Tip of the Day
Shop with Food Safety in Mind
Do you follow a certain routine when grocery shopping? Whether most of your shopping occurs at a farmers market, grocery store or club warehouse, remember that taking simple precautions can help prevent food poisoning for your family. The order in which you put items in your cart, the items you select and how quickly you get them home all play a part in keeping foods safe to eat.
- Shop for non-perishable items first and leave refrigerated and frozen items for the end of your trip.
- Place meats, poultry and seafood in separate bags from other foods.
- Transport perishable foods in the back seat rather than a hot trunk. And when you get home, unload groceries right away. If foods need to be kept refrigerated or frozen, make sure to store them safely within two hours of leaving the grocery store, or one hour in weather over 90°F.
- If you use a reusable grocery totes, be sure to wash them often in warm, soapy water. Use two grocery totes: one for raw meat, poultry and seafood, and the other for produce and ready-to-eat foods.
For information on food safety while shopping, visit our Shopping with Food Safety in Mind page and for tips to reduce your risk of food poisoning, visit HomeFoodSafety.org.
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