Outdoor eating food safety tips

by Alana Sugar

Keep hot foods hot
Hot foods need to stay between 140° and 160°F until ready to eat — harmful bacteria can rapidly grow when the temperature falls below this range. When food is cooked to temperatures of 165° to 212°F, most harmful bacteria is killed.

Keep cold foods cold
Cold food should be kept at 40°F or colder. Harmful bacteria can multiply quickly when temperatures climb above 40°F. Cold temperatures keep most harmful bacteria from growing and multiplying.

Follow the 2-Hour Rule
The very maximum amount of time any prepared food should be left at room temperature is two hours, and that includes preparation, serving and eating time. Watch the clock and pack up food before time is up! Be sure to throw away any foods left out longer than two hours, and if you are enjoying your meal in the sunny outdoors and the temperature is above 90°F, throw food out after one hour.

Stay cool with coolers
A well insulated cooler packed with ice or reusable cold paks is a fine alternative to a refrigerator. Make sure the foods you pack in the cooler, whether purchased or made at home, have been kept below 40°F. Open the cooler as infrequently as possible to retain cold air. Although it may look nice to set all of the food out on the picnic table, it is safer to leave cold foods in the cooler until right before eating.

Dishing it out
Keep hot foods at 140°F or warmer by using chafing dishes, slow cookers, and warming trays. Keep cold foods at 40°F or colder by nesting dishes in bowls of ice. You may also use small serving trays and replace them often. Make sure there are plenty of serving utensils to help your guests serve themselves without mixing foods from different dishes. Be sure to provide a serving spoon and plates for dips and salsas. Placing chips and dips at opposite ends of the buffet table may also help discourage “double-dipping.”

And don’t forget
Keep hands washed thoroughly, and keep cutting boards and all utensils clean with hot soapy water after each use.

All meats, including fish should be thawed and marinated in the refrigerator – never at room temperature! Remember to cook all meat, poultry, and seafood thoroughly from start to finish. Partially cooked meat is prime real estate for bad bacteria.

When taking food off the grill, always use a clean plate. Never put cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat.