National Nacho Day and Food Safety

National Nacho Day is November 6th and it’s a fiesta for nacho lovers. Nachos can be served as a snack, appetizer, or main course. The perfect recipe for nachos includes a huge plate of stacked tortilla chips topped with lots of melted cheese, salsa, sour cream, jalapenos, and guacamole!

If you plan on having your own fiesta and making your world famous nachos – it’s a good time to brush up on the proper food safety skills.

Use the hashtag #NationalNachosDay to post images of your delicious nacho creations or to find restaurant specials and deals.

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Image Source: Shutterstock

About Nachos

It’s hard to imagine a world without Nachos, but prior to 1943, the crunchy and tasty snacks were non existent. The first plate of nachos was served in 1943 at a restaurant, owned by Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya, located on the border between Piedras Negras, Mexico and Eagle Pass, Texas.

The popularity of the new dish spread swiftly throughout Texas and the Southwest and has since gained millions of fans across America.

Nachos with an abundance of toppings are often called loaded nachos, super nachos or nachos supreme.  Some favorite nachos toppings are refried beans, ground beef, shredded beef, chicken, seafood, shredded cheese, jalapeno peppers, green pepper,  lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, onion, sour cream and guacamole.

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Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill

If you plan on having your own fiesta and making your world famous nachos – it’s a good time to brush up on food safety and the proper procedures of preparing and serving.

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Image Source: Shutterstock

Clean

  • Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and handling pets.
  • Wash your cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops with hot soapy water after preparing each food item.
  • Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water, including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten. Scrub firm produce with a clean produce brush.

Separate

  • Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs from other foods in your grocery shopping cart, grocery bags, and refrigerator.
  • Use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
  • Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs unless the plate has been washed in hot, soapy water.
Image Source: Shutterstock

Cook

Using a food thermometer is the only safe way to ensure the proper cooking temperature of meat, poultry, seafood, and egg products for all cooking methods. These foods must be cooked to a safe minimum internal temperature to destroy any harmful bacteria.

Use this chart and a food thermometer to ensure that meat, poultry, seafood, and other cooked foods reach a safe minimum internal temperature.

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Image Source: Shutterstock

Remember, you can’t tell whether meat is safely cooked by looking at it. Any cooked, uncured red meats – including pork – can be pink, even when the meat has reached a safe internal temperature.

CategoryFoodTemperature (°F) Rest Time 
Ground Meat & Meat MixturesBeef, Pork, Veal, Lamb160None
Turkey, Chicken165None
Fresh Beef, Veal, LambSteaks, roasts, chops1453 minutes
PoultryChicken & Turkey, whole165None
Poultry breasts, roasts165None
Poultry thighs, legs, wings165None
Duck & Goose165None
Stuffing (cooked alone or in bird)165None
Pork and HamFresh pork1453 minutes
Fresh ham (raw)1453 minutes
Precooked ham (to reheat)140None
Eggs & Egg DishesEggsCook until yolk and white are firmNone
Egg dishes160None
Leftovers & CasserolesLeftovers165None
Casseroles165None
SeafoodFin Fish145 or cook until flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork.None
Shrimp, lobster, and crabsCook until flesh is pearly and opaque.None
Clams, oysters, and musselsCook until shells open during cooking.None
ScallopsCook until flesh is milky white or opaque and firm.None

Chill

  • Use an appliance thermometer to be sure the refrigerator temperature is consistently 40° F or below.
  • Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking or purchasing. Refrigerate within 1 hour if the temperature outside is above 90° F.

National Nacho Day Deals:

Also, use the hashtag #NationalNachosDay to find restaurant deals or post your own delicious creations.