Where I live, July 24^th is a HUGE state wide holiday. People are off work, there are parades and fireworks, and there are lots of picnics. Every picnic friendly holiday it seems I see someone post on social media that someone in their family got sick from eating some sort of spoiled picnic food. Are all of the reported stomach bugs really from spoiled picnic food? There is a good chance the answer is yes! So how can we remedy this situation? We can all catch up on some basic food safe picnic tips and implement them when having our picnics, tomorrow or any other picnic day.

Most food safe picnic tips seem like common sense. But if these food safe picnic tips aren’t followed people can get sick. I’d much rather take precautions than cause people to get sick, especially when those people are my kids. Kids with stomach bugs make life pretty icky for a couple of days! Following these food safe picnic tips should help avoid that and keep all the picnicking fun and safe!

Food Safe Picnic Tips – Straight from the FDA website:

Serving Picnic Food: Keep it COLD / HOT

Keeping food at proper temperatures – indoor and out – is critical in preventing the growth of foodborne bacteria. The key is to never let your picnic food remain in the “Danger Zone” – between 40° F and 140° F – for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if outdoor temperatures are above 90° F. This is when bacteria in food can multiply rapidly, and lead to foodborne illness.

Instead, follow these simple rules for keeping cold foods cold and hot foods hot.

COLD FOOD

Cold perishable food should be kept in the cooler at 40° F or below until serving time.

• Once you’ve served it, it should not sit out for longer than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the outdoor temperature is above 90° F. If it does – discard it.
• Foods like chicken salad and desserts in individual serving dishes can be placed directly on ice, or in a shallow container set in a deep pan filled with ice. Drain off water as ice melts and replace ice frequently.

HOT FOOD

Hot food should be kept hot, at or above 140° F.

• Wrap it well and place it in an insulated container until serving.
• Just as with cold food – these foods should not sit out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour in temperatures above 90° F. If food is left out longer, throw it away to be safe.

Platter Warning:

Prevent “Cross-Contamination” When Serving

Never reuse a plate or utensils that previously held raw meat, poultry, or seafood for serving — unless they’ve been washed first in hot, soapy water. Otherwise, you can spread bacteria from the raw juices to your cooked or ready-to-eat food.

This is particularly important to remember when serving cooked foods from the grill.