Summer Food Safety

While the summer is a great time for outdoor BBQ's, picnics and cookouts, we can't forget the heat and how it impacts the foods we are planning to put into our bodies. It's key to remember that food safety extends far beyond your own kitchen or yard.

Food safety starts at the grocery store. Watch the way your items are bagged at the checkout. Fresh meats should be double bagged and should not be placed in the same bags as your fresh fruits and vegetables. The raw juice from the meats could drip or leak into your other foods and cause bacterial infections later on. This tip is key all year long - not just in the summer.

How far away from the grocery store do you live? Are you going to run other errands aside from your trip to the grocery store? The hot summer sun can turn your unattended vehicle into an oven quicker than you think, so you will want to plan your work so that the groceries are left unattended in the car as little as possible. Try to run your other errands first so that you never have to leave your food in the hot car. If you live a great distance from the grocery store, consider buying a cooler or freezer bag to store your frozen and perishable goods for the ride home!

I love a good cookout, but I'm hesitant to eat if I'm a late arrival and the food has been sitting out. On a hot summer day, you should not eat foods that have been sitting outside for more than 1-2 hours. The temperature has, unfortunately, managed to heat up the foods just enough to turn them into a breeding ground for bacteria. Foods made with mayonnaise should be especially avoided, as mayo tends to go bad faster than many other ingredients. If you must leave food outside, try placing the bowls or plates in coolers on ice. You can even double-bowl your foods - setting your food bowl inside another bowl of ice. Remember, just because you cooked your food over a hot BBQ flame does not mean the burgers and hot dogs can sit out in the sun longer. If they aren't eaten right away, store the burgers as well - you can always microwave them or throw them back on the grill later on for a quick re-heat.