Food Safety at Home
Your child may be at risk of developing an illness from a nutritious food choice. Sounds strange, but it is true.
Each year millions of people, including children become ill from the food they have eaten. In fact, the odds of suffering a foodborne illness are 1 in 4. Young children are at a greater risk because their immune systems are still developing. Symptoms of foodborne illnesses may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, fever. In some cases, they can even lead to death.
There are simple steps to protect your family from the risk of illness from harmful bacteria.
The first step is to CLEAN.
- Washing hands often. Use soap and running warm water. Be a good role model. Encourage children to wash their hands while you both sing the ABC's. This is the most effective step in preventing foodborne illnesses.
- Washing fruits and vegetables is also very important. Rinse all fruits and vegetables, even those with skins or rinds that will not be eaten. Use cool, running water. Rub with fingers or a vegetable brush to remove dirt and bacteria.
- Kitchen sponges and dishcloths often contain more bacteria than other items in the house. Launder dishcloths daily in hot water. Run sponges and scrubbers through the dishwasher.
The second step is to SEPARATE.
- When shopping, keep all items that are ready-to-eat, like fruits, away from raw meat, poultry and seafood. Use plastic bags for meats when shopping. Store all meats carefully on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
- Use separate cutting boards for meats and poultry. Always be sure to use clean plates and utensils for serving cooked foods to avoid cross contamination.
The third step is to COOK.
- Many harmful bacteria will be eliminated with proper cooking. Use a clean thermometer, which measures the internal temperature of cooked foods. Cook all foods to the appropriate temperature. Ground beef, pork, and eggs should be cooked to 160° F. Poultry, as well as all leftovers, should reach a minimum temperature of 165° F.
The fourth step is to CHILL.
- Keep cold foods cold. One bacteria can multiply 256 times in just 2 hours. In some cases, as few as 10 contaminated bacteria can make a person sick. Discard all perishable food left out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. This includes take out food and leftovers from restaurants.
- Remember 40°. Use a refrigerator thermometer to be sure that the refrigerator is at 40°or colder.
- Keep the refrigerator door closed. Teach children to open and close the refrigerator door quickly. Open only to get what is needed. Close the door to prevent air loss and before the air temperature warms in the refrigerator.
- Use the refrigerator to thaw frozen foods, NOT the kitchen counter.
The final step is to AVOID.
- Do not feed children un-pasteurized products like milk, cheese or juice items. Even though it may be tempting, do not allow children to eat raw eggs in items like cookie dough. Also, avoid serving uncooked hot dogs.
Practicing good food safety behaviors can help protect your family and prevent the pain and suffering that goes along with a foodborne illness.
For more information call your local Colorado State University Extension Office, the Food and Drug Administration Hotline at 1-888-SAFEFOOD or go online to www.fightbac.org.
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Active Kids
Children need to be active every day.
Winter weather makes outdoor play difficult. The television, computer or video games are not healthy options. They need to be active to use up energy, stay healthy and learn new things. Here are some fun activities for indoor play:
- Children love dancing to music.
- Have fun sock skating on a tile floor.
- Play like animals - imitate favorite animals by making their sounds and moving the way they do.
- Bring home some exercise videos from the library to make activity more fun.
- Play indoor basketball by throwing bean bags or soft balls into a laundry basket.
- Crumple up old newspapers into balls to have an indoor "snowball" fight.
- Hula-hoops can be used for active fun.
- Pile up some pillows and blankets for some climbing fun.
- Gentle pillow fights get rid of energy.
- Choose a safe, soft place for rough-and-tumble play. Children enjoy wrestling and being sill together. Set guidelines and keep track of when your child shows he or she is ready to end the play.
Adapted from: Penn Sate. Better Kid Care. Family Time/Work Time: January 2007.
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Healthy Kids
Incredible Adventures of the Amazing Food Detective
The Incredible Adventures of the Amazing Food Detective is a fun and free, online video game from Kaiser Permanente for kids to learn how to make healthy eating and activity choices. In the colorful cartoon game, players solve the cases of eight diverse kids who need to learn healthy habits. Kids can also print out fun health information to share, such as games, scavenger hunts, exercises and recipes. The game, available in English or Spanish, stops after 20 minutes to encourage the players to get active.
To access the game, go to www.kp.org/amazingfooddetective
Adapted from: Kaiser Permanente Press Release. Kaiser Permanente Launches New Tool to Fight Childhood Obesity. September 2007.
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Safe Kids
Braving the Cold, be safe and warm.
Sunshine and bright skies are a welcome invitation to the out doors even on a frigid day.
Kids should dress warmly using layers of clothes. If the top layer gets wet from snow or freezing rain, they can peel off some clothes down to a dry layer. Avoid cotton clothing because it will not keep the kids very warm. Stick with wool or other fabrics. Dress them in long underwear, a turtleneck and a sweater and coat. Add more layers depending on the temperature. Waterproof pants and jackets are great top layers because they do not let the wetness seep into the other clothing. The cold-weather clothes would not be complete without warm socks and boots to keep feet dry and a hat and ear coverings.
Make sure your kids have a snack before going out. The calories will give their bodies energy in the cold weather. Remember the bathroom stop as well.
Protect your kids' faces with sunscreen. Even though the idea of sunburn in February can seem odd, snow can reflect up to 85% of the sun's ultraviolet rays.
There is no "right" amount of time children should be allowed to stay out in the cold. However, when being cold becomes unpleasant, it is time to go inside. Sometimes, though, kids may just need some dry gloves. It helps to have an extra pair of gloves or mittens tucked into their pockets if they plan to be outdoors for a while.
Always supervise children when playing - inside or outside.
Adapted from: KidsHealth.org. Cold, Snow and Ice Safety. September 2006.
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