Keeping It Clean

This is all pretty much common sense but if you – or any of your housemates – are not strong in that suit, it’s worth reminding yourselves of some basic kitchen hygiene to avoid any unpleasant side effects!

In the kitchen

• Wash your hands before you start cooking – you know where they’ve been
• Clean the work surface before you cook – how clean were your mate’s jeans when he sat on it last night?
• Wipe up spills as they happen – and before they go hard and crusty
• Use a clean cloth – otherwise you’ll wipe more germs around
• Wash up sooner rather than later – the longer you leave it, the harder it’ll be
• Wash up in hot, soapy water (if you wear much-maligned Marigolds, you can put your hands in hot water) – it’s much easier!
• Leave to drain rather than dry up with a grubby tea towel – enough said
• Sweep up – food bits on the floor attract mice ... and other nasties
• Empty rubbish as soon as the bin is full – if it spills on the floor or the bag splits, that’s more clearing up … or mice

Storing food

• Keep an eye on the use-by date and use it up
• If you buy things cheaply on their sell-by date – a good way to save – use them by the use-by date or freeze them immediately
• Don’t refreeze anything unless you cook it first – check the labels to make sure chilled food has not been frozen. Fish, in particular, sold in chill cabinets has often been previously frozen.
• Thaw frozen foods thoroughly – overnight in the fridge is best – and use straight away
• Wrap perishables and keep them in the fridge
• Don’t put cans in the fridge – move half-used canned food to a container with a lid
• Don’t leave cooked food lying around – it’s a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, not to mention a feeding ground for mice
• Cool leftovers quickly by transferring them from their hot container into a clean cold one.
• Cover loosely and as soon as they’re properly cold, cover and put in the fridge
• Wrap raw meat or fish well and keep it on the bottom shelf in the fridge where it can’t drip on anything. Don’t mix raw and cooked meats or fish on the same shelf
• Don’t keep food festering in the fridge – taste and smell are often a good guide to the state of your food: anything that looks, smells or tastes off, is off!

When you are cooking

• Thaw frozen meat thoroughly before cooking, especially poultry
• Check instructions on prepared frozen foods to see if they should be cooked from frozen or thawed first
• Try to resist licking your fingers then continuing to cook
• Don’t keep tasting and stirring with the same spoon; use a clean spoon to taste
• Check any food is thoroughly cooked through before serving
• Make sure reheated food is piping hot right through – eat it lukewarm and you’re asking for trouble
• Don’t reheat foods more than once