As we roll into summer we also roll out our grills. I am very excited for Father’s day as I am hoping to buy my husband a grill. Before we purchase the right grill for our family I want to make sure that it is a healthy choice for us. So are you cleaning your grill the proper way to ensure your family stays healthy? Say no to food borne illnesses by reading several tips from www.homefoodsafety.org. The Home Food Safety website has tons of useful every day tips for everyone!
I headed over to www.homefoodsafety.org to get all the information to teach me proper ways to keep my family safe from illness. I was learning so much from the site including: “According to the ADA survey, gas grills are America’s Favorite grill of choice, with 60% of the vote. Charcoal grills follow second (38%) and a small percentage prefer smokers (2%)." I am unsure what kind of grill to buy but I am leaning towards charcoal grill. What type do you have and do you enjoy it? "Before you fuel the fire or rake the coals, make sure you grill is clean by scrubbing it with hot, soapy water BEFORE each and EVERY USE!” So as soon as I read that my mind goes back to a memory of last summer when we were at a park and we used the grill that was there and I do not recall us ever using hot soapy water to clean it, in fact I don’t remember us cleaning it off at all! GROSS! So admit it… Are you cleaning your grill properly? EVERY TIME??
Then the next grilling tip I read on www.homefoodsafety.org was how important it is for a meat thermometer to be used. 92% are not consistently using one to make sure that their meat and chicken are thoroughly cooked. I will admit that I don’t not even own a meat thermometer! So I am thinking part of the father’s day gift will be a meat thermometer to go along with the grill.
What is your condiment of choice? I am similar to most Americans with a love for Barbecue sauce. I prefer the Honey Barbecue but the hubby loves anything HOT! www.homefoodsafety.org gave a huge tip that is very important: “always marinate meat in the refrigerator (never on the counter or outside by the grill), and bring leftover sauces to a boil before reusing them on cooked meats to prevent cross-contamination.” Cross-Contamination is a scary thing and so important for all of us to avoid at all measures! WHAT A GREAT TIP! So make sure you also are washing your hands after handling raw meat, using different utensils for raw and cooked meats, and make sure to wash your cutting boards and utensils, but most importantly WASH YOUR HANDS!
One last tip from www.homefoodsafety.org perfect for summer reminders! Keep your eye on the clock and put food back in the refrigerator after one hour. When the summer heat is on food can spoil much quicker.
Click the following for more tips:
Lunchbox safety
Flu
Holiday
Tailgating
On-the-go Dining
Leftovers/takeout
Desktop Dining
High Risk Groups
Kitchen Appliances/Tools
Meat/Seafood
Perishable foods
Also on the website they have some great printable's to help you keep things labeled and a refrigerator/freezer chart to remind you how long things can stay in the refrigerator or the freezer. (AWESOME PRINTABLE which can go right on the fridge) Take time to see how safe your kitchen is by answering a few questions on their site.
Hope these tips will help keep you and yours healthy and safe. ENJOY SUMMER and put some hotdogs on that grill.
For helping spread the word about Home Food Safety, I received a $15 Starbucks gift card! Thanks Home Food Safety!
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