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Miscellaneous Tips:
Miscellaneous Tips:
- To insure your health and safety, cook foods to recommended temperatures. We strongly recommend the use of an instant read thermometer to check the temperature of the food
- To easily remove foods and sauce from a zippered bag, simply cut the corner of the zippered bag and squeeze out the food
- Be certain that each meal is labeled with date prepared, thawing and cooking instructions
- Bags should not be reused unless they contained only dry ingredients. Washing the bags in hot water does not ensure that you have killed all of the harmful bacteria
- Post your Menu Card of foods you’ve prepared on your freezer or inside a cupboard door to help you choose each day’s dinner and to keep an inventory of what meals you have used. Check off the dishes as you serve them. Also, make notations of your favorites for future use.
- Check the spice intensity of your food item and add more salt or spice as needed.
- If you have misplaced your cooking instructions, call us at 248-6235 or email us at info@mybkf.com and we will send them to you.
- If you have any additional questions at all, please contact us at 248-6235.
Freezing Tips:
- Eliminate as much air as possible from bags before sealing the package, but leave some room for liquids to expand.
- Removing air from soft, formless food bags: Seal the bag from one corner to the other, leaving just a small opening at one end. Use the palm of your hand to work the air from the bag. Flatten the bag as you go. When all of the air is out, finish sealing the bag
- Place your foil pans on the freezer shelf first then place freezer bags on top. Freeze your food in thin, flat layers for efficient stacking and thawing.
- Arrange your meals in the freezer to maximize the circulation of air around each container.
- Keep your freezer at 0 degrees or lower. This is the optimal temperature for retaining flavor and texture.
- For best results, do not store frozen meals for more than 45 days. Food stored longer than recommended will result in loss of quality. They may show signs of freezer burn, which is dehydration that occurs on the food’s surface.
- If you unplug your freezer or if you experience a power outage, don’t open the freezer door. Most freezers without power will keep foods frozen for one to three days.
- Some recipes are just not meant for freezing; but don’t judge too quickly, our recipes are. Some foods (such as gravies) separate and look unattractive when first thawed, but reheating restores the texture you are accustomed to seeing
Thawing Tips:
- It’s best to place one to two meals in your refrigerator at the beginning of the week. As you use the refrigerated meals, make it a habit to pull another meal out of the freezer. Then you will always have a thawed meal readily available.
- For best results, thaw in a tray or on a plate, in your refrigerator 24 – 48 hours prior to use. Separate freezer bags to help speed up the thawing process.
- Do not go directly from freezer to oven, unless cooking instructions specifically state this.
- Thawing dishes on your counter top can promote bacterial growth and can lead to food borne illnesses. According to safe food handling guidelines, there are only three ways to properly thaw food safely.
- Thaw food in your refrigerator at a temperature of 41degrees or lower.
- Submerge the frozen item under running drinkable water. The water should flow at a temperature of 70 degrees or lower. Ensure that your food item does not remain in the temperature danger zone (41 degrees – 140 degrees) for more than 4 hours (this includes thaw time).
- It is safe to thaw your food item in the microwave only if it will be cooked immediately afterwards.
Cooking Tips and Temperatures
- Follow cooking instructions provided
- Food densities vary, so be sure to stir liquids well during cooking
- Do not cook or microwave food in freezer bags
- The temperature danger zone is between 41 degrees and 140 degrees. Disease causing organisms grow and multiply rapidly within this temperature range.
- The maximum amount of time any food should be in this range is four hours.
- For your health and safety, cook your food to the internal temperatures listed below, then store properly.
| Food Item | Minimum Internal Cooking Temperature |
| Raw ground meats, fish and injected meats, raw eggs | 155 degrees |
| Beef/ Veal/ Lamb | 145 degrees |
| Pork | 145 degrees |
| Poultry | 165 degrees |
| Stuffed Meats | 165 degrees |
| Fish/Seafood | 145 degrees |
Monday - Friday
11am - 6pm
Saturday
Sessions by appointment
Tuesday and Friday
Noon and 5pm
Thursday
6pm
Saturday
11am
1507 Tennessee Avenue
(Near Family Dollar Store)
Lynn Haven, FL 32444
Tel 850-248-6235
Fax 850-248-6236
Email: info@mybfk.com
