This post comes to you from my makeshift office at the Vinton County Fairgrounds. It’s hot, it’s humid, and there’s no relief in sight. In short- it’s summer! I like each of the four seasons for different reasons, but summer is my absolute favorite. I enjoy the sunshine, the warm temperatures, and all of the different parties and cookouts that happen along the way.
The warm temperatures and sunshine are certainly welcome, but they do make it a bit more difficult to keep food safe, especially as we travel. I occasionally prepare food and take it with me to a friend’s cookout or a family reunion. When I went camping as a child, my parents would buy all of our food before we left for the campground, including the perishable food. Vinton County does not have a grocery store, leaving some residents to travel nearly an hour just to buy food. Each of these are situations where traveling with food is a necessity, and situations where foodborne illness might arise if proper precautions are not taken.
Some bacteria which cause foodborne illness have a tendency to grow well in warm environments. When perishable food is not handled properly, it can create an opportunity for these types of bacteria to grow and develop to a level that is harmful to us. This may sound a little ominous, but it need not be. Whether we’re heading out on a vacation, going to a picnic, or just returning home from the grocery store; there are a few ways we can keep our food safe and our family healthy if we are traveling with food during these warm summer months.
- Pack properly– placing one or two cold items in a large cooler is not likely to keep foods cold for long. Choose a smaller cooler if you are transporting a limited number of items, or fill the empty spaces of a larger cooler with ice or ice packs.
- Keep it Shut- Have you ever noticed how a draft of warm, muggy air enters your air-conditioned home when someone opens a door? Cold air leaves and warm air moves in when a cooler is opened. Limiting the number of times a cooler is opened helps to maintain a lower temperature for a longer period of time
- Know Your (Time) Limits- If your perishable food is not being held at a proper temperature (below 40° F or above 140° F), it is in the “Danger Zone,” and should be discarded after two hours. In cases where the air temperature is above 90° F, food should be discarded after only one hour.
- Be Prepared- Keep insulated tote bags in your car for use at the grocery store. Have several on hand so that you can store meats, poultry, and fish separately from raw vegetables. If you find yourself in need of a cooler but do not have access to one, know what you can use as a substitute. A clean cardboard box lined with large plastic bags can be filled with food items and ice to create a makeshift cooler
With a little planning and effort, keeping our food safe during the warm summer months can be an effort carefree as a summer breeze.
