Easter Safety Tips
Searching for a hidden Easter basket is an activity that children of all ages enjoy, however, the little gifts inside can create problems if parents are not careful. Below are some tips for Easter safety.
Candy & Toy Safety:
- In order to prevent choking, avoid hard, round candy; thick or sticky candy; or candy with nuts. Caramel, sour balls and jaw breakers can be dangerous because children's airways are higher and narrower than an adult's, creating a choking hazard.
- Fake grass is not easily digestible, so keep it away from little children.
- Be sure that Easter toys and dolls (such as bunnies, chicks etc) are free of choking hazards. Pieces that can be removed from a doll or toy pose a potential choking danger to small children.
- Chocolate Bunny's are an Easter tradition…however, be very careful when giving such gifts to children who are peanut or nut allergic. Make sure you read the label of contents, as many chocolates, although said to be "pure chocolate", may have been in contact with nuts or peanuts during their preparation or packaging.
Egg Safety:
- Eggs are a potentially hazardous food, in the same category as meat, poultry, fish, and milk. In other words, they are capable of supporting the rapid growth of disease-causing bacteria like Salmonella. Before boiling eggs for Easter decorating/painting, they must be kept refrigerated.
- Never leave raw eggs in any form at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Don't eat or cook with cracked eggs or eggs that have been un-refrigerated for more than two hours.
- Hard-boiled Easter (decorated) eggs left in room temperature for many hours or days as a decoration or table centerpiece should be discarded and not eaten.
- Use only clean, unbroken eggs. Discard dirty or broken eggs. When you boil your eggs, make sure the water is hot (185-190 degrees F). Cool your eggs in cold water or just in the air.
- Cleanliness of hands, utensils and work surfaces is essential in preventing spread of bacteria. Always wash your hands when handling your eggs, especially between cooking, cooling and dyeing. Wash hands again, along with all utensils, equipment and counter tops that have been in contact with any raw food before preparing other foods.
If you keep these few simple tips in mind, you should be able to enjoy a fun, problem-free Easter celebration.
References: http://www.drpaul.com/factsheets/eastertips.html
