Bountiful buffets are a sideboard of scents, an intriguing array of choices and an attractive sight for the eye. Whether it's a holiday celebration, a family gathering, a sports-watching party or a potluck dinner, the chance to partake in a variety of delectable dishes is fun for everyone.

However, buffets — where foods are often left out at room temperature for several hours — leave the door open for uninvited guests: bacteria that cause foodborne illness.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, foods prepared in the home cause thousands of foodborne illnesses yearly in America. The top two causes of foodborne illness are:

1. Leaving food out at an unsafe temperature, and

2. Not cooking food to high enough temperatures to destroy bacteria.

Keep hot food hot and cold food cold

To keep bacteria from growing, it's important to keep hot food at 140 degrees or above. After cooking or reheating foods, keep them hot in an oven set at 200 to 250 degrees. For serving, a chafing dish, food warmer, slow cooker or electric warming tray can keep hot food hot. Do not reheat food in a slow cooker. However, once reheated to 165 degrees, foods can be transferred to the slow cooker and kept hot.

Cold food should be held at 40 degrees or colder. Nest cold dishes in bowls of ice. It's best to arrange and serve cold food on several small platters rather than on one large platter. Keep them refrigerated until serving time. Replace empty platters; don't add fresh food to a dish that already had food in it.

Cold food can be out of the refrigerator a maximum of two hours. After that, the food will be in the "danger zone" — temperatures between 40 degrees and 140 degrees where bacteria thrive and grow. Discard any food left at room temperature more than two hours (one hour when the temperature is above 90 degrees).

Serve spiral-cut hams reheated

Spiral-cut hams are best served cold. However, if you wish to reheat one, cover the entire ham or portion with heavy aluminum foil and heat at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes per pound. Be sure to use a food thermometer to insure the ham reaches 165 degrees — a temperature high enough to destroy any bacteria that may be present in a fully cooked, pre-sliced ham.

Make sure meatballs are hot

Whether you make homemade meatballs ahead of time or purchase them from the freezer case, it's important to reheat them to 165 degrees before serving — and keep them hot.

When making homemade meatballs, it's best not to store raw egg-meat mixtures in the refrigerator. As soon as you mix and form the meatballs, cook them until they reach 160 degrees. If not using them right away, cool them in a single layer and refrigerate in shallow containers. Reheat and use the cooked meatballs within four days. Leftovers may be frozen.

Safe handling of buffet foods

The United States Department of Agriculture recommends these practices to keep all hot and cold buffet foods safe:

Keep everything clean

n Wash your hands with warm, soapy water before and after handling food.

• Keep your kitchen, dishes and utensils clean.

• Always serve food on clean plates — not those previously holding raw meat and poultry. Otherwise, bacteria that may have been present in raw meat juices can cross-contaminate the food to be served.

Cook home-prepared foods thoroughly

Cook foods to safe minimum internal temperatures as measured with a food thermometer.

• Beef, veal and lamb steaks, roasts and chops may be cooked to 145 degrees.

• Heat all cuts of fresh pork to 160 degrees.

• Heat ground beef, veal and lamb to 160 degrees.

• All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Chill promptly

• Divide cooked foods into shallow containers for rapid cooling.

• Store these foods in the refrigerator or freezer until serving.

Handle frozen convenience foods safely

• Follow handling and cooking instructions on frozen convenience foods.

• Thaw foods in the refrigerator, not out on the counter.

• Before serving cooked foods intended to be served hot, reheat them to 165 degrees.

Handle take-out foods safely

• Refrigerate cold perishable foods as soon as possible, always within two hours after purchase or delivery. If the food is in air temperatures above 90 degrees, refrigerate within 1 hour.

• When picking up hot take-out foods such as fried or rotisserie chicken, transport the food to the buffet location and keep it hot.

• If you plan to eat at a later time, take-out or delivered food should be divided into smaller portions or pieces, placed in shallow containers and refrigerated.

Follow the "2-hour" rule

• Bacteria grow rapidly in the "danger zone" — temperatures between 40 degrees (refrigerator temperature) and 140 degrees (the minimum for holding hot food).

• Foods should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours (one hour when the temperature is above 90 degrees).

• Keep track of how long foods have been sitting on the buffet table and discard anything there two hours or more.

• Leftovers from safely handled dishes should be refrigerated and used within four days. Frozen cooked leftovers will taste best if used within three months but are safe indefinitely.

Following the USDA's recommendations will keep your bountiful buffet safe for guests.

Basic meatball mixture:1½ pounds ground meat or poultry, or any combination (ground beef, veal, pork, lamb, chicken or turkey)1 medium onion, finely chopped½ cup dry bread crumbs¼ cup milk¼ cup chopped fresh parsley1 teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon ground black pepperPreheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9x13-inch baking sheet with non-stick spray or olive oil, or line pan with non-stick aluminum foil.In a mixing bowl, combine ground meat, onion, bread crumbs, milk, parsley, salt and pepper.Add the seasoning for the flavor of meatball you want.Form 48 meatballs from mixture and place on prepared baking sheet.Bake 15 minutes or until meatballs reach 160 degrees (165 degrees if using ground poultry).If not serving immediately, keep warm in a 200 degree oven or cool and refrigerate in shallow containers. Makes 48 meatballsAccompany the meatballs with dipping sauce listed for meatball variety.

Get the best flavor by using some ground pork.Seasoning for meatball mixture:¼ cup chopped almonds2 tablespoons soy sauce1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic½ teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes1 teaspoon ground gingerDipping sauce: purchased (10-ounce) jar sweet and sour sauce

Get the best flavor by using ground lamb.Seasoning for meatball mixture:1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic1 teaspoon ground cinnamonSprinkle formed meatballs with 2 tablespoons sesame seeds; press into meat.Dipping sauce:1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt1 tablespoon olive oil¼ cup chopped green onions2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice1 teaspoon sugar

Ground beef stands up to hearty flavors.Seasoning for meatball mixture:1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro1½ teaspoons chili powder1 teaspoon ground cuminDipping sauce: purchased chunky salsa or green tomatillo salsa