Recommended Kitchen Food Safety Gear

The Kitchen Food Safety Binder asks you to cook to temperature, keep the fridge at 40°F or below, keep raw food apart and date what you store. These are the tools that make that easy, with the specification that matters for each.

To measure

Temperature is the rule; color is not.

• Digital instant-read food thermometer

  A thin probe that reads in a few seconds; check it with the ice-water test (32°F).

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• Leave-in probe thermometer with alarm

  For roasts and whole birds; the alarm tells you when the center reaches temperature.

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• Fridge and freezer thermometers (2-pack)

  One for the fridge's middle shelf (40°F or below) and one for the freezer (0°F).

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• Wireless fridge thermometer with min/max

  Shows the warmest reading after a power outage or a door left open.

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To keep raw apart

Separate boards, sealed containers, raw at the bottom.

• Color-coded cutting board set

  One color for raw meat, poultry and seafood; dishwasher-safe; replace when deeply grooved.

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• Glass storage containers with lids

  Shallow ones cool leftovers fast; see-through so nothing gets forgotten.

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• Fridge drip tray or bin for raw meat

  Keeps raw packages sealed off on the bottom shelf.

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• Masking tape and marker, or date labels

  The date cooked or opened on every container.

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To clean and chill

Clean, then sanitize; cool fast.

• Unscented liquid chlorine bleach

  1 tablespoon per gallon of water for sanitizing counters (USDA); never mixed with ammonia or vinegar.

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• Food-contact surface sanitizer spray

  EPA-registered for food-contact surfaces; follow the contact time on the label.

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• Insulated cooler bag

  For the trip home from the store in warm weather.

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• Reusable ice packs

  For cooler bags, picnics and power outages.

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• Ice-bath cooling paddle

  Fill with water, freeze, and stir through a big pot to cool it fast.

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• Pressure canner

  Required for canning vegetables, meat and other low-acid foods; use tested recipes.

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Prices and availability change on Amazon. This page is educational and is not medical advice; talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting a supplement.