Take Action!
Cooking meals at home is a great way to stay healthy and save money. Follow these simple steps to keep your family safe from food poisoning.
Shop smart when you buy food.
Shop at stores that look and smell clean. A dirty store or a bad smell can be a sign that food hasn’t been stored safely.
Follow these other safety tips when you choose food at the store:
- Check the expiration (“use by” or “sell by”) dates on everything you buy.
- Don’t buy cans that are leaking, bulging, or badly dented.
- Don’t buy bottles or jars with “popped” lids or broken seals.
- Buy eggs that have been kept in the store’s refrigerated section. Make sure they are free of cracks and liquid.
- Put meat, poultry (like chicken and turkey), fish, and eggs in plastic bags, or separate them from other food in your cart or basket. This will keep them from leaking onto your other food.
- Pick out frozen foods last so they are less likely to thaw before you get them home.
- Make sure frozen food packages aren’t open or crushed. Avoid packages with frost or ice crystals – these are signs that the food has become warm and then refrozen.
