Food hygiene in the kitchen is very important.
Each year millions of people in the UK suffer from food poisoning. This is caused when someone eats food or drink that is contaminated with bacteria or toxins.
However, this could be prevented by following a few basic food hygiene tips. To help prevent bacteria from spreading in your kitchen, follow the simple points below:

Always wash your hands before you start cooking and also after touching raw food, especially raw meat like chicken

Wash all fruit and vegetables under cold running water to make sure that they are clean and free from germs

Make sure that you have separate chopping boards for different types of food, for example; meat, fruit and vegetables

Only use ingredients that are fresh and in date

Use clean cloths and tea towels around the kitchen and change them when they get grubby

Good nutrition and eating a healthy, balanced diet is the best way to make sure that you stay happy, healthy and well.

A well-balanced diet is important for energy, concentration and growth and it should include something from each of the five main food groups:

The foods in this group provide your body with its main source of energy and should be a part of all the meals you eat, filling up about a third of your plate.
Did you know? - There are more than 600 pasta shapes, including penne, spaghetti and fusilli!

The perfect snack, fruit and vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals that help boost your immune system and keep the body healthy.
Did you know? - Most of the nutrients in a potato live just below the skin!

Meat and fish contain lots of important vitamins along with iron, zinc and selenium, which are needed by our bodies for growth and repair.
Did you know? - The largest fish in the world is the plankton-feeding whale shark!

Milk, cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais all contain high levels of calcium that help keep teeth and bones strong and healthy.
Did you know? - The longest bone in the body is the femur or thigh bone!

Although these foods provide a vital energy source, their consumption should be limited as too much fat can be bad for our bodies.
Did you know? - A pinch of sugar on the tongue is a traditional remedy for hiccups!
The most important thing to remember is to eat a variety of different foods and enjoy them all.

If you haven’t ever cooked before - don’t worry. There are a number of simple techniques that you can practice to help you master the basics of preparing food and cooking. Why not try baking fairy cakes, making a fruit salad, preparing a soup or pasta sauce - these dishes are all easy to prepare and taste delicious.

- Make sure that you always prepare all of the ingredients you will be using before you start cooking.

- If you’re baking a cake, insert a thin skewer into the centre; if it comes out clean the cake is cooked, if not pop it back in the oven for a few more minutes and try again.

- Squash garlic with the palm of your hand before chopping, it will help you remove the skin more easily.

- When you chop an onion, leave the root that runs through the centre intact as this will stop it falling apart and make it easier to cut up.

- Before you squeeze a lemon, roll it around on a kitchen surface to help release the juice.

Finally, don’t forget, practice makes perfect - so make sure you keep on doing the simple things like peeling vegetables, mashing potatoes, grating cheese and whisking egg whites.



You don’t need lots of fancy equipment to enable you to cook delicious food, however, the following utensils might come in handy and help you get started:

- Knives

- Chopping boards

- Baking tray

- Frying pan

- Saucepan

- Weighing scales

- Wooden spoons

- Whisk

- Spatula

- Fish slice

- Cloths/tea towels/oven gloves

It is important to prepare food safely, to help stop harmful bacteria from spreading.


Remember to always wash your hands:

- Before starting to prepare food
- After touching raw meat
- After touching the bin
- After touching pets
- After going to the toilet

Raw meat contains harmful bacteria that can spread very easily to anything it touches, including other foods, worktops, chopping boards and knives.  

To help stop bacteria from spreading, remember these things:

Don't let raw meat touch other foods, especially ready- to-eat food such as salad, fruit and bread.

Never prepare ready-to-eat food using a chopping board or knife that you have used to prepare raw meat, unless they have been washed first.

Always cover raw meat and store it on the bottom shelf of the fridge where it can’t touch or drip onto other foods.

If you have cooked food that you aren't going to eat straight away, cool it as quickly as possible (ideally within one to two hours) and then store it in the fridge. Don't keep leftovers for longer than two days.


If you’ve made something in school and are taking it home to share with your family, make sure it is piping hot all the way through when it is reheated. Don't reheat food more than once.