Food Safety for Buffets and Parties

"What You Need to Know

• Separate raw meat, chicken and other poultry, seafood, and eggs from ready-to-eat foods.
• Use a food thermometer to make sure foods are cooked to a temperature hot enough to kill germs.
• Germs that can make you sick grow quickly when food is in the “Danger Zone,” between 40°F and 140°F.
• Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking. Divide leftovers into smaller portions to cool faster.

Gathering friends and family is fun, but beware of uninvited party guests. Foodborne germs can crash your buffet and make people sick with food poisoning. When cooking, preparing, or serving food for large groups, it’s important to keep food safe. Follow these steps to keep foodborne germs from spoiling your party.

Keep It Clean

• Wash your hands with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds before preparing, eating, or handling food. Wash your hands after using the bathroom and touching pets.
• Wash your cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops with hot, soapy water or in the dishwasher after preparing each food item.

Separate Raw Meat From Other Foods

• Separateexternal icon raw meat, chicken and other poultry, seafood, and eggs from foods that won’t be cooked before eating, such as fruit, salad greens, deli salads, and bread.
  • Keep raw meat, chicken and other poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from other foods when shopping for groceries and in the refrigerator.
  • Use separate cutting boards, plates, and knives for fresh fruits and vegetables and for raw meat, chicken and other poultry, seafood, and eggs.

Cook to a Safe Temperature

• Use a food thermometer to make sure foods are cooked to an internal temperature hot enough to kill germs. Check this chart for recommended temperaturesexternal icon.
• Follow recommended microwave cooking and standing times.external icon
  • Cold spots—areas that are not completely cooked when microwaved—can provide a hiding place for germs.
  • Always follow cooking instructions and directions for standing time, which is the extra time food should rest to finish cooking.

Serve Foods Safely

• If preparing food in advance, divide cooked food into shallow containersexternal icon and store in a refrigerator or freezer. This encourages rapid, even cooling.
• Keep hot foods hot at 140°F or warmer. Use slow cookers, chafing dishes, and warming trays to keep food hot on the buffet table.
• Keep cold foods cold at 40°F or below. Use small serving trays and replace often with fresh platters from the refrigerator, or place serving dishes in bowls of ice so they stay chilled.
• For picnics and other outdoor meals, keep cold food in a cooler filled with ice or frozen gel packs until just before serving.
• Catering or getting food delivered? Make sure food that is catered or delivered stays at a safe temperature..."
  Buffets and parties