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Food tips

Get the best of all ingredients.

Some ingredients are tricky to deal with, others require extra handling to give their best, sometimes going a little out your way renders spectacular results.

Seasonal

Salads are especially good when the warm season is over us, helping to keep us hydrated. Soups are comforting when th chill sets in.

Fruits and vegetables don’t have fat or cholesterol and they are a good source of fiber, the kind that helps to stabilize your body, provide the vitamins that make your hair, nails and skin glow and help you go about with less aches and pains and feeling full of energy.

The produce in season is always that with the sweetest taste. If fresh is not possible, frozen is the next best thing. Canned fruits and vegetables - especially commercially preserved ones - tend to have too much salt or sugar and their taste does not match their fresh counterparts.

Reheating food

Heat cooked, commercially vacuum-sealed, ready-to-eat foods, such as hams and roasts, to 140°F.

Foods that have been cooked ahead and cooled should be reheated to at least 165°F. Reheat leftovers thoroughly to at least 165 °F. Reheat sauces, soups, and gravies to a boil.

Reheating leftovers in slow cookers, steam tables or chafing dishes is not recommended because foods may stay in the "danger zone," between 40°F and 140°F, for too long. Bacteria multiply rapidly at these temperatures.

You can reheat foodl on the stove top. Place food in pan and heat thoroughly. The food should reach at least 165°F on a food thermometer when properly done.

To reheat food in the oven, place the food in an oven set no lower than 325°F. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the food.

To reheat the food In the microwave, stir, cover, and rotate fully cooked food for even heating. Heat the food until it reaches at least 165°F throughout or until boiling.