If you choose to bring food from home, remember to:

• Talk to your nurse or dietitian about what foods you are allowed to have while in hospital
• Label your food with your name and only bring 1 portion (enough to eat in one meal)
• Check with your nurse about whether there is room to store your food. Space to store food is limited.
• Check with your nurse about whether a microwave is available to heat your food
• Have your visitor take home all of your dishes at the end of the day. Refrigerators and cupboards are cleared out regularly.

Tips for keeping food safe to eat

Follow these tips to keep you from getting sick:

Follow the 2 hour rule
Refrigerate, freeze or eat high-risk foods within 2 hours of making it or buying it.

High risk foods include:

• casseroles
• meat, fish and poultry (for example, chicken or turkey)
• eggs
• cut fruit or vegetables
• dairy products (for example, milk or cheese)

When making food at home:

• Always wash your hands with warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds before handling food.
• Use a mild bleach solution to clean and sanitize (remove bacteria from) counter tops, cutting boards, and cutlery before and after using.
  Bleach solution: Add 1 teaspoon (5 millilitres) of bleach to 3 cups (750 millilitres) of water.
  
• Never cool cooked food at room temperature. Cool it in the refrigerator.

When traveling with food:

• Use insulated food containers to keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot.
• Add an ice pack or frozen juice box to help keep foods cold.
• To help keep foods hot, heat the container with boiling water for a few minutes before filling it with your hot food.
• Put your food in the nursing unit refrigerator if it’s not meal time.

Where can I find more information about food safety?

Health Canada: Safe Food Handling Tips