Food Safety for Everyone.Home Kitchens

For solo cooks, roommates, caregivers, seniors, families, and hosts alike.

For home customers. This guide is not a substitute for accredited food handler training and does not replace advice from a health care provider.

Clean home kitchen counter with vegetables, eggs, and a food thermometer

The Four Steps

Handling Food Safely

Clean, separate, cook, and chill — the same framework CDC, FDA, and USDA use for safe food at home.

Woman in yellow rubber gloves wiping a kitchen counter with a pink cloth1

Clean

Wash your hands, food, counters, and cooking tools.

Hands slicing a green zucchini on a wooden cutting board2

Separate

Keep raw foods away from ready-to-eat foods.

Older man in an apron stirring food in a red frying pan on the stove3

Cook

Use a food thermometer to reach a safe internal temperature.

Clean interior of a refrigerator with jars, eggs, and containers4

Chill

Refrigerate perishable food promptly, and store leftovers safely.

Quick Help

Is It Still Safe?

Fast answers to everyday food questions.

How Safe Is Your Kitchen?

Take the 60-second quiz.

Free Fridge Checklist

Print it and stick it on your fridge.

Get Your Free Fridge Checklist

A one-page checklist to keep your fridge food-safe.

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Quick Reference

Key Temperatures

A food can look fully cooked and still be unsafe. Use a food thermometer to check the thickest part of the food.

Safe minimum internal temperatures infographic: poultry 165°F, leftovers and casseroles 165°F, ground meat 160°F, egg dishes 160°F, steaks chops and roasts 145°F, fin fish 145°F. Source: FoodSafety.gov (USDA, FDA & CDC).

These temperatures are intended for food preparation in the home. Commercial foodservice establishments should follow the applicable state or local food code.

Click the infographic to open it full size.