Food poisoning peaks in the summer months when warmer temperatures cause foodborne germs to flourish. Leaving food out too long at room temperature can cause bacteria to grow to dangerous levels that can cause illness.
Grilling, Hiking, Camping and Boating
Hiking, camping, and boating are good activities for active people and families, and in some parts of the country you can enjoy the outdoors for 2 or 3 seasons. In many cases, these activities last all day and involve preparing at least one meal. If the food is not handled correctly, foodborne illness can be an unwelcome souvenir.
Cooking Without Thawing
When there is not enough time to thaw frozen foods, or you are simply in a hurry, just remember: it is safe to cook foods from the frozen state. The cooking will take 50% longer than the recommended time for fully thawed or fresh meat and poultry.
Check Your Grill and Tools
Use a moist cloth or paper towel to clean the grill surface before cooking. If you use a wire bristle brush, thoroughly inspect the grill’s surface before cooking. Wire bristles from grill cleaning brushes may dislodge and stick into food on the grill.
- Injuries from Ingestion of Wire Bristles from Grill-Cleaning Brushes
Foreign object ingestion is a common reason for visiting an emergency department (ED), particularly for children (1–3). In recent years, internal injuries have been reported following unintentional ingestions of wire grill-cleaning brush bristles by both children and adults (4–6).
CLEAN: Wash hands and surfaces often
SEPARATE: Separate raw meats from other foods
COOK: Cook to the right temperature
CHILL: Refrigerate food promptly
Do not Cross-contaminate
Throw out marinades and sauces that have touched raw meat juices, which can spread germs to cooked foods. Use clean utensils and a clean plate to remove cooked meat from the grill.
Keep Food Out of the "Danger Zone"
Never leave food out of refrigeration over 2 hours. If the temperature is above 90 °F, food should not be left out more than 1 hour.
- Keep hot food hot—at or above 140 °F. Place cooked food in chafing dishes, preheated steam tables, warming trays, and/or slow cookers.
- Keep cold food cold—at or below 40 °F. Place food in containers on ice.
Cook
Use a food thermometer to ensure meat is cooked hot enough to kill harmful germs. When smoking, keep temperatures inside the smoker at 225°F to 300°F to keep meat a safe temperature while it cooks.
- 145°F – whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and veal (stand-time of 3 minutes at this temperature)
- 145°F – fish
- 160°F – hamburgers and other ground beef
- 165°F – all poultry and pre-cooked meats, like hot dogs
After Grilling:
- 140°F or warmer – until it’s served
Refrigerate and Store Leftovers
One of the most common causes of foodborne illness is improper cooling of cooked foods. Bacteria can be reintroduced to food after it is safely cooked. Divide leftovers into small portions and place in covered, shallow containers for quick cooling and refrigerated at 40 °F or below. Put in freezer or fridge within two hours of cooking (one hour if above 90°F outside).
Food Safety While Hiking & Camping
You may want to hike for just a few hours, or you may want to camp for a few days. One meal and some snacks are all that is needed for a short hike. Planning meals for a longer hike or camping trip requires more thought. You must choose foods that are light enough to carry in a backpack and that can be transported safely.
Safe Drinking Water
Do not depend on fresh water from a lake or stream for drinking, no matter how clean it appears. Some pathogens thrive in remote mountain lakes or streams and there is no way to know what might have died and fallen into the water upstream. Bring bottled or tap water for drinking. Always start out with a full water bottle and replenish your supply from tested public systems when possible. On long trips you can find water in streams, lakes, and springs, but be sure to purify any water from the wild, no matter how clean it appears.
What Foods to Bring?
If you are backpacking for more than a day, the food situation gets a little more complicated. You can still bring cold foods for the first day, but you'll have to pack shelf-stable items for the next day. Canned goods are safe, but heavy, so plan your menu carefully. Advances in food technology have produced lightweight staples that don't need refrigeration or careful packaging. For example:
- peanut butter in plastic jars;
- concentrated juice boxes;
- canned tuna, ham, chicken, and beef;
- dried noodles and soups;
- beef jerky and other dried meats;
- dehydrated foods;
- dried fruits and nuts; and
- powdered milk and fruit drinks.
Powdered mixes for biscuits or pancakes are easy to carry and prepare, as is dried pasta. There are plenty of powdered sauce mixes that can be used over pasta but check the required ingredient list. Carry items like dried pasta, rice, and baking mixes in plastic bags and take only the amount you will need.
Video: Barbecue Basics: Tips to Prevent Foodborne Illness
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Information and Resources
Download Food Handling Fact Sheets
Download a quick overview for staying healthy and free from food poisoning when getting takeout, delivery or dining out. A reference guide of invaluable information on meal prep, shopping, and storage lists of DOS and DON’TS food safety from the grocery cart to the refrigerator
Buy, Store and Serve Safe Food for Buffets or the Holiday Season
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Handling Food Safely While Eating Outdoors - Spanish
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Handling Food Safely While Eating Outdoors
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Holiday Food Safety Brochure
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Meal Prep Lists of Dos and Don’ts Food Safety from the Grocery Cart to the Refrigerator
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New and Improved Nutrition Facts Label - Spanish
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New and Improved Nutrition Facts Label
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Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely
DownloadSize 3.07 MB
Test Your Safety Knowledge About Ready-to-Cook Foods
DownloadSize 557.6 KB
What is a Serving Size Graphic
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What You Need to Know About Juice Safety - Spanish
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Food Safety for Safe Handling When Getting Takeout or Delivery
DownloadSize 228.83 KB
Thanksgiving Holiday Food Safety Information
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Refrigerator and Freezer Storage Chart
DownloadSize 1.09 MB
The Raw Story Frozen Chicken Entrees for Food Safety
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What You Need to Know About Juice Safety
DownloadSize 802 KB
Cooking for Groups and Holiday Food Safety in the Kitchen
DownloadSize 3.65 MB
Healthy Guests Happy Holidays Food Safety Flyer
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Keeping Bag Lunches Safe From Bacteria That Cause Foodborne Illness
DownloadSize 7.12 MB
Turkey Thawing Hints from the National Turkey Federation
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7 Steps Community Meals and Food Safety in the Kitchen
DownloadSize 1.03 MB
Grill it Safe Food Safety Card
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Grill it Safe When Cooking Outdoors Food Safety E-Card
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Keeping Bag Lunches Safe From Bacteria That Cause Foodborne Illness - Spanish
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Tailgating Food Safety Q & A
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Shopping and Storage Lists of Dos and Don’ts Food Safety from the Grocery Cart to the Refrigerator
DownloadSize 3.98 MB
Advice About Eating Fish and Shellfish Chart Only - Spanish
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Advice About Eating Fish and Shellfish Chart Only
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Advice About Eating Fish and Shellfish Chart Plus Questions and Answers
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Choose Fish and Shellfish Wisely Should I Eat the Fish I Catch - Spanish
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Choose Fish and Shellfish Wisely Should I Eat the Fish I Catch
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Omega-3 Fatty Acids Fact Sheet for Consumers
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Selecting and Serving Produce Safely- Spanish
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Selecting and Serving Produce Safely
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FoodSafety.gov Charts: Food Safety at a Glance
How long can you store leftovers in the refrigerator? How can you tell when chicken breasts are done? How long does it take to cook a turkey? Check out these charts for fast answers.
Storing Food Charts
Storing Food
Whether putting food in the refrigerator, the freezer, or the cupboard, you have plenty of opportunities to prevent foodborne illnesses.
Preparing and Cooking Food Charts
Preparing and Cooking Food
One of the basics of food safety is cooking food to its proper temperature. Foods are properly cooked when they are heated for a long enough time and at a high enough temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness.
FoodSafety.gov: FoodKeeper App
The FoodKeeper helps you understand food and beverages storage. It will help you maximize the freshness and quality of items. By doing so you will be able to keep items fresh longer than if they were not stored properly. It is also available as a mobile application for Android and Apple devices.
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Public Downloads
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Public Downloads - Español (Spanish)
When available, we provide all our content with a Spanish version in our public download section. You can find additional material from sources listed in all our articles.
Download Food Safety Activities, Coloring Sheets, Infographics and Videos
Food Safety Educational Downloads
Download Food Safety Activities
Food Safety Activity Worksheet
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Food Safety at Home or School and When Eating Out Activity Book
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Learn Food Safety, Hygiene and Preparation for Kids
DownloadSize 418.62 KB
Food Technology Educational Activity Book and Worksheets
DownloadSize 1.06 MB
USDA Food Safety Mobile Coloring Book
DownloadSize 4.02 MB
A Handbook for Kitchen Food Safety
DownloadSize 1.83 MB
Anyone Can Get Food Poisoning Poster
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Bad Bug Book Foodborne Pathogenic Microorganisms and Natural Toxins Handbook
DownloadSize 5.01 MB
Fight BAC Food Safety Poster
DownloadSize 3.94 MB
Food Safe Families Activity Book - Spanish
DownloadSize 8.31 MB
Food Safe Families Activity Book
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Food Safety Keep Hands Clean
DownloadSize 4.15 MB
Information on Food Safety After School - Spanish
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Information on Food Safety After School
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School Lunch Food Safety Tips Flyer
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A to Z Food Safety Reference Guide
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Safe Recipe Style Temperature Chart for Food Safety
DownloadSize 79.62 KB
Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce Cheat Sheet
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Food Safety Shopping Lists
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Safe Recipe Download the Sample Recipe Cards for Food Safety
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Safe Recipe Style Guide
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Safe Recipe Tips for Writing Food Safe Recipes
DownloadSize 1.06 MB
Safe Recipe Cooking with Nutritious Ingredients - Spanish
DownloadSize 2.7 MB
Safe Recipe Cooking with Nutritious Ingredients
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Safe Recipe Tips for Writing Food Safe Recipes - Spanish
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Download Food Safety Activity Sheets
Food Safety Check Your Steps Children's Color Quiz Activity Worksheet
DownloadSize 100.69 KB
Food Safety Core Four Activity Placemat Printable Page 8x14 or 11x17
DownloadSize 1.08 MB
Food Safety Retailer Story Activity Placemat Printable Page 8x14 or 11x17
DownloadSize 1.02 MB
Food Safety Turkey Story Activity Placemat Printable Page 8x14 or 11x17
DownloadSize 1.04 MB
Food Safety Vegetable Story Activity Placemat Printable Page 8x14 or 11x17
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Lunch Choices Food Safety Activity Sheets
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Solve the Mystery Food Safety Activity Sheets
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Thanksgiving Word Puzzle Food Safety Activity Sheet
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Word Scramble Food Safety Activity Sheets
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Word Search and Define Food Safety Activity Sheets
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Chill Word Puzzle Food Safety Activity Sheet
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Clean Word Puzzle Food Safety Activity Sheet
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Separate, Do not Cross Contaminate Word Search Food Safety Activity Sheet
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Download Food Safety Coloring Sheets
BAC with Cookie Dough Food Safety Coloring Sheet
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BAC with Turkey Food Safety Coloring Sheet
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Certificate of Participation Food Safety Coloring Sheet
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Food Safety Mistakes Coloring Sheet
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Fruits and Vegetables Food Safety Coloring Sheet
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Handwashing Food Safety Coloring Sheet
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Hot and Cold Food Safety Coloring Sheet
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Keep Kitchen Clean Food Safety Coloring Sheet
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No BAC Logo Food Safety Coloring Sheet
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Perishables Food Safety Coloring Sheet
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Picnics Food Safety Coloring Sheet
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Recipes Food Safety Coloring Sheet
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Refrigerator Food Safety Coloring Sheet
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Safe Handling Label Food Safety Coloring Sheet
DownloadSize 38.55 KB
Thermy Coloring Sheet
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Wash and Dry Food Safety Coloring Sheet
DownloadSize 29.58 KB
Download Food Safety Videos
Food Safety Video - Cooking to a Safe Internal Temperature and How to Use a Food Thermometer
DownloadSize 23.01 MB
Food Safety Video - Cross Contamination
DownloadSize 5.64 MB
Food Safety Video - Gear Up for Food Safety
DownloadSize 7.24 MB
Food Safety Video - How to Thaw Foods Properly
DownloadSize 27.78 MB
Food Safety Video - How to Use a Food Thermometer
DownloadSize 7.32 MB
Food Safety Video - Smart Kids Fight BAC
DownloadSize 45.51 MB
Food Safety Video - Super Bowl Cooking with Martie Duncan
DownloadSize 31.69 MB
Food Safety Video - The Importance of Cleaning and Washing During Food Preparation
DownloadSize 9.06 MB
Prevent Food Poisoning Video - Bake Safely - Spanish
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Prevent Food Poisoning Video - Bake Safely
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Prevent Food Poisoning Video - Keep Foods Separate - Spanish
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Prevent Food Poisoning Video - Keep Foods Separate
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Prevent Food Poisoning Video - People at Higher Risk for Food Poisoning
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Prevent Food Poisoning Video - Safety Tips for Handling and Preparing Common Food
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Prevent Food Poisoning Video - Symptoms of Severe Food Poisoning
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Safe Handling of Raw Produce and Fresh-Squeezed Fruit and Vegetable Juices
DownloadSize 41.07 MB
What You Should Know The Latest on Hand Sanitizers - Spanish
DownloadSize 10.71 MB
What You Should Know The Latest on Hand Sanitizers
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Food Safety during Power Outages Video
DownloadSize 22.41 MB
7 Tips for Cleaning Fruits and Vegetables Video
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Barbecue Basics Tips to Prevent Foodborne Illness
DownloadSize 5.37 MB
The Food Label and Your Party Food Gametime Play By Play
DownloadSize 43.1 MB
Fresh and Frozen Seafood Selecting and Serving it Safely
DownloadSize 43.79 MB
The Dangers of Unpasteurized Milk
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Download Food Safety Educational Infographics
5 Steps to Clean Your Refrigerator
DownloadSize 7.21 MB
About Cooking for Groups Food Safety Infographic
DownloadSize 3.65 MB
Check the Cheese, Avoid Listeria Infographic - Spanish
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Check the Cheese, Avoid Listeria Infographic
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Food Safety in the Kitchen Infographic
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Fruit and Vegetable Safety Infographic - Spanish
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Fruit and Vegetable Safety Infographic
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Get Ready to Grill Safely Infographic - Spanish
DownloadSize 1.14 MB
Get Ready to Grill Safely Infographic
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Graphics About Food Safety - Spanish
DownloadSize 2.13 MB
Graphics About Food Safety
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In an Emergency Food Safety in the Kitchen Infographic
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Keeping Food Safe A Global Responsibility Infographic
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Raw Milk, Know the Raw Facts
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Rules of the Game for Food Safety Infographic - Spanish
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Rules of the Game for Food Safety Infographic
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Safety Tips for Handling and Preparing Common Foods Infographic
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The Food Production Chain Safety Infographic
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The Raw Story – Frozen Chicken Entrees
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Be a Germ Stopper Cover Your Cough Flyer - Spanish
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Be a Germ Stopper Cover Your Cough Flyer
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Download Handwashing Activities, Worksheets, Posters and Videos
Handwashing Educational Downloads
Download Handwashing Activities
About Global Handwashing Day Advocacy Toolkit
DownloadSize 1.78 MB
About Global Handwashing Day Hand Hygiene Why How and When Brochure
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About Global Handwashing Day
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Food Safety Handwashing Story Activity Placemat Printable Page 8x14 or 11x17
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Handwashing Activity Worksheets
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Handwashing Chart
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Handwashing Fight Germs Wash Your Hands Video
DownloadSize 176.21 MB
Teaching Young Children Handwashing Family Guide
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Wash Hands Video - Spanish
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Washing Hands Safety Fact Sheet - Spanish
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Washing Hands Safety Fact Sheet
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What You Should Know The Latest on Hand Sanitizers Video - Spanish
DownloadSize 10.71 MB
What You Should Know The Latest on Hand Sanitizers Video
DownloadSize 10.17 MB
Download Scrub Club Activity Worksheets
Scrub Club 6 Steps Hand Washing Bathroom Poster
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Scrub Club Cast of Characters - Spanish
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Scrub Club Cast of Characters
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Scrub Club Gel-Mo on the Go Hand Washing Storybook
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Scrub Club Hand Washing Coloring Pages - Spanish
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Scrub Club Hand Washing Coloring Pages
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Scrub Club Handango Clean Hands Activity Worksheet - Spanish
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Scrub Club Handango Clean Hands Activity Worksheets
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Scrub Club Handwashing Activity Worksheets
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Scrub Club Influenza Enzo Wanted Poster - Spanish
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Scrub Club Influenza Enzo Wanted Poster
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Scrub Club Villains Poster - Spanish
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Scrub Club Villains Poster
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Scrub Club Wallpaper 1024x768
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Scrub Club Wallpaper 800x600
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Download Handwashing Educational Posters
Be a Germ Stopper at School and Home Poster for Boys
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Be a Germ Stopper at School and Home Poster for Girls
DownloadSize 3.11 MB
Do Not Forget How-to Handwashing Safety Information Poster 1
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Do Not Forget How-to Handwashing Safety Information Poster 2
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Do Not Touch the TZONE with Your Hands Safety Information Poster
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Hand Awareness Safety Information Poster
DownloadSize 1.65 MB
Handwashing Poster 1
DownloadSize 1.94 MB
Handwashing Poster 2
DownloadSize 1.71 MB
Handwashing Poster 3
DownloadSize 2.01 MB
Temperature Affect Germs Safety Information Poster
DownloadSize 1.42 MB
What Germs Could Do To Your Hands Safety Information Poster
DownloadSize 121.89 KB
Video Playlist: Food Safety and Nutrition
