Holidays are coming, and getting a nasty bout of food poisoning is the last thing you want right now. Here are some ways to prevent it when it comes to buying, storing, and cooking food:

• When grocery shopping, choose meat and poultry that's in the back of the refrigerated case, so you know it's cold. Those packages tend to be fresher too. Wrap it in a plastic bag so the juices can't drip out and contaminate other foods. Pick out these foods and other perishable items like dairy products last when shopping.



• Place meat in the fridge if you plan on using it within two to three days. If you're going to be using it later in the week, store it in the freezer.
• When defrosting meat, tightly wrap it and place it in the fridge so the juices can't drip on anything else once it begins to thaw. You can also defrost meat in the microwave. Or if you prefer, defrost meat (in a sealed package) in a bowl of cold water. Just be sure to change the water every 30 minutes.
• Keep things clean. Wash your hands, your utensils, your dishes and everything else thoroughly to get rid of any bacteria before and after preparing food.

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• I'm sure you know this, but have separate cutting boards, one for preparing raw meat, and one for everything else like veggies and bread.
• When cooking or grilling meat, have a separate plate for raw meat, and then use a different plate once it's cooked.
• Cook meats to safe temperatures. You can tell by using a food thermometer. Most bacteria are killed once food has been cooked to temps between 140° F and 180° F.
• If you're not sure if a food has been stored, prepared, or cooked properly, don't take a chance. If it's been left out for two or more hours at room temperature, or an hour or more in hotter weather, get rid of it. If you're not sure how long it's been out, trash it (even if it looks and smells fine).

Fit's Tips: Remember that washing meat like turkey doesn't help to decrease your chance of getting food poisoning. Heat is the only thing that can kill bacteria. Washing it only spreads the bacteria around since the water can easily splash to your counter tops, cutting boards and utensils, which can actually increase your chances of food poisoning.

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