I do buy lots of canned stuff and take-outs, but I also like buying fresh food. I'm a believer of the saying that fresh food always taste better whether prepared simply or as a
special gourmet dish. However, I always worry about the safety of handling chicken because of the salmonella and bird flu scare, so I strictly follow several guidelines in handling poultry.
First, when I buy them in meat shops, I always request that my poultry be separated from the pork and the beef. Then when I get home, I take the chicken meat from the paper and seal it in freezer-burn proof bags or container. I then keep the chicken and other poultry in a different freezer although separate freezer level would also do. As a reminder in
chicken preparation, keep separate utensils like cutting boards, knives, and stuff. If you can afford it, it is also worth to invest in a new cookware set specifically for your chicken. When I cook, I handle chicken only once and wash my hands thoroughly after. Even if you want to have minimal dish washing load, I advise you never to put any cooked food in the container you used to keep raw food. If possible, keep separate containers for raw and cooked food. It's no use buying fresh food if you contaminate them in the cooking process.
