Back in the day, people used to take the turkey or roast out of the freezer and defrost it in the sink or on the counter with the belief that it would be safe after cooking. However, according to the USDA, “As soon as raw or cooked meat, poultry or egg products begin to thaw and become warmer than 40°F, bacteria that may have been present before freezing can begin to multiply” (Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA, 2013). A lack of food safety knowledge can lead to improper food handling practices and food-borne illness. Because of this, food safety education is a priority of the nutrition education program. 

A substance use recovery house for men in Jefferson County participated in the University of Kentucky’s Nutrition Education Program through the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service.  The program, Healthy Choices for Every Body was offered and one of the lessons was Food Safety for Every Body. One of the topics in the lesson was the proper way to thaw frozen food. The Nutrition Education Program SNAP-Education Assistant discussed with the group that perishable foods should never defrosted on the counter or in hot water and should not be left out at room temperature for more than two hours. The safe methods to thaw food were presented, including the thawing in the refrigerator, in cold water, in the microwave (and cooked right after thawing) and cooking from frozen. The Slow Chicken Fajitas were prepared in advance and the Nutrition Education Program Assistant informed the group that the chicken was frozen and went straight into the slow cooker, one of the safe ways to cook frozen foods.

Ten out of twelve men who took the course indicated in their exit surveys that they would start thawing foods the ways they learned in class, for an 83% success rate. A member in the group commented to the Nutrition Education Program Assistant “I been thawing food overnight on the counter just like my mother and grandma did for years, but I am going to change and  teach my kids the proper way to do it from now on.”