HOUSTON – (Nov. 21, 2011) – The holidays are a time for celebrating with loved ones and enjoying favorite family recipes and tasty treats, so the last thing you want is to get sick from the food you eat.

Roberta Anding, director of Sports Nutrition at Texas Children’s Hospital and a registered dietitian with Baylor College of Medicine, has a few tips so you can make the most of the season.

• Always use a meat thermometer to check if the turkey or other meat is fully cooked. The color of the turkey can’t determine the safety of the meat.
• An easy way to remember to what temperature the meat should be cooked is the catchy rhyme, “Bacteria don’t thrive at 165.”
• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly during food preparation.
• Don’t forget, meat isn’t the only food that can make you sick. Wash all produce before cutting and chopping.
• Refrigerator leftovers within two hours. Do not leave food out all day for grazing.
• Use a thermometer when reheating food as well.

About Texas Children's Hospital
Texas Children's Hospital is committed to a community of healthy children by providing the finest pediatric patient care, education and research. Renowned worldwide for its expertise and breakthrough developments in clinical care and research, Texas Children's is nationally ranked in all 10 subspecialties in U.S.News & World Report's list of Best Children's Hospitals. Texas Children's also operates the nation's largest primary pediatric care network, with more than 40 offices throughout the greater Houston community. Texas Children's has embarked on a $1.5 billion expansion, Vision 2010, which includes the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, a comprehensive obstetrics facility focusing on high-risk births and a community hospital in suburban West Houston. For more information on Texas Children's Hospital, go to www.texaschildrens.org. Get the latest news from Texas Children’s Hospital by visiting the online newsroom and on Twitter at twitter.com/texaschildrens.