Many holiday celebrations revolve around food.

Whether it’s a big dinner around the table or a buffet of snack items set out for a party, we will all inevitably be munching over the next few days. That being said, there are some simple food safety tips to keep in mind and help prevent illness.

When working with raw meat or poultry, it’s a bad idea to wash the food beforehand because bacteria can easily be splashed on to various surfaces in the kitchen.

It’s also important to make sure food is cooked thoroughly.  Poultry for example should always be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Perishable food items should not be left out at room temperature for more than two hours and leftovers are only good in your refrigerator for 3-4 days.