The Holiday’s are fast approaching and I think it’s important to take a minute and talk about food safety. It’s something you might not think about when you are scrambling to finish up your holiday baking, but you need to make sure you are protecting your family from food borne illnesses!
Aunt Fannie’s wanted to share these tips with us to make sure we have a safe and happy holiday:
- Don’t let dishes pile up – Dirty dishes are a mecca for bugs like fruit flies that are attracted to sugary fruits and leftover food. Scrub those potential breeding zones for fruit flies with a clean sponge for the best results. Sponges can absorb harmful food borne pathogens. While they sit wet and dormant waiting for the next use, new bacteria grows at an astonishing pace so wash them regularly.
- Monitor Messy Munchers – Sure, no one wants to go around telling Uncle Larry that he’s been spilling on the floor since the first time he was invited to Thanksgiving five years ago. Instead, consider nonchalantly directing him to the table instead of the couch when it comes time for pumpkin pie. It’s easier to clean crumbs off of the wooden table than the couch and the carpet.
- Clean the Counter Crevices – Just like Uncle Larry, Aunt Margot is a master mess maker. After she so generously slices the tomatoes to top the salad, make sure to give that slimy cutting board and counter space a wipe down. Germs can survive in many places around the kitchen, including hands, utensils, and cutting boards.
- Wash Your Hands – Think about everything cousin Adam’s hands come in contact with before he walks into the kitchen to shuck the corn by hand for the family’s famous corn chowder. Now make sure he washes them, at least once. Bacteria can be transmitted from things as simple as petting the dog or shaking that man’s hand after he (unbeknownst to you) sneezed on it. I bet no one even thinks about their shopping cart. A U.S. study found that in some parts of the country, 80 per cent of shopping cart handles had traces of E. coli. Did we mention how important it is to wash your hands?
- Save for Later! – Once the aesthetically pleasing, diligently designed dessert tray has been visited at least twice, maybe three times, it’s ready to be taken away. Instead of leaving it on the counter to attract bugs and other pests, seal the leftovers in air-tight containers. This will keep the food from becoming soggy, drying out, and absorbing odors – the kind of odors that will likely attract pests.
About Aunt Fannie’s:
Aunt Fannie’s, Inc., founded by Mat Franken in 2012, is the maker of FlyPunch!, a powerful, non-toxic, all-natural fruit fly pesticide that is fast, simple, honest and safe for use around food.
Aunt Fannie’s FlyPunch! is designed for household kitchens, food service and food distribution centers, restaurants, bars, hotels, cafeterias, breweries, wineries and anywhere fresh food or produce is handled, grown or prepared. Aunt Fannie’s FlyPunch! is available at most health food retailers such as Whole Foods, Sprouts and Bristol Farms or can be ordered directly online through Amazon.com or the company’s website, www.auntfannie.com. The company headquarters are located in Greenville, S.C. and FlyPunch! is made in America. “Aunt Fannie’s can help you eat clean, truly.”
*I have been compensated for this post.*
