Food Stamp benefits are automatcially added to your Food Stamp EBT account if your application is approved. For every month that you receve Food Stamps benefits, your benefits will be automatically deposited into your EBT account based on the first letter of your last name. Food Stamp benefits will be available on your assigned day even if it's a holiday or weekend. You can use your EBT card like a debit card at most stores that sell food. Keep your receipt to show the amount of your purchase and the amount of money left in your EBT account and for your records in case there are questions or problems with your account. Households CAN us Food Stamps to buy unprepared food. Food for the household to eat, such as: Hoseholds CANNOT use Food Stamps to buy: Tranding or selling your food stamps or your card for cash, non eligible items, or services is known as "trafficking" and is illegal. Selling or trading your food stamps or the EBT card could result in the loss of your benefits and criminal penalties,

Food Safety for Moms-to-Be: Safe Eats - Meat, Poultry & Seafood Welcome to Safe Eats, your food-by-food guide to selecting, preparing, and handling foods safely throughout your pregnancy and beyond! Also available in Spanish >   En español >Food Safety for Moms-To-Be Main Page Meat, Poultry & Seafood | Dairy & Eggs | Fruits, Veggies & Juices | Eating Out & Bringing InProtein in meat, poultry, and seafood is an important nutrient in your diet, but it can also be an ideal environment for some harmful bacteria. buy soy paper for sushiHere's how to keep harmful bacteria at bay and your family safe. sushi monster free onlineYour first steps in food safety are...sushi bonsai online

Wash hands thoroughly with warm water and soap before and after handling raw meat, poultry, and seafood.Wash cutting boards, dishes, and utensils (including knives), and countertops with soap and hot water after they come in contact with raw meat, poultry or seafood. back to topSanitize It!Kitchen countertops that come in contact with raw meat, poultry, and seafood can be sanitized using a kitchen sanitizer. One teaspoon of liquid chlorine bleach per quart of clean water can also be used to sanitize surfaces. sushi new york zagatLeave the bleach solution on the surface for about 10 minutes to be effective.buy sushi knives onlineS-E-P-A-R-A-T-EImproper handling of raw meat, poultry, and seafood can set the stage for cross-contamination - the spread of bacteria from foods, hands, utensils, and food preparation surfaces to another food. sushi pack games online

Here's how to stop it:Separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood from ready-to-eat foods in your grocery shopping cart, refrigerator, and while preparing and handling foods at home. Also, consider placing these raw foods inside plastic bags in your grocery shopping cart to keep the juices contained.To prevent juices from raw meat, poultry, or seafood from dripping onto other foods in the refrigerator, place these raw foods in sealed containers or sealable plastic bags.If possible, use one cutting board for raw meat, poultry, and seafood and another one for fresh fruits and vegetables. where to buy sushi making suppliesIf two cutting boards aren't available, prepare fruits and vegetables first, and put them safely out of the way. Wash the cutting board thoroughly with soap and hot water. Then, prepare the raw meat, poultry, or seafood. Follow by washing the cutting board again.Marinades used on raw meat, poultry, or seafood can contain harmful bacteria.

Don't reuse these marinades on cooked foods - unless you boil them before applying.Never taste uncooked marinade or sauce that was used to marinate raw meat, poultry, or seafood.Place cooked food on a clean plate for serving. If cooked food is placed on an unwashed plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, or seafood, bacteria from the raw food could contaminate the cooked food.back to topCHILL!To keep all meats, poultry, and food in general safe...Your refrigerator should register at 40° F (4° C) and the freezer at 0° F (-18° C). Place a refrigerator thermometer in the refrigerator, and check the temperature periodically. During the automatic defrost cycle, the temperature may temporarily register slightly higher than 40° F (4° C). Buy only fresh seafood that's refrigerated or properly iced.Refrigerate or freeze seafood immediately if you're not going to cook it right away.Moms-to-Be: Know the Facts About MethylmercuryMethylmercury is a metal that can be found in some fish. If you're pregnant or trying to become pregnant, don't eat swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel, and shark.

It's okay to eat other cooked fish/seafood as long as a variety of other kinds are selected during pregnancy or while a woman is trying to become pregnant. She can choose shellfish, canned fish, smaller ocean fish, or farm-raised fish. She can safely eat 12 ounces per week of a variety of cooked fish. A typical serving size of fish is from 3 to 6 ounces. Of course, if her serving sizes are smaller, she can eat fish more frequently. For more information, see Methylmercury. Pre-stuffed Poultry: Fresh Vs. FrozenAvoid purchasing fresh, raw whole poultry that's been pre-stuffed. The raw-meat juices mixing with the stuffing can cause bacterial growth.Frozen, raw whole poultry that's been pre-stuffed is safe and should be cooked in its frozen state; don't defrost it first.back to topCOOK IT RIGHT!Raw fish (such as sushi or sashimi) or foods made with raw fish are more likely to contain parasites or bacteria than foods made from cooked fish, so it's important to cook fish thoroughly. SeafoodFinfish should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145° F (63° C).

When a food thermometer is not available or appropriate, follow these tips to determine when seafood is done:Cook fish until it's opaque (milky white) and flakes with a fork.Cook shrimp, lobster, and scallops until they reach their appropriate color. The flesh of shrimp and lobster should be an opaque (milky white) color. Scallops should be opaque (milky white) and firm.Cook clams, mussels, and oysters until their shells open. This means that they are done. Throw away the ones that didn't open.Shucked clams and shucked oysters are fully cooked when they are opaque (milky white) and firm.Eating Raw Seafood Is Risky - A pregnant woman and her unborn baby are at risk if she eats raw or undercooked seafood. Moms-to-be should avoid eating raw or undercooked finfish or shellfish (including oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops). Meat/PoultryCook raw meat and poultry to safe internal temperatures. Always use a clean food thermometer to check the internal temperature of these foods. Make sure it goes straight into meats, but doesn't come out the other side and touch the pan.

Cook meat and poultry to these temperatures:MeatCook beef, pork, veal, and lamb roasts, steaks, and chops to at least 145° F (63° C), with a 3 minute rest time.Ground MeatCook ground beef, veal, lamb, and pork to at least 160° F (71° C).Cook ground poultry to 165° F (74° C).PoultryCook all poultry to minimal safe internal temperature of 165° F (74° C).Consumers may wish to cook poultry to a higher temperature for personal preference.For a printable chart of cooking temperatures, see the Apply the Heat (PDF | 20.3KB) chart. back to top "How can I tell if fish is fresh?"Perfectly fresh fish and shellfish have virtually no odor. It's only when seafood starts to spoil that it takes on a "fishy" aroma. Fresh fish will have these signs:The eyes are clean and bulge a little.Whole fish and fillets have firm and shiny flesh and bright, red gills free from slime.The flesh springs back when pressed.There is no darkening around the edges or brown or yellowish discoloration.The fish smells fresh and mild, not "fishy" or ammonia-like.

Note: Keep in mind that just because fish is fresh doesn't mean it's bacteria-free. You still need to follow the food safety tips above when handling or preparing fresh fish."What should I look out for when buying frozen seafood?"You should follow these guidelines:Don't buy frozen seafood if its package is open, torn, or crushed on the edges.Don't buy packages that are above the frost line in the store's freezer.If you can see through the package, look for signs of frost or ice crystals, which could mean the fish has been stored a long time or defrosted and refrozen. In this case, you shouldn't buy it.There should be no white spots, dark spots, discoloration or fading, or red or pink flesh to indicate drying-out."Some of my favorite seafoods are raw clams and oysters. Why aren't they safe to eat?"They're unsafe because raw seafoods are more likely to contain parasites or bacteria than foods made from cooked seafood. In addition, clams, mussels, and other mollusks get their food by filtering large quantities of water through their shells.