Buffet dining can be great fun, whether you are hosting the party or just enjoying the food.  Listed below are some ways to ensure you, your family and guests remember the event fondly!

1. Buy a good quality food thermometer.  Keep hot foods hot, cold foods cold, and don't leave any food in the DANGER ZONE (between 45 and 140° F) for more than 2 hours.
2. Keep cold foods refrigerated and use small serving trays to serve food from the refrigerator.
3. For hot food, re-heat small servings from the refrigerator to replenish the buffet as needed.
4. "Ready to eat" foods containing meat, poultry, or dairy products must stay in the refrigerator until you are ready eat them. That includes pumpkin or cream-type pies and cakes with egg-white frosting.
5. You CAN leave most raw fruits and vegetables, hard cheeses, fruit pies, cakes without egg white frosting, and cookies out for most of the day.
6. Throw out cut melon that is more than 2 hours old.
7. If you're buying a hot, ready-to-eat turkey, keep it hot (140° F or above) until serving it. Within two hours of serving, cut it into small pieces and refrigerate, uncovered, until cool. After the turkey is cold, you can cover it.
8. Remember to WASH your hands often. Wash them especially after going to the bathroom, changing a diaper, handling raw meat or poultry, or serving or eating food.