Safety Food Storage Tips: Best Ways To Keep Holiday Meals Leftovers That Your Kids Can Help You With

For some, the biggest benefit of Holidays are the leftovers because the cooks of the family know that the leftover from Wednesday's dinner will give them break from the kitchen on Thursday until Friday. However, before you dig in to the refrigerated dishes and salads, consider some food safety advice from us that your little one can help you with.

Keep out everything of the danger zone.

Cooked foods need to be put in the refrigerator within two hours of exposure to room temperature to lessen the amount of time they're held within the danger zone - the range of temperatures at which bacteria grow easily.

Ask your kid to constantly remind you about the time and that you need to refrigerate the food. This way, he or she will not only be helping you keep out the food from the danger zone but he or she will also apply what your kid learned in school like reading the exact time.

Cool and store food neatly and safely.

Your food needs to cool down below 40 degrees Fahrenheit rapidly once out inside the fridge. It usually requires dividing food into clean and shallow containers. The smaller the portion size, the more quickly it will cool inside the refrigerator and you will avoid having the centers of food portions dawdle in the danger zone for a couple of hours.

Ask your kid to pay attention to how long foods have been stored in the freezer and fridge. You may also ask him or her to frequently remind you about it so you wouldn't forget.

Culinary Depot has all sorts of equipment that can help you store meals and leftovers for the next day. Commercial fridges are a great way to store holiday food safely, and get the best deals here. 

Thaw and reheat properly.

Always reheat leftovers to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. You may stick a food thermometer into the center of the food to check especially when in doubt. Moreover, gravies, sauces and soups should be brought to a boil. If possible, constantly stir food when reheating. Let the food stand for a couple of minutes after taking them out of the microwave so the heat can continue to redistribute. Ask your keep to be your timekeeper when you are reheating leftovers.

Furthermore, frozen leftovers can be thawed in cold water, in the refrigerator or in the microwave. Though the slowest among the three methods, the refrigerator is the safest way. If you choose to thaw leftovers in cold water, you need to place them in a leak-proof package or plastic bag and change out the water every after 30 minutes to speed up the thawing process. Again, you ask your kid to watch the time for you so you could change the water every after 30 minutes.

Other tips.

Beef, Lamb and Pork will stay safe for three to four days if refrigerated properly; bacon will stay safe for up to seven days. Chicken, turkey and other poultry products will stay safe for up to four days inside the refrigerator; chicken nuggets and patties will only last one to two days while poultry pieces that are friend, in broth including gravy will stay safe for three to four days. Leftover fish and shellfish, on the other hand, can be kept safely refrigerated for three to four days.

These are just some of the best ways to store your leftovers from Holidays. Food is as much a part of the celebration. Hence, it is important to keep food safety in mind every step of the way. Too, you should always include proper planning, safe shopping, safe and neat working in the kitchen and properly wrapping up leftovers.