Food Safety Tips

Atkins Products

Atkins Bars & Shakes

1. Atkins shakes do not need to be refrigerated until after they are opened. Atkins shakes are packaged in Tetra Paks that allows even the most sensitive products (like our milk based shakes) to stay fresh up to 12 months without refrigeration. The cap on the Tetra Pak cuts through a foil seal when opened; therefore the shake is completely sealed until you are ready to consume it.
2. Atkins bars contain known allergens (tree nuts, peanuts, soy, wheat and milk.) Bars that do not contain a specific allergen are produced in facilities where these products are used, therefore cross contamination can occur. Please check labels before consuming.
3. Do not consume expired Atkins product. We cannot guarantee the product’s freshness and quality once past the expiration date. If you purchased the product after the ‘Best Used By’ date, we suggest you return the product to the store where it was purchased for a refund or exchange.

Atkins Frozen Meals

1. Do not consume an Atkins Frozen Meal if it has been thawed, due to the risk of bacteria growth. 
2. Do not reuse Atkins Frozen Meal trays. It is not designed as a permanent container and should not be reused.
3. Follow Frozen Meal package directions while being mindful that microwave ovens do vary and can cook unevenly which can result in cold spot where bacteria can survive. Overcooking can cause the food to become tough or rubbery. We suggest cooking at the minimum amount of time, then heating in 30 second increments until the meal is heated through. For more information on how to microwave food properly – watch this video. 
4. Do not heat Atkins Frozen Meals in a toaster oven, as they are generally too small and may burn the tray.

Food Safety

Here at Atkins, we care about your health. We’ve teamed up with Fightbac.org to keep you and your family safe.

Follow these four steps to keep food safe from harmful bacteria:

1. Clean: Wash Hands and Surfaces Often

• Bacteria can be spread throughout the kitchen and get onto hands, cutting boards, utensils, counter tops and food. To Fight BAC!® always:
• Wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers and handling pets.
• Wash your cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and counter tops with hot soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next food.
• Consider using paper towels to clean up kitchen surfaces. If you use cloth towels wash them often in the hot cycle of your washing machine.
• Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water, including those with skins and rinds that are not eaten.
• Rub firm-skin fruits and vegetables under running tap water or scrub with a clean vegetable brush while rinsing with running tap water.

2. Separate: Don’t Cross-Contaminate!

• Cross-contamination is how bacteria can be spread. When handling raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs, keep these foods and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods. Always start with a clean scene — wash hands with warm water and soap. Wash cutting boards, dishes, counter tops and utensils with hot soapy water.
• Separate raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs from other foods in your grocery shopping cart, grocery bags and in your refrigerator.
• Use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry and seafood.
• Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs.

3. Cook: Cook to Proper Temperatures

• Food is safely cooked when it reaches a high enough internal temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause food borne illness. Use a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of cooked foods. Refer to the heat it up chart for the safe internal temperatures. The best way to Fight BAC!® is to:
• Use a food thermometer which measures the internal temperature of cooked meat, poultry and egg dishes, to make sure that the food is cooked to a safe internal temperature.
• Cook roasts and steaks to a minimum of 145°F. All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F as measured with a food thermometer. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast with a food thermometer.
• Cook ground meat, where bacteria can spread during grinding, to at least 160°F. Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) links eating undercooked ground beef with a higher risk of illness. Remember, color is not a reliable indicator of doneness Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of your burgers.
• Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm, not runny. Don’t use recipes in which eggs remain raw or only partially cooked.
• Cook fish to 145°F or until the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork.
• Make sure there are no cold spots in food (where bacteria can survive) when cooking in a microwave oven. For best results, cover food, stir and rotate for even cooking. If there is no turntable, rotate the dish by hand once or twice during cooking.
• Bring sauces, soups and gravy to a boil when reheating. Heat other leftovers thoroughly to 165°F.

4. Chill: Refrigerate Promptly!

• Refrigerate foods quickly because cold temperatures slow the growth of harmful bacteria. Do not over-stuff the refrigerator. Cold air must circulate to help keep food safe. Keeping a constant refrigerator temperature of 40°F or below is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of food-borne illness. Use an appliance thermometer to be sure the temperature is consistently 40°F or below. The freezer temperature should be 0°F or below.
• Refrigerate or freeze meat, poultry, eggs and other perishables as soon as you get them home from the store.
• Never let raw meat, poultry, eggs, cooked food or cut fresh fruits or vegetables sit at room temperature more than two hours before putting them in the refrigerator or freezer (one hour when the temperature is above 90°F).
• Never defrost food at room temperature. Food must be kept at a safe temperature during thawing. There are three safe ways to defrost food: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave. Food thawed in cold water or in the microwave should be cooked immediately.
• Always marinate food in the refrigerator.
• Divide large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers for quicker cooling in the refrigerator.
• Use or discard refrigerated food on a regular basis. Check the cold storage chart for optimum storage times.