Save your bacon in April for National BLT Month

Bacon, lettuce and tomato are the only three ingredients needed for April's sandwich of the month.

To make the most out of your BLTs, follow these safety tips for handling bacon, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS):

• When buying raw bacon, take the meat home immediately and refrigerate it at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder.
  • Be sure to use or freeze the bacon within 7 days.
• Thaw bacon slowly in the refrigerator, which can then be used within the next seven days.
  • If the bacon is not used during this time and stays colder than 40 degrees, it can be put back in the freezer.
• If thawing in cold water, make sure the package is leak-proof.
• Any thawed bacon that reaches a temperature above 40 degrees should be cooked, the FSIS added, since temperatures above the 40-degree mark allow bacteria to grow and multiply.

Read more about the safe storage of bacon products here.