CDC Tips on Safely Cleaning Store Bought Food During COVID-19

It's crazy to think how quickly things have changed, not only in America, but around the world. Activities we used to take for granted, like getting free samples in the grocery stores, are probably gone for good. And honestly, I never really worried whether my plastic/paper grocery bag had coronavirus germs on it. Until now.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have some great resources on how to safely handle store bought food during the pandemic. And, according to their official website, "currently, there is no evidence to suggest that handling food or consuming food is associated with COVID-19". But they do have some safety measures as a reminder for all of us to be more aware of how germs are spread during these drastic times. Check out some of their official guidelines below, and y'all be careful out there!

• Handling packaged foods:
  
  • When unpacking groceries, refrigerate or freeze meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, and other perishables within 2 hours of purchasing.
  • Do NOT use disinfectants designed for hard surfaces, such as bleach or ammonia, on food packaged in cardboard or plastic wrap.
  • If reusable cloth bags become soiled, follow instructions for washing them, and dry them on the warmest appropriate setting.
• Handling and cleaning fresh produce:
  
  • Do not wash produce with soap, bleach, sanitizer, alcohol, disinfectant or any other chemical.
  • Gently rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under cold, running tap water.
  • Scrub uncut firm produce (e.g., potatoes, cucumbers, melons) with a clean brush, even if you don’t plan to eat the peel.
  • Salt, pepper, vinegar, lemon juice, and lime juice have not been shown to be effective at removing germs on produce.

They also have pointers on purchasing and handling bulk meat, poultry and seafood, handling meat from wild animals, food safety in the kitchen, and how to properly clean surfaces. You can find that info on the CDC official COVID-19 guidelines page. Just FYI - I always thought I was doing a really good job cleaning, until it came to the biggest worldwide  health crisis in history. I guess we can all use a little more help when it comes to keeping our families safe. #Justsayin'