10 food habits nutritionists wish you’d give up

Both Malkani and Cecere wish people would stop defrosting their frozen foods on the benchtop at room temperature. Doing so creates an ideal environment for bacterial growth, which could cause foodborne illness, Malkani says. It’s safer to thaw frozen foods in the microwave or in the refrigerator overnight, Cecere recommends. Using cool running water to defrost frozen foods is also an option.

This article first appeared on Reader’s Digest.