Kitchen Hygiene Tips To Keep Your Family Healthy

The kitchen is one of the spaces you spend so much time in your house. It is the place you do your cooking, washing, eating, and much more. That is why you ought to keep an eye on matters' hygiene. Always remember poor kitchen hygiene can harm you and your family. Well, let us give you a few essential tips to keep your kitchen sparkling and safe.

Always wash your hands

You must have seen lots of adverts reiterating the importance of handwashing. You do not want to end up with complaints of food poisoning. So, you better wash your hands and keep bacteria at bay. As a rule of thumb, don’t prep and cook meals before you wash your hands. You should also make sure to teach your kids to practice hand washing before cooking or eating. Hand washing is one simple hygiene rule that will keep your family safe from bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that cause diseases.

Store your food correctly

You should also learn the best ways to store different types of food. For instance, always store dry food in sealed containers in a dry and cool place. If you open a tin can with food, don’t leave it in the tin, unless it can be sealed tight again. If not, empty it in a bowl and store it in the fridge. Foods that need refrigeration like meat should also be stored safely to avoid the spread of bacteria.

Fridge hygiene best practices:

•         Clean the refrigerator regularly to remove spoiled foods that may transfer bacteria and molds
•         Do not overstock your refrigerator. You should allow air to circulate freely.
•         Always store raw and cooked meat separately. Store the raw meat on the bottom shelf of the fridge so that it cannot drip to other foods.
•         Always ensure your fridge is cold enough. If not, food poisoning bacteria will still be able to grow.

Keep your utensils clean

This tip sounds like a cliché, but it is worth repeating over and over. Don’t be those people who like to leave dirty utensils on their sinks. Piling up utensils to wash later is not hygienic. Remember, the goal is to avoid contamination and microorganisms that could cause infections.

Try to apply the wash as you go approach. Ensure you wash your utensils, i.e., bowls, chopping board, after each use. It is also good to use the right utensils to serve food whenever possible and avoid touching food with your hands. Using a clean spoon each time you taste, or sample food will go along away in keeping you safe.

Improve the way you handle your kitchen waste

When it comes to maintaining the general cleanliness of the kitchen, you need more than a bin. Instead of having a messy kitchen with dirt and food scraps, you need to find a way to handle your food waste better. You need to buy a garbage disposal unit if you don’t have one. It will help you handle your kitchen waste. It is good for your health and the environment. Most garbage disposal units are easy to install, reasonably quite with enough horsepower to dispose of your most regular scraps.

Wash and sanitize your sink and countertops

You can agree that it is almost impossible to get you the kitchen clean if your sink and countertops are not up to par. Sinks and countertops are used regularly. They often get grimy and covered in bacteria. To avoid this, wipe the counters clean with soap and water, then sanitize with a disinfectant. You always want to ensure that that area is always kept dry. Also, inspect it regularly for any plumbing leaks and get it fixed.

Cooks your foods through

Well, you are probably wondering what if you like food undercooked? What if you love to eat rare meat? Well, it all depends on the type of food. However, you must know the harmful bacteria from undercooked food could lead to poisoning. Ensuring your food is cooked through is very important, especially if you have toddlers around. Additionally, always remember to reheat stored or leftovers to kill any germs or bacteria.

Improve your personal hygiene

It is perhaps best that you know that an average person loses 50 hairs per day! Imagine if all that went to your food? Well, if you have not eaten hair on your food, you will soon if you don’t start putting that hair net on. How you dress and prepare yourself for cooking matters a lot. Put on an apron but do not use it to dry your hands. You also need to remove any rings because they collect dirt and bacteria easily. Moreover, try to keep your nails short!