How we time it
One question, one number. Every Prep Timer page answers how long something takes, then shows what changes the answer.
Where the times come from
We start from published guidance: food-safety agencies such as USDA FSIS and the FDA, university extension services, and appliance and manufacturer instructions. Each page links its sources. When sources disagree, we give the range and explain why.
Done is a temperature
A time gets you close. A food thermometer tells you when it is done. For meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and leftovers we list the safe minimum internal temperature from food-safety agencies, and that number wins over the clock.
What moves the number
Size and weight, starting temperature (straight from the fridge or at room temperature), oven type and accuracy, pan material, altitude, and whether the food is stuffed or covered all change cooking times. We say which of these matters most on each page.
Work it back
Most pages include a timeline from the moment you want to eat, backwards: when to start thawing, when the oven goes on, when to rest and carve.
What a time is not
Prep Timer offers general kitchen guidance, not professional food-safety or medical advice. If you are cooking for someone who is pregnant, very young, older or immune-compromised, follow your national food-safety agency's guidance for those groups.
When guidance changes
We update a page when better guidance appears, and the date on the page shows when it was published.
