Page 38 - MAYO CLINIC Head to Toe e-magazine 293700

40 Keeping foods safe at picnics

Use these tips to ensure safe eating at your picnics:
•
Use an insulated cooler
Put ice or a frozen gel pack on top, with foods to be kept coldest
on the bottom
• Pack right from the refrigerator
Keep food cold or frozen to the touch before putting it in your cooler
or cold vacuum bottle, such as a thermos
• Wrap all foods separately in plastic
Don’t place foods directly on ice that’s not of drinking-water quality
Keep raw meat, poultry and fish well wrapped so that drippings
don’t contaminate other foods
• Don’t put your cooler in a hot trunk
Transport your cooler inside your car — not the trunk Keep the
cooler in the shade at your picnic or campsite, and keep the lid on
• Keep food and utensils covered until serving time

Flies, other insects and household pets can carry salmonella bacteria
• Keep hot foods hot

Use a vacuum bottle or insulated dish for serving
• Clean your hands

Take along alcohol-based hand sanitizer and disposable hand towels
to use before and after working with food
• Remember the 2-hour rule
Return leftovers to your cooler as quickly as possible Two hours
is the maximum time food should be left unrefrigerated — one hour
if the temperature is 90 F or higher If your ice has melted or the gel
pack is only cool, discard perishable leftovers

50 Head-to-Toe Health Tips 37