Safe cooking temperatures chart
The numbers to remember are 40 and 140: bacteria grow fastest between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, so keep cold food below and hot food above. Leftovers and anything with poultry reheat to 165, ground meat cooks to 160, and whole cuts and fish to 145. Put leftovers in the fridge within two hours and eat them within about four days.
Why it matters: A thermometer and a few numbers prevent most food poisoning at home.
Steps
- Buy an instant-read thermometer and check food in the thickest part.
- Cook chicken, turkey and anything containing them to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook ground beef and pork to 160, and whole cuts of beef, pork and lamb and fish to 145, resting meat three minutes.
- Reheat leftovers until they are steaming hot and read 165 in the middle.
- Set the fridge to 40 or colder and the freezer to 0, and check with a fridge thermometer.
- Put leftovers away within two hours, or one hour on a very hot day, in shallow containers so they cool fast.
- Label containers with the date and use them within about four days.
Stop and call a professional if
- someone has signs of food poisoning with blood in the stool, a high fever, signs of dehydration, or symptoms lasting more than a few days: contact a clinician
- someone who is pregnant, very young, older or has a weak immune system gets sick after eating: call a clinician promptly
Common mistakes
- Judging chicken by color or clear juices.
- Leaving a buffet out all evening.
- Cooling a large pot of soup whole instead of dividing it into shallow containers.
Teach this to someone
A one page sheet for showing a friend, a teenager or a parent: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: Safe cooking temperatures chart
What to say
The numbers to remember are 40 and 140: bacteria grow fastest between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, so keep cold food below and hot food above. Leftovers and anything with poultry reheat to 165, ground meat cooks to 160, and whole cuts and fish to 145. Put leftovers in the fridge within two hours and eat them within about four days.
What to show
- Buy an instant-read thermometer and check food in the thickest part.
- Cook chicken, turkey and anything containing them to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cook ground beef and pork to 160, and whole cuts of beef, pork and lamb and fish to 145, resting meat three minutes.
- Reheat leftovers until they are steaming hot and read 165 in the middle.
- Set the fridge to 40 or colder and the freezer to 0, and check with a fridge thermometer.
- Put leftovers away within two hours, or one hour on a very hot day, in shallow containers so they cool fast.
- Label containers with the date and use them within about four days.
Where it stops
Stop and call a professional if someone has signs of food poisoning with blood in the stool, a high fever, signs of dehydration, or symptoms lasting more than a few days: contact a clinician.
Check question
What is the temperature danger zone?
Answer: 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Bacteria grow fastest between those temperatures.
Your checklist
Saved only in this browser.
Quick quiz
Three questions. Your score is saved only in this browser.
Related skills
Sources
- US federal food safety guidance for home cooks, 2026. Reviewed September 28, 2026.
Written in our own words from the sources above. It is general information, not advice for your situation; where a professional, your doctor or your lease says something different, follow them.
Last reviewed . First published .