, and food delivery items within 2 hours, or 1 hour if exposed to
temperatures above 90 °F. Use an appliance thermometer to set fridge to 40 °F or below and freezer at 0 °F or below.
Check the App
USDA FoodKeeper can tell you how long foods and drinks are safe to keep in the refrigerator or freezer.
