The holiday table: For many, it is the highlight of the season, packed with roast turkey, savory stuffing, homemade pies and perhaps a cold glass of eggnog. It is also a place where bacteria can linger, turning a holiday gathering into a very different type of party. As holiday menus are planned and grocery lists assembled, Carla Schwan, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension food safety specialist, urges home cooks to remember one key rule. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.

Thanksgiving is the quintessential American holiday for food. On the fourth Thursday of November, people across the country sit down at the “good dining table” (or the broken folding table for the kids) and eat the same thing — copious amounts of turkey. Vegans and vegetarians may find this holiday to be a more difficult one. What can a person on a plant-based diet eat on Thanksgiving without missing out on the holiday fun?

Candy corn is either the first or the last piece of candy you reach for around the Halloween season. Regardless of your opinion, candy corn is a mysterious confection. Its flavor, texture and history are unique, making this variegated sweet more than meets the eye.

A team of University of Georgia Cooperative Extension agents, led by a faculty member in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, will address consumer questions on food safety and preservation while overseeing the National Center for Home Food Preservation on an interim basis.

Summer brings warm, sunny days and time outdoors, including grilling and eating outside. But just as we like the warmth and freedom of partying in the yard, so do bacteria that could make our food unsafe. They could turn a perfectly planned holiday cookout into a health concern, and even nightmare for some.

A focal point of holiday festivities for families every year is to gather around the dinner table and partake of delicious delicacies. But as scrumptious as those goodies are the first time, eating them again can be just as good if they are handled properly.

As we approach the holiday season, people begin to find comfort in comfort foods, rationalizing that they can work on their diet after the beginning of the new year. 

Easter is right around the corner, and while this holiday can mean different things to different people, many celebrate it with egg dyeing, Easter egg hunts and family meals. That means food safety needs to be part of these springtime traditions too.

For those who love to prepare meals during the holidays, relieve some of the stress associated with cooking by preparing and freezing holiday treats in advance. Freezing prepared foods allows you the satisfaction of homemade meals with the convenience of store-bought ones.