picnic and lake, food

Picnicking in the summertime is great fun for the entire family, especially if you are celebrating a special occasion. However, if picnic fare is not handled safely, you and your family could be susceptible to food borne illnesses.

Use these 5 great tips to prevent food borne illnesses:

  1. Wash your hands thoroughly before handling food and utensils.
  2. Unless you are planning to picnic the next day or are freezing food, do not prepare meals ahead of time to prevent bacteria growth.
  3. Cool mayonnaise-based foods immediately after preparing them.
  4. Do not let food items sit out for more than one hour.
  5. While eating, keep foods covered so that insects do not land on the food and spread diseases to you.

Remember that temperature is critical in preventing food borne illnesses as well:

  • Keep cold foods at 40° F or colder. If you are at an outdoor gathering, do so by placing your food in an insulted cooler with ice or frozen gel packs.
  • Hot foods must be kept at 140° F or hotter. To keep containers warm, wrap them in a towel followed by newspaper, and then place them in a box.

When cooking outdoors, always cook food thoroughly right away. Do not partially cook food to finish later. This allows toxins, a harmful form of bacteria that is killed when cooking, to form. The trunk of your car can exceed temperatures of 150° F, so it’s best to put coolers in the passenger area of your car. Once you have arrived at your destination, place coolers in the shade and keep them closed until you are ready to eat.