Food safety is about handling, storing and preparing food to prevent infection and help to make sure that children’s food keeps enough nutrients for them to have a healthy diet. Unsafe food and water means it can cause infections or diseases. These diseases can make people very sick or even be life threatening. Washing hands and surfaces often will cause fewer bacteria to spread. Bacteria can be spread throughout the kitchen and get onto hands, cutting boards, utensils, countertops and food. Our hands naturally carry bacteria on them. If we transfer that bacterium to food, the food is a good place for those bacteria to grow! On the other hand, foods contain a certain amount of bacteria on them as well, especially raw foods. It is important not to let the bacteria from raw foods stay on your hands where you may transfer them to your mouth or other foods. Preschoolers are much less likely to get sick if they wash their hands properly. Plus, it may become a healthy habit for life! Children should wash their hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds each time they use the bathroom, before and after handling food, after playing with pets, after coughing or sneezing, and whenever you're hands are dirty. Parents can make washing hands fun for children by singing them a song. Food that hasn't been prepared safely may contain bacteria. Food is safely cooked when it reaches a high enough internal temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause illness.  Food safety's about more than keeping your hands away from a whirring food processor blade - it means knowing how to avoid spreading bacteria, safe shopping, and more. The good news is that you can keep on top of bacteria and foodborne illness by playing it safe when buying, preparing, and storing food Refrigerate foods quickly because cold temperatures slow the growth of harmful bacteria. The proper way to thaw such products is to either thaw them in the refrigerator or thaw them in