Baby, it’s hot outside. Most of the country is getting into the dog-days of summer and even the usually temperate Northwest has set heat records for the month of June, and July is off to a blazing start.
During the hot summer months of picnics and BBQs, it is especially important to keep your family from getting sick from improperly cooked, served, or stored food. A simple but effective rule is to keep hot foods hot, and cold foods cold.
10 Tips for Summer Food Safety:
- Pack perishable groceries in a cooler after shopping, and properly refrigerate or freeze, as soon as home.
- Clean hands and surfaces – including while eating outside, pack hand wipes and cleaning cloths for wiping picnic tables, grills, and other public surfaces.
- Wash all produce before using – including organic produce, and produce that will be peeled, before it is cut or consumed.
- Separate raw and cooked foods on different platters before and after grilling and use clean cooking and serving utensils on grilled foods. Never return a protein to the previously used marinade after it is cooked.
- Use a thermometer to cook all meats and poultry to recommended internal temperatures.
- Keep foods hot until served. Keep hot foods on a grill or in an oven (200 degrees) until it is time to eat them.
- Chill raw and prepared foods in the refrigerator or a cooler with ice promptly. Food should not be left at room temperature longer than two hours (one hour if the temperature is over 90 degrees). Don’t cool cooked food on the counter, put it in the refrigerator in an open container to chill. Once chilled, the food can be sealed and stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
- Serve cold foods on a bed of ice or in chilled serving containers. Keep salads, proteins, and dairy in the refrigerator or in a cooler until serving.
- Plan summer menus, especially when eating outside, with foods that are appropriate for the location and temperature.
- Enjoy the delicious bounty of summer produce by eating what is in season.
FoodSafety.gov has a lot of detailed information and great infographics.
Stay cool!
