12 Tips To Pack Your Picnic Basket With Food Safety In Mind

Planning one last picnic before summer ends? As you plan your outing, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reminds you that food-borne bacteria multiply faster in warm weather—and the larger the dose of bacteria the more likely it will lead to food poisoning (also known as food-borne illness).

Follow these tips to pack your picnic basket with food safety in mind:

Basic Warm-Weather Precautions to Prevent Food Poisoning

Before your picnic

• Defrost meat, poultry, and seafood in the refrigerator or by submerging sealed packages in cold water. You can also microwave-defrost, but only if the food will

  be grilled immediately afterward.

• Marinate foods in the fridge not the countertop. Never

  reuse marinade that touched raw foods unless you boil it first or set

  some of the marinade aside before marinating food to use for sauce later.

• Thoroughly wash all produce before eating, even if you plan to peel it. The knife you

  use to peel it can carry bacteria into the part you eat. Fruits and vegetables that are pre-cut or peeled should

  be refrigerated or kept on ice to maintain quality and safety.

• If your picnic site doesn't offer clean water access, bring water or pack moist towels for cleaning surfaces and hands. Don't forget to pack a food thermometer!

When packing coolers

• Place food from the refrigerator directly into an insulated cooler immediately before leaving home.
• Use lots of ice or ice packs to keep your cooler at 40 °F or below.
• Pack raw meat, poultry, and seafood in a separate cooler if possible, or wrap it securely and store at the bottom of the cooler where the juices can't drip onto other foods. Place beverages in a separate cooler;

  this will offer easy drink access while keeping perishable food coolers closed.

• Load coolers into the passenger side of the car

  – it's cooler than the trunk. Once at the picnic site, keep food in coolers until serving time (out of direct sun) and avoid opening the lids often.

When grilling

• Have clean utensils and platters available. Cook meat, poultry, and seafood to the right temperatures—use a food thermometer to be sure (see Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures Chart). Keep cooked meats hot at 140 °F or warmer until serving time—set them to the side of the grill rack to keep them hot.
• When removing foods from the grill, place them on a clean platter.
• Never use the same platter and utensils you used for raw meat, poultry, or seafood.

Watch the time and outside temperature

• Don't let hot or cold food sit out in the "Danger Zone" (between 40 °F and 140 °F) for over 2 hours—or 1 hour if the outdoor temperature is above 90 °F. If they do, throw them away.