A few years ago, I had some family staying at our home. While watching a movie, one of my nephews stood up in the middle of the room and began puking. I will save you the details, but know it was not a pleasant sight. 

A few minutes later, his brother joined in. We all stood around in shock; they had obviously come down with the stomach flu. 

No one likes getting sick, but I must confess that I am a really big wimp when I do catch the dreaded bug. Eager to defend my home, I grabbed my bottle of cleaner and several rags, ready to clean up.

An essential part of preparing a meal is making sure to use the proper food safety techniques. Without proper safety protocols your food can become contaminated and pass along foodborne illnesses to whomever eats or comes in contact with it. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that 48 million Americans become sick from foodborne illnesses each year. Of those 48 million people, 128,000 are so sick that they need to be hospitalized, and 3,000 people even die from the foodborne illness. 

To prevent foodborne illness from happening to you or your family, it is important to practice food safety protocols while handling, preparing, and storing all of your meals.