One of the highlights of the Christmas period has to be sitting down with a big group of friends and family to enjoy some special, decadent festive food. Of course, the last thing you want for Christmas this year is the mortification that would come with causing everyone a nasty bout of food poisoning. So perhaps in the run up to Christmas it is a good idea for all of us who are going to be hosts and hostesses on the big day to brush up on our food prep hygiene skills!

Here are three important things you can do to avoid your food doing anything to your guests’ bellies other than filling them!

Food Poisoning Tip # 1: Keep Things Separate

Make sure you avoid cross contamination by keeping all raw and cooked foods separate, especially keeping raw meat and veggies apart. Use different utensils and chopping boards for things like these, and, if you are cooking outdoors, keep everything stored in isolation. One of the best ways to do this if you are catering for a lot more people than you are used to is to hire a party chiller – that way you have all the space you need to keep foods apart and at the right temperature for safety. In fact, if space in your fridge is tight, consider hiring a party fridge for the festive season from Coldroom Hire

Food Poisoning Tip # 2: Don’t Serve Undercooked Food

Cook all meats thoroughly. Invest in a meat thermometer as temperature is a much better way to judge whether meat is safely cooked than looks alone. Even meat you are planning to serve rare should meet the minimum safe temperature before you serve it up to your hungry guests! By learning the right temperatures and cooking times for the meats you plan to prepare and checking before you stop cooking them, you reduce the risk of any unpleasantness dramatically!

Food Poisoning Tip # 3: Don’t Leave Leftovers Lying Around

Most people tend to overcook for the main meal on Christmas Day, and of course, it is nice to have that food to pick at later in the holiday. However, don’t leave your leftovers out on the table or sitting around in the kitchen – once they have cooled, cover or wrap them and refrigerate them. This can be another time when that hired party fridge or chiller can be a great help!

As long as you are careful about cross contamination, cook everything thoroughly, and preserve any leftovers you plan to eat, you can enjoy a delicious Christmas feast with no worries about making your guests sick!

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