Food safety is something campers need to think about since often their food eaten outdoors. There are any number of potlucks and barbecues that happen during a camping trip so understanding how to keep the cold foods cold and the hot foods hot will keep everyone safe and happy.
Temps can climb in the summer so it’s a time to take extra precautions regarding your family’s food. There are three times to take extra care with your food and those are during preparation, transporting, and servings your meals.
Preparation
If you’re marinating foods for your picnic be sure to keep meats under refrigeration until you plan to cook it. If you’re going to be serving a marinade for a dipping sauce make a fresh batch instead of using the remains of your meat marinade.
Transporting
Utilize clean, well-sealed containers when you’re transporting food. Pack the coolers well with ice or freezer packs. Keep the cooler closed as much as you possibly can. It will greatly increase the probability of your food staying cold longer than if you’re continually opening and closing the cooler.
Wrap meat separately from other foods such as fruits and vegetables. Wash the fruits & veggies well before wrapping them up in film or foil. You might even want to consider transporting meat completely separate from other foods. You never know when juices from raw meat might leak contaminate other items in the cooler.
Serving
It’s very important that cold foods stay cold and hot foods stay hot. Cold food should stay below 40°F. You can keep the food in an ice packed cooler or place a bowl in a tray filled with ice. Keep the food out of the direct sunshine and pack it all away as soon as the meal is over. Hot food should be kept at 140° or more. You can use a Crockpot or keep pans of food over a warm grill or campfire.
These are some handy food safety tips to keep in mind during your next camping trip or family outing. We hope all your family get-togethers are memorable and filled with good time, good food, and good friends.
