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Thanksgiving Food Safety Tips

By Dylan Bailey, MS

 

 

Tis’ the season to give thanks for many things in our life – including family, friends and our health. We’re also thankful for the sweet and savory foods we’ve come to love this time of year, which give us that warm, fuzzy, and comforting feeling. You know what we’re talking about.

Before we can even dig in, we need to think about how our favorite Thanksgiving food is prepared. It may seem pretty obvious, but the way foods were sourced, made and served at the first Thanksgiving in 1621, is totally different from what we might experience at the table today. In the spirit of the holidays, we are appreciative of one of these distinct mealtime differences that separates us from the pilgrims: the knowledge and use of proper food safety practices.

At Libby’s®, we want you and your guests to experience food to its fullest and most importantly, safest potential. One in six Americans will get a foodborne illness this year, and we want to be on the front lines with you to help ensure a safe, healthy and delicious holiday. To do this, we’ve curated tips that you can use in your everyday life, no matter if you’re cooking for 20 people or just bringing the pumpkin pie, sourced from expert organizations like the Centers for Disease Control, United States Department of Agriculture and the Partnership for Food Safety Education. Join us in being food safe this Thanksgiving!

Let’s start with the following four food safety tips:

Handling and preparing food properly are critical to prevent a food-related illness from impacting you, your family and friends this holiday season. Use these four food safety tips when purchasing, handling, storing, preparing and serving foods.

1. Clean: Wash hands and surfaces often.
Wash your hands with soap and clean running water, and rub them together for at least 20 seconds. Do this before, during and after preparing food and before eating. Wash your utensils, cutting boards, and countertops with hot, soapy water between each food preparation step.

2Separate: Avoid cross-contamination
Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs (including their juices) away from ready-to-eat foods and eating surfaces. This includes when grocery shopping. Use separate cutting boards and plates for raw meat, poultry, and seafood. Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from all other foods in the fridge. Eating turkey? Use these tips to ensuring a delicious and safe bird makes it to the table.

3. Cook: Cook foods to the proper temperature
Food is safely cooked when the internal temperature gets high enough to kill germs that can make you sick. The only way to tell if food is safely cooked is to use a food thermometer. You can’t tell if food is safely cooked by checking its color and texture. See here for a helpful list of proper holiday food temperatures.

4. Chill: Refrigerate promptly
Keep your refrigerator below 40°F. Refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours (If outdoor temperature is above 90°F, refrigerate within 1 hour). Thaw frozen food safely in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. Never thaw foods on the counter, because bacteria multiply quickly in the parts of the food that reach room temperature.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/keep-food-safe.html

Let’s talk about leftovers:

  • Place food into shallow containers and immediately put in the refrigerator or freezer for rapid cooling.
  • Throw away all perishable foods, such as meat, poultry, eggs and casseroles, left at room temperature longer than two hours; one hour in air temperatures above 90°F.
  • Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of 165°F.
  • Eat cooked leftovers within 4 days.
  • Most importantly, when in doubt, throw it out!

What about canned foods?

  • Canned foods offer convenient access to nutrient-dense foods, including fruits and vegetables, all year long and are safe indefinitely as long as they are not exposed to freezing temperatures, or temperatures above 90°F.
  • If the cans look ok, they are safe to use. Discard cans that are dented, rusted, or swollen.
  • High-acid canned food (tomatoes, fruits) will keep their best quality for 12 to 18 months; low-acid canned food (meats, vegetables) for 2 to 5 years.

We hope this refresher on food safety will ensure a healthy and delicious Thanksgiving for you and your loved ones. Apply your newfound knowledge when preparing these seasonal side dishes using Libby’s® Canned Vegetables listed below!

Gluten-Free Corn and Zucchini Pie

Corn and Zucchini Pie

Crock Pot Sweet Corn Spoon Bread

Crockpot Sweet Corn Spoon Bread

Bacon Corn Sourdough Stuffing

Bacon Corn Sourdough Stuffing

For more recipe ideas, check out Libby’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for delicious holiday dishes.

Pack Up Your Basket for National Picnic Month

By Samantha Bailey, Registered Dietitian

July is mostly know for fireworks, memorable days spent at the beach, and warm summer nights. But did you know it’s also National Picnic Month? That’s right! So let’s pack up that wicker basket, break out the checkered red blanket, and have a tasty meal with loved ones, all while enjoying a beautiful summer day.

Lighten It Up

Creamy Potato Carrot Mash

Your basket doesn’t have to be filled with only traditional picnic foods, such as potato salad and baked beans to name a couple. Try changing it up with a lighter dish, like this Creamy Potato Carrot Mash – a healthier twist on the classic mashed potatoes that will help you get closer to reaching the recommended 4-5 cups of vegetables a day.  

Picnic with Peas

Pea, Ricotta and Bacon Salad

Move over pasta salad, there’s a new dish in town. Whip up this Pea, Ricotta and Bacon Salad made with Libby’s® Sweet Peas at your next picnic for a burst of flavor. The salad has three of the five key food groups: protein, vegetables, and dairy, offering a filling and nutritious meal to add to your relaxing day.

Finish off with a Pop

Sweet Corn Frozen Pops

No picnic is complete without dessert. After enjoying the warm sun, cool off with these Sweet Corn Frozen Pops. They’re made with Libby’s® Whole Kernel Sweet Corn Cups and Greek yogurt to top off your fun-filled day with nutritious vegetables and protein.

Bid Hunger Adieu: Three Stay-Full Snacks

When was the last time you were “hangry”? A combination of hungry and angry, the term describes that unfortunate phenomenon when you’re extra cranky because it’s been too long since you’ve last chowed. Being hangry often sneaks up on us, striking when we’re too busy and stressed to realize what’s happening and usually during that lengthy lunch-to-dinner stretch. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution: fiber. This dietary substance is found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, and eating more of it can help keep you feel fuller—and fuss-free—for longer. Try out the below fiber-filled snack recipes and kick your hangry self to the curb.

Dipping delight

 

This Seven Layer Dip combines three fiercely fiber-packed ingredients: Libby’s® Whole Kernel Sweet Corn, Libby’s® Cut Green Beans and black beans. Pair it with your favorite whole grain chips, crackers or flatbread for a delicious and satiating snack.

Packing heat

 

These Spiced & Stuffed Samosa “Baked” Potatoes are as flavorful as they are filling. Libby’s® Sweet Corn, Libby’s® Cut Green Beans and Libby’s® Sweet Peas bring the fiber, and smoked paprika and curry powder bring the heat.

Colorful crunch 

 

Transform stale bread into mouth-watering magic with this recipe for Sweet Corn & Tomato Pesto Bruschetta. Roma tomatoes, Libby’s® Whole Kernel Sweet Corn and fresh pesto make a vibrant and energy-boosting topping to whole wheat toast.  

See Who Is Talking about Libby’s

 

No matter what the occasion, Libby’s® Vegetables give busy families new options for delivering delicious, nutritious meals without breaking the bank. Here are some recent blog posts that share the convenience and taste families have come to expect from the Libby’s brand.

 

 

Snappy Gourmet

Master entertainer, Lisa from Snappy Gourmet enjoys easy appetizers that require minimal work but still bring the taste that her guests have come to expect. Her original recipe for Corn & Crab Salad Tortilla Cups is extra flavorful and can be whipped up for the last-minute opportunity to host friends and family. 

Eat At Home

Eat at Home Blogger Tiffany often relies on canned vegetables to complete her meals with satisfyingly simple side dishes. As a big fan of Libby’s® Sweet Peas, she dressed up her usual go-to vegetable choice with a tasty twist in her recipe for Lemon Pepper Parmesan Peas.    

Additionally, Better in Bulk, This Mama Loves, Two Bite Club and Koupon Karen got in on the Libby’s fun, blogging about the convenience and delicious taste of Libby’s® Vegetable Cups. Focused on all five flavor varieties, these bloggers shared their appreciation for ease and convenience of the perfectly portioned vegetable cups. Better in Bulk, This Mama Loves and Two Bite Club even posted recipes for their own tasty dishes using Libby’s® Sweet Peas, Diced Carrots, Sweet Corn, Cut Green Bean and Peas and Carrots vegetables cups. 

One-Pot Meals Bring Perfection to Dinnertime

During this busy time of year, we could all use some short cuts. Cooking dinner is one of the biggest chores of the day—but these one-pot meals are simple to make and delicious.

Spicy Buffalo Chicken Stew

This is a great hearty dinner for the cold winter nights. The beauty of the slow cooker is being able to throw all of the ingredients in and letting it work its magic. You don’t have to worry about constantly checking a pot on the stove.  Libby’s® Whole Kernel Sweet Corn and Libby’s® Sliced Carrots add delicious veggie flavor.

Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup

This is a really satisfying meal for a busy weeknight. And it certainly delivers your daily dose of veggies!  You’ll need two cans of Libby’s® Mixed Vegetables and one can of Libby’s® Sliced Carrots for this recipe. 

Make Your Own Cloth Napkins

With dinner taken care of, you’ll have some time to spend on an interesting project. So many of us are DIYers—why not make something that you can use for this and future dinners? And think of it this way: You’ll also be more sustainable because you won’t be wasting paper.

What’s your favorite one-pot recipe? Share your go-to winter recipe on our Facebook page.

Creative Ways to Use Thanksgiving Leftovers

Thanksgiving gives us the chance to spend time with our family, be thankful for all of the good things in our lives, and, of course, eat delicious food. From turkey to stuffing to pies, there is always enough food to last for days! Here are some ways to make Thanksgiving leftovers just as exciting the second time around.

Grilled Turkey Reuben Wraps

Most families have plenty of leftover turkey to go around—it’s a matter of finding creative ways to use it! Use fresh turkey here to make this twist on the classic deli sandwich; it’s so much better than cold cuts. Give the sandwich its trademark kick with Libby’s® Sauerkraut and enjoy!

Leftover Stuffing Veggie Bites

Stuffing always takes center stage as far as side dishes go, but there’s only so much of it you can eat after Thanksgiving has come and gone. These tasty veggie bites combine stuffing, along with half a can of Libby’s® Peas and half a can of Carrots to give the holiday side dish new life—and makes them the perfect complement to any leftover dinner.   

Day-After Turkey Soup

Nothing beats a warm, hearty soup on a cold day. This recipe gives you the chance to mix Thanksgiving turkey with some vegetables that didn’t grace the holiday table. To make this recipe even easier to prepare, substitute one can of Libby’s® Cut Green Beans in place of fresh, a can of Sliced Carrots instead of sweet potatoes, and a can of Whole Kernel Sweet Corn instead of frozen.  Feel free to add more or less of each veggie to your liking!