Healthy Guests: Happy Holidays

Safety Tips for Brilliant Buffets and Perfect Party Platters

A popular way to celebrate holidays or any party occasion is to invite friends and family to a buffet. However, this type of food service, where foods may be out for long periods leaves the door open for uninvited guests—bacteria that cause foodborne illness.  Here are some tips for a safe and brilliant buffet:

Keep Cold Foods Cold!

Foods on a buffet can be kept cold by placing food dishes in larger bowls of ice. For party trays purchasedat the supermarket, remove lid and fill lid with ice. Put the tray on top.

Rather than serve food from one larger platter, arrange food on several small platters.

Refrigerate platters of food until it is time to serve, and rotate food platters within two hours.

Follow the two hour rule!

Chill leftovers within two hours.  Keep the refrigerator at 40 degrees or below and use a refrigerator thermometer to check the temperature.

Keep Hot Foods Hot!

Hotfoods on a buffet can be kept hot with chafing dishes, crock pots, and warming trays and

should be at 140 degrees or warmer.

Eat leftovers within 3-4 days.

Reheat solid leftovers to 165 degrees, as measured by a food thermometer. Reheat liquid leftovers to a rolling boil.