Picnic Food Safety

How to ensure that you and your loved ones have a safe, fun picnic

Picnics are an enjoyable activity for people of all ages - but there are certain safety guidelines that you should follow to ensure that your day runs smoothly. If picnic foods are not handled safely, they can cause food-borne illnesses - something you certainly want to avoid when heading out for a day of fun! Here are a few tips to prepare, pack, and serve food in a way that will keep you and your family safe.

Unless you're freezing it, don't prepare your picnic food more than one day ahead of time. This will make certain that the food is at its top quality when you get ready to take it out to eat. Food cooked too far in advance is given ample opportunity for bacteria to grow. When you are preparing your food ahead of time, cool it rapidly in shallow pans in your refrigerator. Most cases of food-borne illnesses are due to improper cooling.

Keep foods with dairy and mayonnaise bases cold. Although mayonnaise alone is too acidic for bacteria to grow in it, when it's mixed in with other foods and kept warm, bacteria will likely develop.

Make sure your food is kept at the right temperature. Cold foods need to be kept cold, and hot foods should be kept hot. Use a picnic cooler or pack that has high quality insulation, and throw in a few cold gel packs or blue cold packs. Many of the picnic products on the market today have adequate insulation that eliminates the need for ice. Make sure your food is in a waterproof container so it can be submerged in ice, if you are using a standard hard-sided cooler. Never just set containers of food on top of the ice. If you're bringing hot take-out food, try to eat it within an hour. Most picnic coolers and backpacks with insulated compartments can be used for either hot or cold food, so you can transport it safely that way if you are going to be a bit longer.

Think about bringing non-perishable foods that don't need refrigeration. Things like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, trail mix, chips, crackers, and dried fruit are excellent choices.

Wash your hands before eating. A convenient way to make sure your hands are clean when there's no running water and soap is to bring along some antibacterial hand gel, or antibacterial baby wipes. Dirty hands can contaminate food, especially if you'll be engaging in some outdoor activities such as hiking, horseback riding, fishing, etc. before eating.

Throw out leftovers unless you'll be getting home within an hour. It's a good idea to bring just enough food for the meal, and try not to have too much extra that will go to waste. The longer food is left sitting at an unsafe temperature (especially if it has been sitting exposed to the air), the more likely it is that there will be harmful bacteria growth.

For more helpful picnic tips, be sure to read Planning the Perfect Picnic.