Are you ready for a picnic? It’s picnic season. With the hot weather and transporting food we need to watch our food safety practices, or food-borne illness may be on our picnic table.
Remember the #1 Food Safety rule “Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.” Be sure perishable foods (including meats) aren’t kept at room temperature (or within in the “danger zone” of 40 to 140 degrees) for any longer than two hours. When you are outdoors and it is really hot like 90 degrees or more, food should not set out for any longer than one hour at most. Microorganisms love heat and reproduce faster at 90 to 140 degrees F. On a hot summer day, it is really important to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold to avoid foodborne illnesses.
Washing hands is important even on a picnic. Wash your hands before handling food, and pack sanitizing wipes for your picnic or keep them in your car. If you’re grilling, don’t use the same plate and utensils for the cooked meat as you used for the raw. Take care that raw juices from beef, pork, poultry or other meats do not contaminate your perfectly grilled main dish.
When grilling or cooking meats use a food thermometer to ensure poultry or meats like hot dogs are heated through to 165 degrees; burgers to 160 degrees; and steaks or other cuts of beef, veal, pork, or lamb are cooked to 145 degrees with a 3 minute rest time.
Keep your coolers out of direct sunlight(PDF) when possible. Get them out of the trunk and put them under the shade of a tree which will help keep them cooler. Use plenty of ice as you should still have ice when you get back home from your picnic in your cooler. If all the ice is gone then food in your cooler has possibly reached the “danger temperature zone.”
Having two coolers (one for drinks and the other for food items) can help your food items stay colder, as everyone will not be reaching in that cooler to get something to drink.
Clean coolers when you get back home with warm soapy water and rinse well. Allow them to air-dry to be sure to keep contamination at a minimum.
