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If you’re anything like me, this pandemic has both challenged and inspired your cooking skills. It’s inspired me to seek out and try different recipes with ingredients that I can stock up on. But it has challenged me because I’m tired of being in the kitchen in what seems like an endless cycle of prep, cook, clean.
Ordering in has become my new best friend, but I keep wondering if it is safe to order takeout or delivery. After all, it’s exposing my family to several people in the chain who may come in contact with the food — from preparing it to delivering it.
Here are the 6 safety tips I’ve found to help keep you safe when ordering takeout:
Limit exposure
1. Stay inside or use contactless delivery
When ordering, ask which options the food establishment is offering. Most delivery is done via contactless delivery these days, meaning your food is left at your front door without your needing to exchange a credit card or cash at delivery. If you don’t want your food placed on the floor, place a small table outside for the delivery person to leave your order. If you are picking up, most places are offering curbside pickup where you stay in your car. Keep your mask on and don’t exit unless necessary.
2. Use your own pen
If you are signing a check for takeout, be sure to use your own. Pens are a popular item for carrying germs and you don’t know how many people touched the pen from the restaurant. While you’re at it, try not to come in contact with the credit card holder either by letting the attendant hold it in place on the car window edge. Be sure to use hand sanitizer immediately afterward to make sure you have limited exposure.
Avoid contamination
3. Disinfect takeout food containers
Once you have your food, remove all takeout containers from the bag they arrived in. When possible, keep these bags outside of your living area and dispose of them. Wipe down or lightly spray all containers of food that are sealed, being careful not to soak cardboard or containers that can absorb chemicals and contaminate the food.
4. Don’t use utensils provided
Unless the utensils provided with your takeout or delivery are vacuum sealed, opt to use your own. This way you can be sure that you aren’t using something touched by someone who may be infected with the coronavirus. I happily wash a few utensils used for dinner in exchange for the luxury of not cooking for the night.
5. Reheat food
Keep in mind that coronavirus is not thought to be a foodborne illness, so the food itself should be safe. However, reheating the container even for 30 seconds in the microwave will ensure that anything touching the food does not carry live coronavirus. When zapping food, make sure there is no aluminum foil in the containers.
San Diego mom Amanda Lum hates all of the extra work, but feels it's worth it to get a break from routine. “I’m not sure why I order food. It starts as an easy option, but then it’s almost as much work to sterilize and microwave everything," she told Mom.com. "But it’s at least a change of pace, and I don’t have to do the prep work.”
Clean up
6. Wash your hands
Immediately wash your hands after you have disinfected items or get home with the food. Washing your hands is the most effective way to prevent the spread of coronavirus. “The most important thing is to wash your hands whenever you are in contact with anything from outside,” Dr. Virginia Thornley, M.D. told Mom.com.
For me, this might mean handwashing multiple times after I get home with the food to taking it out then reheating. This process, on top of applying hand sanitizer and disinfectant, is my way of using abundant caution when ordering takeout and delivery. Make sure to prevent hungry hands from poking into the bags and taking a peek before you are ready to serve it.
By using caution and being conscious of how you handle food from the outside, you can enjoy a cooked-for-you meal without major concerns of contracting the coronavirus. While preparing and cooking your own food is ideal, it might not be practical. Everyone is under a lot of stress, and taking cooking off your plate, even if just for one night, can be a significant step in some self-care for moms.
