Picnic Foods and Safety

An ice chest is an important key to safety.

If you can't keep foods at the proper temperature to prevent bacterial growth, don't plan to take these foods on a picnic.

Warm weather often means picnics and outdoor fun. Too often, foodborne illness is associated with picnics.

Follow these suggestions to keep your picnic foods safe to eat.

Choose your picnic menu carefully. Disease-producing bacteria prefer foods high in protein and moisture. These foods include milk products, eggs, poultry, meats, fish, shellfish, cream pies, custards and potato salad. If you can't keep foods at the proper temperature to prevent bacterial growth, don't plan to take these foods on a picnic. The temperatures which prevent bacterial growth are either above 140° or below 45° . If temperatures are a problem, choose canned, preserved or dehydrated foods and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Food preparation an important aspect…

Before you prepare food, be sure to wash your hands, utensils, and equipment you will use. Cook food thoroughly to the proper temperature. Cook pork, poultry, custards, and cream fillings to a temperature of 165°. Use a meat or cooking thermometer to make sure food reaches 165°.

Keep prepared food hot (above 140°) or refrigerate it immediately after preparation. Use frozen bread and chilled fillings for sandwiches to help keep them cold.

Keep your picnic free from foodborne illness…

Hot foods should be stored and transported in insulated containers such as an ice chest, for short trips. For longer trips, refrigerate foods at 45° or colder, then reheat them before you eat them.

Cold foods can be kept below 45° in an ice chest. You can use ice, dry ice or cold packs to keep temperatures low. If you use dry ice, put it on top of the food. Store foods to be chilled in shallow containers. They provide more surface area for foods to stay cold.

When you're serving picnic foods, place them on a clean tablecloth spread on the picnic table or ground. After the meal, put leftovers back in the ice chest immediately. If food has stayed out at unsafe temperatures, throw it away. Do not take a chance on eating foods which might make you sick.

Follow these suggestions for food safety. Make sure your picnic is an enjoyable experience.

For more information on safety and picnic foods, contact your local county Extension office.