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Food Safety

1. Keep everything that touches the food clean — hands, utensils, cutting boards, bowls and countertops.
   
   
2. When working with raw meat, poultry and fish, keep the juices from coming in contact with other foods. Thoroughly wash any utensil, platter, bowl or cutting board with warm, soapy water immediately after preparing these products. If possible, have a separate cutting board just for meats.
   
3. Thoroughly wash all produce with clean, drinkable water.  

1. Always marinate meat, fish or poultry in a covered container in the refrigerator. Do not marinate for more than 24 hours. Leftover marinade should not be used for basting unless it has been boiled for 1 minute. A better alternative is to mix a double batch of marinade; reserve half for marinating the food and half to use as a basting sauce.
   
   
2. When handling raw meat, fish or poultry, remove from the refrigerator or cooler only the amount of meat that will fit on the grill. To be sure bacteria are destroyed, check the temperature of the meat with an instant-read thermometer. Cook hamburgers and ribs to 160 degrees or until the center is no longer pink and the juices run clear. Cook poultry to 180 degrees. Steaks should be cooked to at least 140 degrees.
   
   
3. When taking food off the grill, put them on a clean platter. Never put cooked food on a platter containing raw meat drippings or marinade.

1. Use separate coolers for beverages and food. Beverage coolers are opened frequently and may cause problems if other foods are packed with them.
   
   
2. Place commercial or homemade ice packs in the cooler. Pack your perishables next to the ice packs. Avoid placing fruits and vegetables directly on the ice to prevent freezing them. Fill the cooler to the top. A full cooler stays cold longer than a partially filled one. If necessary, use additional ice or frozen non-perishables such as juice boxes to fill.
   
   
3. Try to avoid placing the cooler in the trunk of the car. Carrying it in an air-conditioned environment is best. Once you arrive at your location, keep the cooler in the shade and minimize the number of times it is opened. Replenish the ice if it melts.
   
   
4. Keep hot foods hot! If possible, heat the food to 160 degrees before you leave home and pour into a slow cooker, electric roaster or chafing dish. As soon as you reach your destination, plug in the roaster or slow cooker or light the chafing dish. (Remember the chafing dish is for maintaining temperature only!) If a range is available, place food in a 200 degree oven. Foods must maintain an internal temperature of 140 degrees to remain safe.
   
   
5. Try to plan for exactly the right amount of food so you don’t end up with many leftovers. Make sure you put all leftovers into a refrigerator or cooler right away. 
   
   
6. Remember: In hot weather (above 90°F), food should never sit out for more than 1 hour. Discard any food left out more than 2 hours (1 hour if temperatures are above 90°F).