Whether you’re going out or staying in over the festive season, we’ve got the ingredients to help make sure yours is a safe and healthy one.
Look before you book
If you’re going out for a Christmas meal, make sure you check the food hygiene rating before you book. Look out for the green and black food hygiene rating stickers displayed on windows and doors or check online at www.food.gov.uk/ratings. You can keep up to date when you’re on the go too with the FHRS app. 96.5% of restaurants in the borough have a hygiene rating of 3 or above so there’s plenty to choose from!
Staying in?
Make sure food poisoning doesn’t ruin your festive feast with our top food safety tips:
- Don’t wash your turkey (or other poultry) as it splashes bacteria around the kitchen
- Ensure your Christmas bird is properly defrosted - check there’s no ice in the body cavity and that the legs and wings move freely.
- Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling meat and poultry.
- Make sure the turkey is cooked all the way through until the juices run clear of blood.
- Keep raw and ready-to-eat foods separate to avoid cross contamination
- Cool leftovers quickly and then refrigerate immediately; eat all leftovers within three days; if reheating, ensure the food is piping hot all the way through before serving.
- If you’re preparing a buffet, keep cold items covered and in the fridge until the last minute. Don't keep them out for more than four hours.
For more food safety tips visit our website.
Use a licenced taxi
If you are getting into a taxi or mini cab, make sure it’s licensed. You can easily tell by checking that the vehicle has council-issued identity plates and that the driver is wearing a photo identity badge. Take the phone number of a reputable taxi firm you know and trust with you when you go out for the night, and never get in to a stranger’s car if you are offered a lift.
Don't let drink sneak up on you
If you’ll be enjoying a drink this festive season, you can keep track of how much you’re drinking with a helpful app from the Change 4 Life website. The number of units in each drink may surprise you. It also helps you keep track of how many calories are in each drink and how much you’re spending.
To download the app or find out some of the other tools available, visit the Change 4 Life website.
