Everyone has been forced to stay at home by the COVID-19 pandemic, and you have been making more of your own meals. You’re getting more familiar with your kitchen if you didn’t know it before. You want to ensure that your food is healthy. We can help you avoid developing bad cooking habits that could put your health at risk.
1. You are not washing your hands.
It is essential to wash your hands before handling food.
In a previous article, Dr. Lynette Charity, a board-certified MD, anesthesiologist, and keynote speaker, stated that handwashing kulinarika is essential to prevent the spread harmful germs that could cause illness. Regular soap also works well. “Rubbing your hands for 20 second ensures germs are washed down the drain,” Charity said.
2. Fresh produce is not being washed.
Before you cook or eat fresh fruits and vegetables, wash them thoroughly. This is particularly important for raw produce that you don’t heat. However, you will need to disinfect everything before handling.
3. You’re not using different cutting boards.
Cross-contamination is something you want to avoid. However, it’s important to do everything possible to prevent any illness. This includes how you cook your food. When handling raw meat, be sure to follow safety precautions. What does this mean? It’s simple: Don’t use the same knife and cutting board on your chicken breasts and fresh vegetables. Give everything a thorough cleaning afterwards.
4. You are still rinsing the chicken.
While this is a time when you should take extra precautions when cleaning raw food, it doesn’t apply for chicken. According to the USDA, chicken that has been washed in the sink can spread foodborne illness bacteria. This bacteria can fly up to three feet from the area where it is rinsed.
5. You don’t properly store and eat leftovers.
You want to properly store leftovers. However, if there is a pandemic, it’s not something you want to do. To prevent harmful bacteria from growing, don’t leave cooked meals out on the counter more than two hours. The food should be kept in the refrigerator for three to four days before you eat it.
6. Salt is being added too often.
You don’t have to add salt to everything. After all, you are probably used to eating salty meals from restaurants. However, if you are cooking for yourself, reduce the amount of salt. A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology revealed that the average American adult consumes 3,730 mgs of sodium per day, which is much more than the FDA’s recommended limit of 2,300 milligrams.
7. Everything is being fried.
Frying food is a quick and easy way to make almost any dish, and let’s face it: Fried food equals comfort food. It’s okay to indulge every once in a while but you don’t want it to be a daily habit. You can try air-frying and roasting instead.
