Hygiene in our Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of the house. However small or big it may be, it binds us all together and thus it is of prime importance to give due respect to the kitchen by keeping it sanitized.

Cooking food was always considered as a sacred practice. My great-grandmother used to wear sacred cloth while cooking and had standing instructions not to touch her or enter the kitchen until she cooks food.

 We may not go to this extreme to keep our kitchen clean and hygienic, but I reckon I have some other ideas.

Personal Hygiene

First and foremost is to wash the hands once you enter the kitchen. Our hands, nails, and hair carry most of the unwanted bacteria.

Keep one towel or napkin handy to wipe the hands after every wash. Keep this napkin exclusively for kitchen use only.

Most of us have domestic help who enters the kitchen straightaway after coming to our houses. Instruct them to first enter the washroom, wash their hands and feet, and then only enter the kitchen. With COVID in our lives, we have become more alert, but as a rule, we have been following this from ages. All thanks to my MIL.

Tying your hair is also a critical part of cooking. My son loves to grow hair and to cook, so tying a headband or wearing a cap is a compulsory routine before venturing into the kitchen space in my house. 

Tips for Non-vegetarians

Use a separate chopping board for chopping, cleaning, and cutting chicken, fish, pork, etc.

Avoid using the board for any other foods.

As a child, I used to get irritated when my mom would ask me to wash my hands repeatedly even after touching the egg. But, as I grew up, I understood the spread of harmful bacteria and today, my son gets irritated after me telling him to wash his hands. 

Thawing or defrosting instructions should be followed to the T when it comes to non-vegetarian food. 

This is very critical as non-vegetarian food has the vulnerability to spoil faster leading to food poisoning.

Utensils @work

Using separate spatulas for different curries and gravies is an invitation for more work, I agree. But it helps avoid contamination. 

Most of us have a habit of tasting when food is made. Keep a separate bowl and spoon for tasting, do not use the licked or used spoon back into the gravy. 

We at times do not see very small insects or even spiders with our naked eyes. So to be on the safer side, always rinse or wipe mugs, cups, plates before using.

Lids play an important role in our kitchen. Covering each and every dish is important as we in India have lots of uninvited guests like flies, moths, ants that can come from anywhere and any time. 

Accessories in our Kitchen

Microwave and ovens play an important role in our cooking. Maintain its cleanliness too. Wipe the microwave and oven with a clean cloth after each use. The oven should be cleaned after cooling down. 

The glass used in the microwave is often detachable. clean it once in a month.

The knives, peelers, and chopping boards should be cleaned regularly after each use. 

The kitchen platform should be kept clean and clear before and after cooking.

Before you switch off the kitchen light @night

Keep your sink clean. Do not keep used and dirty kitchenware in the sink during night time, it attracts cockroaches. So its always better to keep our sink & the drainage hole clean.

Even the utensils cleaning scrub should be washed thoroughly after you finish the work.

For the green space in our corner

Cooking involves a lot of peeling, cleaning, and cutting. Maintain one bucket and keep all the waste from cleaning and peeling into that bucket. Even the remains after eating can be kept in that bucket. There are lots of videos on how to make compost, watch them, and try to make your own home compost. 

Compost can be used for your small kitchen garden space. Try growing basil, mint leaves, chilies, and curry leaves in your kitchen window (depending upon the space available). These 4 plants are easy to grow and have low maintenance. But if grown well can be so useful in our everyday cooking.

Hope you enjoyed it. Stay tuned for more such content, stay home, stay safe, like, and follow my page.

Toodles!

Ananya Save

www.vedusfoods.com

instagram.com/thelittlehouse.india

Edited by VED SAVE