Food Safety: Then, Now, and Later

Growing up I was always made to help out in the kitchen, starting at a very young age. Of course, when I was smaller I was only asked to do the smaller tasks. As I got older, I began to do more and more in the kitchen, even by choice a lot of the time. I don’t remember a lot of food safety being instilled in me other than with meats, especially raw. I can remember always being told to make sure different raw meats didn’t touch each other or get cut on the same cutting board. Also, I was always told to never cut any other food, such as vegetables or fruits, on the same boards that any meat was cut on unless washed with hot water and soap. After learning the different risks and food safety precautions, I am more aware of what I am doing in the kitchen. When I was getting ready to cook supper tonight, I had already made my plan on the order of foods to be cut on the cutting board before I had even started. I catch myself washing my hands during cooking twice as much now than before taking the class. I know that the more I learn in this class the more cautious I will be in the kitchen and around food. I also know that I plan to make sure my kids grow up knowing how to be food safe in the kitchen. I’m sure the reason my parents never really taught me a lot about food safety is because they were never taught, neither by their parents nor a teacher. Now that I am responsible for cooking my own food at all times, I am very grateful that I am able to learn how to take the correct precautions to keep my food safe.