You’ve marinated the meat, prepared salad and packed the drinks for your summer barbeque or picnic. But, have you planned your food safety strategy?

The backyard, park and campground can be breeding grounds for food-borne illnesses that thrive in hot, humid conditions. Keep bacteria at bay with these helpful food safety ideas.

Keep clean

• Wash your hands and work surface before they touch any food 
• Only use clean water
• Properly store your leftovers in plastic containers 
• Always wash raw fruit and vegetables

Separate raw and cooked food 

• Pack the food carefully so raw food does not touch cooked food 
• Wash all utensils after they contact raw food

Ensure food is fully cooked

• Always use an instant-read food thermometer
• Get the temperature right:
  • 71°C/160°F - ground beef
  • 74°C/165°F - leftover food
  • 85°C/185°F - whole chicken
• Clean thermometer after each measurement
• Eat food while it’s hot

Keep cold food cold

• Store perishable food in a chilled cooler below 4°C/40°F
• Use one cooler for beverages and one for food
• Store leftovers immediately after eating
• If in doubt, throw it out

Follow these simple rules and be sure to have fun with great outdoor meals.

Visit Health Canada for more info.