Keeping It Safe In The Kitchen
By:Dandre Reed
Keeping Hands Clean
Illness-causing bacteria can survive and spread around your kitchen, so it is important to wash the right way to prevent these bacteria from spreading to your food. Wash hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water.
Getting Your Area Clean
Make sure your kitchen is clean and ready to start. Wipe down your counters with cleaning supplies and then dry them off. Clean all dishes you will use.
Using Cutting Boards
Use different colored boards for meat and veggies. Make sure the cutting boards are clean before and after use. Colored and separate boards prevent cross contamination.
Cooking Meat
Cooking meat is a big task because if the meat isn't cooked properly you can get severely sick. Make sure meat is cooked to the proper temp. After, make sure the meat is still over 140 degrees before serving it.
Washing Veggies
Make sure to wash every veggie you cut, even if you aren't going to eat the peel because germs will get on the knife. Wash soft fruits gently so you don't bruise it.
Knife safety
Cut on a cutting board, not in your hand or on your lap or anywhere else. If the cutting board slides, put a wet dish towel under it to stabilize it.Cut away from, not toward, your body. When cutting food, first create a flat surface. That means carefully cutting an orange or an onion in half, then placing the flat side down on the cutting board before proceeding. Learn “the claw,” a way of curling back the fingers of the hand that is holding the food as you cut it with the other.
Avoiding Burns
Use mitts when opening pots of boiling or steaming water, and open the lid away from you to let steam escape safely.Turn the handles of pots and pans toward the center of the stove so you can’t accidentally touch them.
Secret Dirty Locations
Keep your kitchen sink clean because it is the dirtiest location in your area. wash it out with water after cooking and also keep the disposal (if there is one) clean.
Always Clean Dishes
Never ever use dirty dishes in the kitchen. By cleaning dishes first you are preventing getting sick. Use hot water with a sponge and dish soap to make sure all bacteria is removed before cooking. Then when you are finished using them, clean them again and let them dry.
Some Tips!
Don’t leave the kitchen with pots & pans cooking on the stove. Make sure to turn off burners as soon as you take the pot off.
- Avoid wearing inappropriate clothing while cooking. That means loose sleeves and sweaters.
- Keep dish towels, pot holders and oven mitts away from the stove.