Throwing Away Holiday Leftovers

You know food is important during the holidays, so let’s go over some food safety tips to protect your food.  Let’s talk about the 1…2…3..’s of keeping your food and family safe.

1. Remember hot food should be kept hot and cold food should be kept cold.  Food can be held at room temperature for no more than 2 hours.


2. Keep a clean kitchen.  Use soap and hot water or disinfecting wipes to clean the area where you are going to cook in the kitchen.


3. Wash your hands. You should always wash your hands before and after handling food, especially raw foods.

If you are finished cooking your food and it is not ready to be served until later in the day, make sure you store it properly.  Store hot food in small containers in the refrigerator. 

Poultry/Meat

Turkey is a common food served during the holidays.  Here are tips on how to avoid food poisoning when preparing a turkey.

1.     Wash your hands with warm water and soap before touching the poultry.

2.     Cook the meat/poultry to the ideal temperature between 165 degrees Fahrenheit. To check the temperature, use a meat thermometer. 

3.      If you have leftovers, try to divide the meat into small portions so that it can cool faster.  Remember to refrigerate within 2 hours!

4.      When reheating your leftovers, make sure it is covered properly so it can be completely heated to 165 degrees.

Remember food safety first!  To learn more about the recommended temperatures of foods, visit the Internal Food Temperatures Chart.  To learn how to use a food thermometer, visit our How to Use a Food Thermometer page on our website.

Healthy Eating During the Holidays

Pumpkin pie, chocolate fudge, big meals with all the trimmings…ready or not, the holiday season is right around the corner.  In many homes, people celebrate holiday times with big dinners.  From Thanksgiving to New Years, there are plenty of times to over eat.  Eating too much during this time can mean gaining extra pounds.  With a few tips, you can avoid gaining extra weight.  It’s easier than you might think!

1. Don’t skip meals waiting for a big dinner.  You could find yourself so hungry that you are tempted to over eat and eat fast.  Plus, skipping meals can make you feel tired and grumpy.  Holidays are a time to visit with family and friends so you’ll need plenty of energy.


2. Have a plan in mind.  Think about what types of foods will be at holiday dinners and parties.  Most of the time there are several different dishes and desserts.  Think about the foods you love best and try to only fill up your plate once.  Eat slowly and enjoy every bite.  By staying away from those second helpings, you will be less likely to over eat.


3. As you decide what you’ll put on your plate, fill it with vegetables first.  By filling half your plate with vegetables, you won’t have as much room for the less healthy foods.  Try eating a salad with low fat dressing first and drinking plenty of water.  Skipping sugary drinks is another way to eat healthy during the holidays.


4. Choose lean sources of protein like baked skinless turkey or pork roast.  Fill up a small section of your plate with the lean proteins.   You will still have a small amount of room to decide on your favorite starchy food like homemade noodles or bread.


5. Try having fruit salad for dessert.  You don’t have to go without your favorite holiday treats, just eat a little less.  Try to avoid snacking on desserts and go for some raw veggies.  If you are tempted to eat the holiday cookies that are on the counter top, put them out of sight.  Add fresh fruit to a favorite bowl or on a plate to leave out.


6. Don’t forget to include some exercise during the holidays.  This will help you have more energy.  Exercise can also help you to not gain extra weight.  It isn’t hard to add exercise to your busy day.  Park your car further from the store when you get groceries.  Window shopping is a great excuse to take a walk.  

Eating healthy during the holidays can be a challenge.  It only takes small changes to make a big difference.  Focus on enjoying your family and friends and have a wonderful holiday season!

Thanksgiving on a Budget

Thanksgiving is a great time to be with family and friends and enjoy some yummy food.  Cooking for a large crowd can cost a lot of money. With a little planning, you can make a tasty meal that your family will love. Below are some tips for you to make a delicious feast without spending a ton of money.

Tips for Saving Money at Thanksgiving

• Know what you are going to make ahead of time so you can keep an eye out for sales.


•  Buy the turkey when it is on sale at the store. Most turkeys come frozen, so start checking the stores a few weeks before Thanksgiving. To get the best deal, check with several different stores. You can keep the turkey in the freezer and thaw it out a few days before Thanksgiving.


• Use frozen or canned veggies – they are often cheaper than fresh. Make sure that you buy them on sale and stock up. Use coupons if you can.


• Don’t buy gravy in a can or stuffing from a box. Make your own food from scratch and make sure to put your own spin on everything you make. Making your own food does mean you will spend a little more time in the kitchen, but you will see the savings on your food bill.


• Don’t take on the task of making such a large meal alone. Have your guests bring their favorite dessert or side dish. Make sure you know what other people are bringing with them so that you don’t have extras of some foods and not enough of others.


• Keep it simple. Stick to recipes that you are familiar with and know how to make. This will help to cut down on mistakes and having to do things over.

Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t have to cost a lot of money to make if you just doing a little planning ahead of time.  Plan to shop ahead of time to get the best deals. Plan your time so that you don’t spend all of your time in the kitchen on the big day. Make food ahead of time if you can. 

From MyPyramid to MyPlate

USDA has just released a new food icon. Instead of MyPyramid, we now have MyPlate as a tool to help us choose healthier food.

This really is a simple tool to use because it is so easy to remember—1/2 your plate should be filled with fruits and veggies. About ¼ of the plate is for grains like bread, rice, and pasta.    Notice the protein section-meat, chicken, fish, and beans. It covers about ¼ of the plate. One more food group—that’s the blue circle—and it represents dairy including low fat milk, cheese, and yogurt.

The big message of MyPlate is that fruits and vegetables are really important for a healthy diet. They should cover ½ your plate! How hard do you think it might be to eat all of those fruits and veggies? Does it sound like a lot?

It’s really not as hard as you may think!  Here’s an example of a dinner meal--pork chops, applesauce, a salad and rice. The apples could come from a farmers’ market so they are fresh, delicious and not expensive when in season. A green salad with tomatoes, some sliced green peppers, and green onions would taste great. Serve it with low fat dressing. Add rice and low fat milk and you have made a really great (and very healthy) meal.

You can learn more about how to use MyPlate at this website: www.choosemyplate.gov