The Lost Art Of Cooking: Food Safety Tips & Tech

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The Lost Art Of Cooking: Food Safety Tips & Tech

Food Safety

Tips & Tech

Americans Love To Eat, But Hate To Cook

  • Americans spend more on eating out than buying groceries
  • More than 1 in 4 Americans don’t know how to cook
  • In 2015, restaurant sales surpassed grocery sales for the first time
  • In January 2019, Grocery sales: $56 billion – Restaurant sales: $61 billion

Restaurant meals are about 3X as expensive as cooking at home – Learn to cook safely and save big!

Food Safety Basics: Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill

Clean

  • Wash your hands before and after touching food (Use warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds)
  • Wash your tools and countertops after each food item (Use hot water and soap)
  • Rinse all produce and clean cans and jars before opening

Separate

  • Separate raw meat and eggs in your shopping cart, bags, and fridge
  • Use a dedicated cutting surface for raw meat
  • Wash plates and tools used for raw meat before reuse

Cook

  • Just because a food is “done” doesn’t mean it’s safe to eat
  • Always heat raw meat, eggs, and other dishes to a safe temperature
  • Don’t let cooked foods sit – keep them hot until you’re ready to serve

Chill

  • Return food to the fridge or freezer quickly – within 2 hours of cooking
  • Thaw frozen foods in the fridge, under cold water, or in the microwave
  • Refrigerate raw meats while marinating – Never reuse marinades (Unless boiled after each use)

Temperature Matters

How To Check Food Temperature

  • Use a food thermometer to ensure food has reached a safe temperature
  • Check food in several places to ensure it’s cooked evenly
  • Calibrate your thermometer in ice water, adjusting the reading to 32℉
  • Keeping foods at the right temperature ensures they’re safe to eat

Minimum Safe Temperature

Cooking:

  • Steaks, roasts, and chops (beef, pork, lamb, and veal): 145 °F
  • Ground meat (beef, pork, lamb, and veal) and eggs: 160 °F
  • Poultry, casseroles, and leftovers: 165 °F

Keep Warm:

  • Keep cooked foods hot until served, at least 140℉
  • An Instant Pot or Slow Cooker takes the guesswork out of cooking – And keeps dishes hot (and safe) until you’re ready to serve

Storage:

  • In the refrigerator: 32 – 40℉
  • Freezer: Below 0℉

Learning to cook can be daunting, but new tech makes it easier than ever!

See also: My favorite over range microwaves

Start Cooking Today

Taylor Digital Measuring Cup:

  • Combined digital scale and measuring cup – Holds up to 4 cups, or 6.6 lbs
  • Easily convert weight and volume measurements for better accuracy

Days Ago Tracker:

  • Attach the tracker to open jar or container of leftovers with suction cup
  • Digital tracker records how many days have passed

Drop Food Scale:

  • WiFi-connected, compatible with iOS, Android, Alexa, and Google Home
  • Syncs with recipe app to adjust measurements and find substitutions

Hiku Fridge Magnet:

  • Scans barcodes or recognizes your voice to build a grocery list
  • Syncs with mobile app and online shopping cart

Range Dial Grill Pro:

  • The thermometer wirelessly connects to your phone to monitor cooking temp
  • Alerts you when safe temp is reached using preset for the type of meat

See also: Recommended wireless meat thermometers

There’s An App For That

Project Foodie:

  • Recipes and video tutorials from celebrity chef Daniel Holzman
  • Easily adjust serving sizes and creates an instant grocery list
  • See what tools you need and get recommendations on what to buy

Substitutions:

  • Database of ingredient substitutions to customize any recipe
  • Personalize to fit your diet with vegan, gluten-free, and other filters
  • Don’t have the right tools? Find alternatives and tricks

Cooking Times:

  • Combination calculator and timer helps you get it right every time
  • Select the type of dish, cooking temp, and size or quantity
  • Use recommended timer or edit and create your own

SideChef:

  • Plan your weekly meals and organize your favorite recipes
  • Create a shopping list and order delivery from within the app
  • Learn from how-to videos, audio guides, and illustrated tutorials

Chef Tap:

  • Curate your favorite recipes from any website, blog, or family cookbook
  • Access anywhere from desktop, tablet, or phone – Online or offline
  • Build grocery list and adjust serving size in the app

See also: Why you actually need a food scale?

Resources:

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