Health Article

How to Prevent 7 Picnic Food Safety Mistakes (National Picnic Month)

EHC Post Date: Thu, Jul 13th, 2023

What better time to grab your picnic basket or cooler, head outside and bask in the sunshine than in July! Even if the weather is uncooperative or a bit on the chilly side, consider picnicking indoors in your living room. Here are some tips and tricks on hosting a picnic, as well as some food safety tips

• Pack food in clean, tightly sealed containers. To ensure your food stays cool, pack the cooler about three-quarters of the way full of food, reserving one-quarter of the space for ice packs. If possible, chill or freeze beverages beforehand.
• Never reuse ice. If you’re bringing ice to use in beverages, pack it in a separate sealed bag. This will help avoid spreading bacteria from the surfaces of food containers or other items in the cooler.
• Don’t let food sit out for more than two hours. If the temperature outside is 90°F or above, food is safe to sit outside for an hour at most.
• Before you call it a day, make sure that your cooler is clean! It's important to sanitize your cooler and wash reusable bags that you used to transport food.

Read the full article on the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website.