After Christmas feasts have been eaten and extra food is put away, there are some safety tips to follow in order to prevent food-borne illnesses. Jason Taylor with Washington County Environmental Health says there’s a recommended way to put food in the refrigerator. Hot dishes should be put in a shallow pan on the top shelf in the refrigerator, and that should be done within half an hour after it’s been sitting out. Taylor says metal pans are best with the lids off, because plastic holds heat. The goal is to have the food below 41 degrees within six hours. By lowering the temperature of the food within six hours you prevent bacteria from growing in your food.

When you decide to eat that extra food, be sure to heat it back up to 165 degrees whether that’s on the stove or in the microwave. He also reminds everyone to always wash your hands before preparing food, not just during the holidays but always.