It is that time of the year, where kitchen is really where the heart is! Cooking is a must during the holidays and I just want to remind everyone of some important Turkey Food safety guidelines so that everyone can enjoy a healthy and safe holiday meal. You might be surprised to have me focus on food safety but this is very much a part of healthy eating and being healthy. Did you know that clostridium perfringens (yes a popular bacteria name!) is the most common bacterial cause of food poisoning. But what you might not be aware of is that November and December is when the most outbreaks of food poisoning from this bacteria occurs And meat and poultry (ie turkey!) accounts for about 92% of the food poisoning incidents. Now that seems to tie very strongly with the increase in turkey cooking during the holidays. That is why I would be remiss if I didn't take some time to remind everyone about the importance of food safety during the holidays. (now it all makes sense right?!) To review: Food safety starts with thawing a turkey correctly (food safely). Many people think that thawing at room temperature overnight is safe but actually bacteria can begin to grow and multiply after two hours. This is because the inside might be still frozen but the outside is thawed. So even thawing is key to preventing bacteria growth. thaw turkey in a refrigerator thaw turkey in cold water that is changed every 30 minutes (removing bacteria that might begin to grow in water) thaw turkey in the microwave Keep raw turkey and its juices on its own section so it does not contaminate other foods Stuff your turkey right before you are ready to cook it Use a thermometer to check the internal temperature at the deepest point (165 degrees F) Monday’s Nourishing Thought: A few rules can make all the difference in food cooking safely!