I’m just back from a camping trip and at the State Park we stayed at there were several large picnic areas. I was wondering just how full those picnic areas would be over the Fourth of July. That got me to thinking about picnics and food safety. This is a perfect time to think about planning a safe holiday picnic.
Here are my tips for a fun, safe picnic:
Start with clean hands, cutting boards, and utensils. Soap and water are still the best way to clean your hands, utensils, and cutting boards. Remember that washing your hands with soap and water, rubbing between fingers, and washing up the arm a bit will ensure clean hands. Sing the Happy Birthday song twice or recite the alphabet so that you know you have washed them long enough. If you find yourself at an area without running water be sure to pack antibacterial wipes for hand cleaning. Hand sanitizer is not a good option, especially if your hands are soiled.
Always wash your hands after using the restroom, changing a diaper, handling garbage, touching raw meat, blowing your nose, or playing fetch with your pet.
Keep everything that touches food clean. Keep all utensils, bowls, and cutting boards clean. Use separate boards for raw meat and raw vegetables. Always use a clean plate for cooked meat; never use the same plate you used to put the raw meat on the grill to serve the cooked meat. Before you leave home, be sure to scrub all items that will touch or contain food. Wash in hot water and use an abrasive cloth (think terry cloth) or brush. Rinse well with hot water. You can sanitize with a solution made of 2 teaspoons of fresh chlorine bleach in a quart of cool water. You can put this in a spray bottle and spray the sanitizer on the items. Let the sanitizer solution sit for 10-15 minutes before rinsing it off. Then let the items air dry.
Stay out of the danger zone. The danger zone is between 40°F and 140°F. In that temperature range, bacteria can grow exponentially. Thaw your picnic foods safely by using the refrigerator for thawing. Keep foods cold by putting dishes of salads or other foods that are temperature sensitive into a larger bowl containing ice. Keeping foods in an ice chest until you are ready to eat will also help keep food safe. Remember to get those leftovers back into the ice chest within an hour or so, depending on how hot it is the day of the picnic. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Use an instant read thermometer to know when grilled meat is safe to eat.
Follow these tips for a safer picnic this summer.
