Food safety is important in keeping our bodies healthy but we all know that it is not closely watched for every time we prepare food. There are certain steps in preparing food that can be time-consuming for the cook and they do get overlooked most of the time.

Back then, when cooking is convenient and doable for us, we know what goes exactly to our food and we never prepare something that is dangerous for our health and our family’s as well. We make sure they are always fresh and clean, applying painstaking ways to make sure of that as well. But what if somebody else is now doing all the cooking for you? You are completely at their mercy plus you will never know what’s in there.

All food lovers who enjoy eating more than cooking will agree, if and when somebody else cooks for you it is always better and enjoyable. That is why we love dining out with friends or visiting over their houses for some catching up and home-cooked meals; however, these practices may bring health risks to you if you are not too careful. One rule in dining out or dining else where: dirty dining area plus dirty kitchen means you should get out of there fast and find somewhere else to eat. The same goes for delis, cafes and public dining places.

Bacteria and viruses found their way to our foods, no matter how carefully we handled them so the next best thing for us to do is somehow lessen the risks if not eliminating them all together. Seniors should know that foods today can no longer stay fresh after two hours prior to cooking itself so it is not advisable to cook in excess especially if you are not expecting company. Prepare only what you can eat right away or if you are trying to cook something in advance to save you time, then freeze them as soon as the food cooled down a bit.

Senior citizens are more at risk for foodborne illnesses or commonly referred to as food poisoning more than any other age-group. This is because a senior’s digestive system grows sensitive overtime and will not accept anymore some types of foods that are normally taken by the person before. Also, seniors tend to have lower immune system and therefore would not able to combat common foodborne bacteria. This is exactly why seniors should try to stay away from eating raw meats—the common breeding ground for bacteria.

Here are some general food safety tips for seniors:
·    Your food should be eaten within two hours prior to cooking.
·    If you need to keep perishable goods for longer periods of time, freeze them at once.
·    Wash everything that came in contact with raw meats thoroughly when cooking especially utensils used such as knife and cutting board.
·    Wash your hands before and after eating, no matter how clean you thought it was.