The fall season was made for entertaining. Cool weather harvests beg for opportunities to get together with friends and family. From potlucks to buffets, proper food preparation and service is important to keep you and your guests happy and healthy.

Plan your next event with these helpful tips.

SIZE MATTERS — If you are planning a buffet at home and are not sure how quickly the food will be eaten, keep buffet serving portions small.

Prepare a number of small platters and dishes ahead of time, and replace the serving dish with the fresh ones throughout the party. Store cold backup dishes in the refrigerator or keep hot dishes in the oven set at 200 F to 250 F prior to serving. This way, your late-arriving guests can enjoy the same appetizing arrangements as the early arrivals.

TAKE TEMPERATURES — Hot foods should be kept at an internal temperature of 140 F or warmer. Use a food thermometer to check. Serve or keep food hot in chafing dishes, slow cookers and warming trays.

Be aware that some warmers only hold food at 110 F to 120 F, so check the product label to make sure your warmer has the capability to hold foods at 140 F or warmer. This is the temperature that is required to keep bacteria at bay.

Remember to also chill out. Cold foods should be kept at 40 F or colder. Keep cold foods refrigerated until serving time. If food is going to stay out on the buffet table longer than two hours, place plates of cold food on ice to retain the chill.

KEEP IT FRESH — Do not add new food to an already-filled serving dish. Instead, replace nearly-empty serving dishes with freshly-filled ones. Be aware that during the course of the party, bacteria from people’s hands can contaminate the food. Plus, bacteria can multiply at room temperature.

WATCH THE CLOCK — Remember the two-hour rule: discard any perishables left out at room temperature for more than two hours, unless you are keeping it hot or cold. If the buffet is held in a place where the temperature is above 90 F, the safe-holding time is reduced to one hour.

Watch the clock with leftovers, too. Whether you are sending “doggie bags” home with guests or are saving them for yourself, leftovers should be refrigerated as soon as guests arrive home and/or within two hours.

Janine Rywak is the director of the Anson County Extension Office for North Carolina State University.

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Janine Rywak

For the Record