Have you ever been to a picnic and felt a little apprehensive about eating
the food sitting out on the tables? It may feel a little awkward providing the picnic
goers with this checklist, but when it comes down to the safety of the food you eat, you
can be assured that you’re not the only one concerned.
Prior to a recent neighborhood picnic, I printed out the
Outdoor Food Safety Checklist and handed it out to everyone participating. On the day of
the picnic everyone felt more confident that the foods they were eating had been prepared,
served and stored correctly. Everyone ate to their hearts content.
Just food for thought.
Drink canned and bottled drinks with a straw or keep covered at all times to prevent swallowing a bee or other insect that may have entered the container
Keep cold foods in a cooler with ice or frozen packs and refill with ice as needed
Take two coolers; one for drinks and one for food
Keep a cooler in the shade
Wash your hands before preparing or cooking food
Wash plates and utensils that have held raw meat, seafood or poultry before using them for cooked food
Don’t reuse marinades on cooked food
Use thermometers to check the inside temperature of foods you are cooking
Don’t leave food sitting out for more than 1 to 2 hours depending on the outdoor temperature (general rule of thumb is 1 hour if 90 degrees F. or above)
Discard any foods that have been outside for longer than 1 to 2 hours depending on the outdoor temperature
Keep food cold by nesting bowls in containers of ice
Keep food covered while it’s sitting out
Take water with you for cleaning and preparation if you are going to be in an area with questionable water quality
Keep raw foods away from cooked foods
Clean and sanitize food contact surfaces
Pack clean, soapy sponges, cloths and wet towelettes for cleaning surfaces and hands
