MyKitchenz

Kitchen hygiene and food safety are an essential part of any kitchen, whether you’re cooking in a five-star restaurant or in your own home.

Poor kitchen hygiene can result in a widespread population of germs, food poisoning, and even serious illnesses. So, it’s critical that you keep your kitchen clean, store food properly, and maintain your own personal hygiene.

However, while many of us think we have a good knowledge of food safety, many of us don’t really know the ins-and-outs of kitchen hygiene. Sure, we know to wash our hands and cook food all the way through, but do we know what temperature our fridge should be and how to reheat food effectively?

Here, we’ve created a beginner’s guide to food hygiene to help make your kitchen a safer place.

Wash your hands

This is one of the most obvious, and one of the most important, parts of kitchen hygiene. While all of us (we hope!) know the importance of washing our hands, there are some technical things to know about this basic task.

You should be washing your hands before and after cooking food, as well as after touching raw meat, pets, or going to the toilet. There are eleven stages of hand washing, which can be found here, and washing your hands should take around 20 seconds to ensure your hands are properly germ-free.

Cook food properly

Another important step to reduce the risk of food poisoning is to cook food all the way through and until it’s piping hot.

While some meats can be cooked less, such as beef and lamb, most meat will need to be cooked thoroughly before eating. Poultry, pork, offal, burgers, sausages, minced meat (including minced beef and lamb), and kebabs all need to be cooked through to the middle.

You can check whether food is cooked by cutting into the middle to check for pink meat and that the juices are running clear.

This post by NI Direct has more information on cooking food properly.

Store food safely

Storing food incorrectly is another source of contamination and there are multiple steps you can take to reduce this risk.

Make sure any leftovers are cooled down to room temperature within two hours and stored in a fridge that has a temperature of less than 5˚C. Store raw meat at the bottom of the fridge in a sealed container and ensure the fridge isn’t too full to allow air to continue to circulate.

It’s also essential to wash your fridge regularly with warm soapy water or disinfectant to keep it clean and hygienic.

When it comes to heating up leftovers, make sure that all cooked food is eaten within two days and that it’s heated thoroughly to 70˚C. It’s also key to check that it retains this heat for at least two minutes after heating.

This post by the NHS Live Well has some more key tips for storing food safely, including freezing and defrosting food.

Clean surfaces thoroughly

Make sure your kitchen surfaces, bins, and dishcloths/towels are clean to ensure your kitchen is safe.

Kitchen surfaces should be washed with warm soapy water or a disinfectant before and after cooking and when anything has spilled onto counters. It’s also vital that you thoroughly dry your surfaces after washing them, as any dampness or water can harbour surviving germs.

Bins should be washed at least every three to four days, and dishcloths/ towels should be washed after every use.

Avoid cross-contamination

Cross-contamination is a key source of illness and germs, so it’s important to take steps to prevent it from happening.

We spoke to Kitchen Knives for some tips, who said: “Cooking utensils such as knives and chopping boards need to be washed between different food preparation to prevent food poisoning, especially between preparing raw meat and ready-to-eat food. It’s even better if you can have separate utensils full-stop, which really cuts down the chance of cross-contamination.”

Follow ‘use-by’ dates

Finally, many people ignore ‘use-by’ dates which can cause serious illness.

While ‘best before’ dates only indicate the quality of the food, ‘use-by’ dates actually indicate whether something is safe to eat, according to scientific calculations. By ignoring these, you can put yourself at risk of food poisoning.

The heart of a home is the kitchen but gets dirty very fast. The kitchen is the place where you prepare your meal so it has to be clean and healthy. So it is important to keep the kitchen clean whether you are cooking or doing other chores as well.

A dirty kitchen can be a threat to you and your family’s health. It can pass diseases through the food you make in the kitchen. So, cleaning the kitchen come first in making a healthy home.

How to Keep Your Kitchen Clean While Cooking?

With the busy schedule of the modern world, we often fail to maintain times for organizing and cleaning home. And a clean home is needed to have a healthy weather. So, we need simple and easy ways to clean and keep the kitchen clean. So now we are giving you some tips here to keep your kitchen neat and clean.

1. Begin with a Neat and Clean Kitchen

To keep your kitchen clean in the cooking period, you must have to start with a clean kitchen. If you cook in a clean kitchen, it will have a psychological impact on your brain. And it will increase you wish to keep it that way all along.

2. Use Proper Filter and Faucet

Sometimes, we tend to forget the importance a reliable water source in a kitchen. And, reliable and water come from the kitchen faucet and filtration system. It also makes sure that you have healthy and safe water for food and cleaning of other kitchen appliances. So, you should have a proper kitchen faucet and filtration system for your kitchen.

3. Empty Dishwasher and Sink

This is a simple but brilliant suggestion before you start cooking make it sure the dishwasher and sink you will use is empty; so that, you can clean and load dirty stuff and dishes quickly rather than leaving them there for hours. Clean the sink after finished washing the dishes and stuff.

4. Keep the Garbage Can Close

Keep the recycle bin or garbage can close enough to throw the waste right away to it rather than gather the waste from the recipes on the counter.

You can also reduce the garbage of the can by regularly cleaning it on the trash day. If you keep less amount of dirt for a long time, it will not make air dirty.

5. Pick Up the Things Before Sticking

It is very normal to drop some food or vegetables or food element on the floor, pick up the things before it sticks on the floor or someone stepped on it.

6. Enlist Conclusive Products

Extensible cutting mats grant clean cutting; it doesn’t let escape even the smallest piece. The spoons and pots that you use to measure elements grants for continuous using and spray screens lower the grease overspray. There are many products that can make your kitchen less mess or safer.

7. Always Keep the Cleaning Materials Ready

While cooking always remember to keep a towel and dish wiping cloth. Always while cooking the crumbs will spill as they should be, the towel you are keeping in your apron or back pocket take it out and wipe the spilled place, keep it clean and minimize the trash and paper towel wastage.

8. Use the Cooking Down Time

When your food is in the oven or on the stove, make sure to utilize the downtime cleaning up the rest. The timer will tell you when to move your attention to your oven or stove, in the meantime, you can always reset your You can watch a soap or listen to music while doing it.

Final Thought

Sometimes it’s not enough to have a clean workspace or increased the safety of the kitchen to keep you physically and psychologically healthy. It’s going to work when you enjoy doing it and having fun to have it. I hope my tips on cleaning the kitchen will help you do it easily.

A clean kitchen improves the overall health of the home environment. Also, nothing can be more enjoyable for a cook than cooking in a clean kitchen. So, we hope these tips will help you keep your kitchen clean.

Kitchens are arguably the warmest parts of any room. Many ways have been used to try and reduce the effect of the high temperatures in the kitchen. Air conditioners can be said to be the best in dealing with this menace, however, they are very expensive to install and maintain.

Windows fans have been specifically made for the same purpose, the only difference being that they are more cost effective. Most people, however, have not embraced the use of window fans, but it is only because they don’t know the efficiency and effectiveness of these fans. We give you tips on how to use a window fan effectively in your kitchen, giving you a cool and comfortable environment that you so dearly need.

Most people, however, have not embraced the use of window fans, but it is only because they don’t know the efficiency and effectiveness of these fans. We give you tips on how to use a window fan effectively in your kitchen, giving you a cool and comfortable environment that you so dearly need.

Number of fans–

Normally, using more fans is more efficient. However, you should ensure that the number of fans bringing cool air in is equal to the number of fans taken out the warm air. If the number of total fans is not even, it is advisable that you let the last fan bring air in. Try and ensure that your kitchen has as many numbers of fans as possible to ensure your kitchen is kept at desirable temperatures.

Normally, using more fans is more efficient. However, you should ensure that the number of fans bringing cool air in is equal to the number of fans taken out the warm air. If the number of total fans is not even, it is advisable that you let the last fan bring air in. Try and ensure that your kitchen has as many numbers of fans as possible to ensure your kitchen is kept at desirable temperatures.

Place your fans strategically–

For effectiveness, it is highly advisable that you ensure that the fans bringing cool air in are placed along the shady area of your kitchen. The fans blowing air out should be placed on the side that sunlight is coming in. If your kitchen is made up of several stories, the fans on the ground level should be the ones blowing air in while the fans in the upper levels should be the ones blowing air out. This is because warm air is light and hence rises up.

Still, on the placement, it is important that you don’t place the inlet fans near your waste bins. This is because the incoming air is likely to blow some unpleasant smell from your bins which could be unhygienic.

Consider the size of your fans–

When choosing the fans for your kitchen, it is very important that you consider using the bigger sizes. The big fans work efficiently by getting rid of warm air more rapidly while at the same time letting cool air in. It is worthy to consider consulting an expert to advise you on the best size of fans for your kitchen.

What not to do

What to do when using best window fan in your kitchen is very important, but what you should not do is equally important. It is very important that you know the things you should avoid to make sure that your kitchen fan works efficiently and you get the best out of it.

The first thing that you should not do is to keep the fans working when the temperature of your kitchen is cool enough and capable of offsetting the expected temperature of the day. Usually, the temperature of the day in your kitchen should be an average of the daytime and nighttime temperature experienced outside your room.

Something else that you should avoid is to keep the window gaps that are adjacent to your fans unsealed. This is because, if the fan brings in cool air, a local pressure build up will be experienced inside your kitchen. This means that the cool air will be forced to go out and the unsealed window gaps will provide an easy escape route. You can just use some drapes or some papers, placing them at the fans side to reduce the effects of the built up air pressure.

Conclusion

Window fans can be used to supplement the air conditioners, but when used effectively, the window fans can actually replace the air conditioners completely from your kitchen. This saves you a lot of expenses associated with running an air conditioner as the window fans do not require any power to operate.

You should do some research and involve some experts in designing and placing the window fans in your kitchen. You should follow the instructions and know what to do and what not to do. Have a cool and clean working environment by using your window fan effectively!

The humble kitchen knife is, arguably the most important tool you own for the kitchen. Sure, you can buy all sorts of clever gadgets and gizmos these days, and some are absolutely amazing (while others are utterly pointless), but when it comes to food prep, a good knife is worth its weight in gold.

Knives will not only make your cooking experience easier and more enjoyable, but they will save you plenty of time, too. Investing in a good set means you will have knives that last you for years to come, so taking the time to choose some that are high quality is well worth your time!

So what do you need to bear in mind? We thought we’d put together this short guide to choosing the perfect knife set for you. Read on to find out more!

The basics

First things first, if you don’t know the first thing about different knives and what they are used for, let’s run through the basics. There are three key knives that you need in your kitchen and several more specialist knives that you may wish to invest in if you are more serious about spending time in the kitchen.

Chef’s knife

A chef’s knife is an all-rounder, and the most reached for in any kitchen. It can perform most of the tasks you’ll need a knife for, from chopping and dicing vegetables and herbs, to preparing meat, and plenty more besides.

Chef’s knives come in different sizes, and you may wish to invest in a few for different tasks, but choosing just one that is comfortable in your hand should be perfectly adequate.

Bread knife

As the name suggests, a bread knife is a knife we all commonly use to slice bread. It is also known as a serrated knife, and can also be used on anything delicate that is easily damaged, such as cakes and fruit with a waxy skin.

A bread knife is also great for carving meat if you don’t own a carving knife, so it’s a bit of an all rounder!

Paring knife

When it comes to small, fiddly tasks, a paring knife is what you’ll want to reach for. This will likely be the smallest blade you own, and they are ideal for tasks where you would typically hold an item in your hands, such as a piece of fruit for coring and peeling. They are also perfect for tasks like deseeding chillies and deveining shellfish.

These are the basic knives you’ll need to get by in the kitchen, but there are more knives out there that you may want to consider once you get serious in the kitchen. This guide from Jamie Oliver will give you a good idea of what knives are out there and which ones you may want to invest in.

Comfort

Another thing that is hugely important when you are looking for the right knife set for you, is how comfortable a knife is in your hand. Since everybody’s hands are different, this is a very personal thing, so you should try to go into a shop and try different knives in your hands.

We spoke to Kitchen Knives who told us “in terms of what you’re looking for, the knife shouldn’t feel too heavy or too light, should fit comfortably in your hand, and should feel balanced. You can check the balance by seeing whether the knife remains level when you rest it across your fingers.”

Material

Last but not least, it’s important to know what you are looking for in terms of the material your knives are made from. The material essentially dictates the quality of the knives, how long they will stay sharp for, and how long they will last you in the long run.

Avoid stainless steel, as although they are the cheapest option, you really do get what you pay for. They tend to lose their edge very quickly which is rather frustrating and means you will need to sharpen them often.

Damascus steel and ceramic knives cost the most and are what most professional chefs reach for as they keep their edge for a long time as the materials are hard.

For the average home chef, carbon steel is a great option. It is resilient and will need sharpening far less frequently than stainless steel, but it is still affordable.

More often than not you find yourself wondering which cookware material is best for you. It may sound like an easy decision to make, but it can be a challenging task. If all it entailed were looking and picking one I would tell you to do it.

However, there is a broad range of materials used in the cookware manufacturing industry. The catch here is to choose a cookware material that will serve you best and not jeopardize your health.

Particular cookware materials are more efficient than others. For instance, the ideal material for braising should be able to hold and regulate heat irrespective of changes in temperature. Also, a perfect sauté pan should be very sensitive to changes in temperature. Your goal should, therefore, be having a collection of pieces with material that suit your cooking styles or to some extent the type of food you cook and your heating system. Some of the best cookware is designed with a blend of various material to give it a few desirable factors and make it efficient. In this guide, we will discuss the various materials used in cookware and how they will affect your cooking styles.

Copper

Of all the materials used in cookware, copper is best to heat conductor. As a result, it is most highly responsive material. This means that it heats evenly and rapidly when on a cooktop and cools down as soon as it is removed from heat. This gives you complete control on heat application as well as the cooking process. Due to its high responsiveness, it is the most priced cookware material. High-quality copper pans are made of a heavy gauge ranging from 1/16 to 1/8 inches in thickness.

As good as it sounds, in most cookware, copper cannot be used alone as reacts with acidic foods as well as natural minerals, which could result in a metallic taste and a yellow tint on food. Cooper cookware must be therefore lined with nonreactive metals such as stainless steel or tin to ensure a protective barrier between copper and food content. Tin has been traditionally used to line most copper cookware since it is equally responsive and non-reactive. The only shortcoming with tin is that it is prone to ware with time and will, therefore, need a re-application. Stainless steel, on the other hand, will last a long time but it will alter copper’s responsiveness. At an extra cost, you can reduce this effect by using a thick gauge copper.

Copper is nonmagnetic hence not ideal for use with induction cooktops. Copper cookware handles are either made of iron, stainless steel or brass. All handle types are safe for use in ovens. This material cookware is however not dishwasher safe. Always hand wash it and probably apply copper polish to maintain the shiny luster. However, polish or not, its performance is always at its best.

Pros

• Non-reactive when lined with other metals
• Exquisite heat conductivity

Cons

• Expensive
• Not compatible with induction cooktops without installation disks.

Aluminum

After copper, pure aluminum is the next best in heat conductivity. It is however not as expensive as copper. It makes a perfectly responsive and lightweight cookware especially when strengthened using copper, magnesium or other metals. As good as it is, natural aluminum is highly reactive with acidic foods like tomatoes hence giving food a dull gray tint and a metallic taste. In an attempt to curb this effect, most aluminum cookware sets are clad with stainless steel, anodized or lined with a nonstick coat. Anodizing is a process that hardens the aluminum’s surface that results in a dark grey color. Anodizing has become a trend in that even aluminum with stainless steel or nonstick interiors are being anodized to increase durability, ease of cleaning and attractiveness.

Though most aluminum cookware is not compatible with induction cooktops unless they have a steel exterior, it makes the finest line of nonstick cookware. Aluminum cookware remains the most practical choice for large pot pieces because of its lightweight nature. Aluminum remains the most popular core for clad stainless steel cookware.

Pros

• Non-reactive and non-porous when lined with other materials
• High heat conductivity

Cons

• Non-stick lining has a short lifespan
• Cannot be used in high heat lined with ceramic and other nonstick materials

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel results from the addition of nickel and chromium to steel. This makes the steel mainly anti-corrosive hence the name stainless steel. The most preferred type of stainless steel has nickel and chromium in the ratio of 10/18 though other forms still perform great. This material is however commonly used due to its attractiveness and durability. Stainless steel is often used in cookware interiors because it does not react with alkaline or acidic foods. This quality ensures a great degree of purity of any food cooked. No matter what food it is, you can be assured that it will have no metallic taste or discoloration. Stainless steel does not scratch easily, and it is oven, broiler, and dishwasher safe.

Stainless steel by itself would make pathetic cookware. This is because it has very poor or low heat conductivity. However, through the permanent bonding of stainless steel layers to highly conductive metals like copper and aluminum, stainless steel clad cookware that results is considered one of the most practical and versatile. This process marries the conductive qualities of copper and aluminum to the impervious nature of stainless steel resulting to a do-anything attractive cookware.

In addition to permanent bonding, stainless steel is also improved by impact bonding a heavy gauge aluminum disk to the bottom of a thin gauge sheet of a straight stainless steel.  Compared to clad cookware, this improvement method does not yield as much heat conductivity and durability. However, well-made cookware performs great with reduced uses. In addition to that, impact-bonded cookware comes at a lower cost yet maintains its easy maintenance and nonreactive interior.

Cast Iron

Cast iron itself is a very poor heat conductor. This means that it is slow to heat up when putting on a cooktop and slow to cool down when removed. This self-regulating mechanism makes cast iron the most preferred material for grill pans, griddles, Dutch ovens and frying pans. Cast iron in cookware comes in two forms that are, enameled coated or in its natural state. Both perform great except a few notable differences. While enameled cast iron cookware is easy to clean, totally nonreactive and maintenance free, original cast iron will require seasoning otherwise it will rust. It, however, develops a completely non-stick surface after several seasonings.

Enameled cast iron cookware is, however, more pricey than original cast iron cookware. Besides its cumbersome nature, cast iron cookware is very durable and is chipping, denting and warping resistant.

Pros

• Very long lasting
• A good self-regulating nature that allows it to heat up slowly and cool down slowly keeping food warm for longer periods of time

Cons

• Natural cast iron requires regular seasoning to avoid rusting
• Too heavy to small-scale everyday use
• Some uncoated cast iron pans cook unevenly

Which Is the Safest and Healthiest?

Settling on the decision of which of these materials is most reliable and healthy is not an easy thing. This is because each of these materials has its pros and cons and in addition to that, different types of cooking will call for cookware made of different material. However, from a quick glance at each of these metals, it is safe to conclude that stainless steel cookware is the safest and healthiest to use.

Though copper and aluminum cookware have been coated or clad with other nonreactive material, you would be best placed with a stainless steel cookware in case of things like chipping or scratching. Cast iron, on the other hand, is not reactive but is highly prone to rust unless enamel-coated or seasoned. In cases of seasoning, you can never be 100% sure that you have done it right and that consumption of rust is out of the question. When weight is concerned, stainless steel still has the right or rather most practical weight in handling hence reduced damages in cases of accidents.

Final Take

In conclusion, deciding the best cookware for your kitchen depends on some several factors and not the material used only. You should, therefore, consider all the factors that are both universal and personal factors. By personal factors I mean such thing as your style of cooking, type of cooking tops and or the styles of cooking you hope to achieve.

All these factors put together should inform your final decision on the best product for your kitchen. Have in mind that for reactive metals like copper and aluminum, precaution has been taken in their manufacture to ensure that they are safe for use in cooking and you should not shy from purchasing them. The secret is going for what works for you best as far as your cooking style, cooktops, budget, weight, material among others is concerned. The goal is to have an assorted collection of cookware that serves your various cooking needs.