With the holidays — and peak baking season — in full swing, many of us are spending more time in the kitchen. This makes it the perfect time to review key safety practices so you, your family, and your guests can enjoy a healthy and safe cooking experience!
Start With the Basics: What You Wear Matters
Before you start cooking, take a quick look at your clothing and accessories to make sure you’re set up for safety.
- Wear close-toed shoes to protect your feet if you drop a knife or glass.
- Remove jewelry like rings, bracelets, and long earrings.
- Keep hair pulled back and out of your face; a scarf or headband works well.
- Avoid loose clothing or long, flowing sleeves that can catch fire or get caught.
- If possible, wear long pants to protect your legs from hot spills or sharp items.
Knife Safety: A Sharp Knife Is a Safe Knife
If you’ve taken a Healthy Kitchen class, you already know how important knife comfort and sharpness are. Most accidents happen with dull knives that slip or require extra force. Sharp knives can also improve your efficiency in the kitchen.
- Have your knives professionally sharpened before holiday cooking begins.
- Keep your eyes on your cutting surface and use the claw grip to protect your fingers.
- If your knife falls — never try to catch it.
- Walk with knives pointed down, and never run with them.
Make sure children understand kitchen safety, and watch for pets that may sneak underfoot while you’re cooking.
Prevent Cross-Contamination
Cross-contamination occurs when bacteria from one food item transfer to another — often through cutting boards, utensils, or hands.
To prevent it:
- Wash your hands, utensils, and cutting boards after handling raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs.
- Consider using separate cutting boards for meat and vegetables. (I have one cutting board that I use just for veggies and one that I use just for meat that is dishwasher safe).
- Clean as you go to keep your workspace organized and reduce risk.
- Invest in a food thermometer to ensure foods reach safe internal temperatures.
- Remember that certain meats (beef, veal, lamb, pork, and ham) need to rest after being removed from a heat source. This rest time is important as the temperature remains constant and can continue to rise a phenomenon called "carryover cooking" which helps destroy any remaining bacteria.
Cooling & Storing Leftovers
Once the meal is over (even if you’re still grazing), leftovers should be chilled within 2 hours.
- Store cut or opened foods in air-tight containers, sealed bags, or tightly wrapped packages.
- Label items with their name and date before refrigerating.
- Set your refrigerator to 40°F or below.
- Reheat hot foods to steaming hot or 165°F
- Cold foods should always be eaten cold.
- Avoid eating food that has become lukewarm.
Final Thoughts
With these tips, you’ll be well-prepared to create and enjoy a tasty meals that will make your holiday special and keep you safe!
Need recipe ideas? Visit the
Healthy Kitchen On Demand website for recipes that include detailed knife skill instructions for a safe experience and a delicious final product.
Wishing you a happy, healthy holiday season from Healthy Kitchen by Advantage HCS!