• Dates on food packages are quality indicators, not safety dates. "Sell by" is the last date a store should sell a product. "Best if used by" means the quality of food goes down after this date. However, the product may be of good quality and also safe to eat long after that date.

• Encourage proper hand washing with younger children by having them sing the "Alphabet Song" once. Washing hands with soap for 20 seconds is effective in removing germs from hands.

• To help avoid cross-contamination of food, obtain two acrylic cutting boards of different colors or shapes. Use one for raw meats and poultry, the other for fruits and vegetables.

• To test the doneness of crumbled ground meat, such as hamburger, form it into a mound and insert a meat thermometer into the middle, being careful not to touch the pan.

• Keep hot foods hot (above 140 F) while it's waiting to be served, and cold foods cold (below 40 F). Avoid leaving foods in the 'Danger Zone,' the temperatures between 40 F and 140 F, where bacteria grow rapidly. Never leave food at room temperature for several hours, even if you intend to eat it later.

K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus in Manhattan.