Food safety basics

Clean, separate, cook, chill. Wash hands for 20 seconds, keep raw meat away from everything else, cook to a safe temperature, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Easy10 min to readFree (a food thermometer helps)

You'll need

Soap and hot water
Two cutting boards
A food thermometer, if you have one

What to know

Clean: wash hands for at least 20 seconds, and wash cutting boards and counters with hot, soapy water after raw meat (FoodSafety.gov).
Separate: use one cutting board for produce and another for raw meat, poultry and seafood (FoodSafety.gov).
Cook: use a food thermometer in the thickest part of the food. Cook poultry to 165°F (USDA).
Chill: refrigerate perishables within 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's above 90°F (USDA). Keep the fridge at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0°F (FoodSafety.gov).
Eat leftovers within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them (USDA).

Watch out. Don't wash raw meat, poultry or eggs. It spreads germs around the kitchen (FoodSafety.gov).

Good to know

The danger zone

Bacteria grow fastest between 40°F and 140°F (USDA).

It's common

FoodSafety.gov estimates 1 in 6 Americans get food poisoning each year (FoodSafety.gov).

Reheating

Reheat leftovers to 165°F (USDA).

Sources

FoodSafety.gov 4 steps to food safety
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service Danger zone (40°F to 140°F)
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service Leftovers and food safety

Lesson H2.5 · Last checked October 2, 2026 against the sources listed. See a mistake?