MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. — Worried about cooking that big holiday meal this Thanksgiving? 

Checkout these helpful tips to ensure a delicious and safe meal you, your family, and your friends can gobble down when you gather around the table.

Clean. Wash hands and surfaces often.  

• Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and handling pets. 
• Consider using paper towels to clean up kitchen surfaces.  
• Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water, including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten.   

Separate. Separate raw meats from other foods. 

• Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs from other foods in your grocery shopping cart, grocery bags, and refrigerator. 
• Use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry, and seafood. 
• Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs unless the plate has been washed in hot, soapy water.  

Cook. Cook to the right temperature. 

• Color and texture are unreliable indicators of safety. Using a food thermometer is the only way to ensure the safety of meat, poultry, seafood, and egg products for all cooking methods. These foods must be cooked to a safe minimum internal temperature to destroy any harmful bacteria. 
• Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm. Only use recipes in which eggs are cooked or heated thoroughly. 
• When cooking in a microwave oven, cover food, stir, and rotate for even cooking. If there is no turntable, rotate the dish by hand once or twice during cooking. Always allow standing time, which completes the cooking, before checking the internal temperature with a food thermometer. 
• Bring sauces, soups and gravy to a boil when reheating.  

Chill. Refrigerate foods promptly. 

• Use an appliance thermometer to be sure the temperature is consistently 40° F or below and the freezer temperature is 0° F or below. 
• Refrigerate or freeze meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, and other perishables within two hours of cooking or purchasing. Refrigerate within one hour if the temperature outside is above 90° F. 
• Never thaw food at room temperature, such as on the counter top. There are three safe ways to defrost food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave. Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately. 
• Always marinate food in the refrigerator. 
• Divide large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers for quicker cooling in the refrigerator. 

Additional food safety tips can be found by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.