The Thanksgiving holiday is just over a week away! The Florida Department of Health in Martin County is encouraging everyone to practice food safety while preparing meals this Thanksgiving and throughout the holiday season.

There are four simple steps to food safety: Clean, Cook to Temperature, Chill and Separate. Keep your holidays happy with these tips:

• Clean.Wash hands, utensils and surfaces before and after food preparation, especially after preparing meat, poultry, eggs or seafood. Be sure to keep all countertops and work areas clean with hot, soapy water.
• Cook to Proper Temperature.Read the cooking directions on packaging before preparing.The safest thawing method is in the refrigerator at 40 degrees. Make sure the food is cooked at the proper internal temperature and check for doneness with a food thermometer.
• Chill – Refrigerate Properly.Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared food and leftovers within two hours. Make sure the refrigerator is set at no higher than 40 degrees and the freezer is set at 0 degrees.
• Separate – Don’t cross contaminate.Keep raw meats, poultry, eggs and seafood and their juices away from ready to eat food. It is recommended that leftovers be heated to 165 degrees.

For more information on how to keep your family safe from foodborne-illness this holiday season, visithttp://www.foodsafety.gov.