Common sense goes a long way in packing foods safely for outdoor dining. Whether you are packing up to go to Lake Lanier, the park or to the backyard, the same principles apply.

Safe food handling is always important. During the summertime, more meals are consumed and prepared outdoors and there is an increased need for safe food handling.

The basics

• Keep hot food hot, cold food cold.
• Cook all foods thoroughly.
• Keep everything clean.

Wash, wash, wash

Before you head for the picnic site, prepare all foods under clean conditions. Wash hands (for at least 20 seconds), containers and utensils before preparing each dish. If you plan to take cooked foods, be sure to cook them thoroughly, especially meat, poultry, fish and egg products that are more susceptible to bacterial contamination.

In case there are no hand-washing facilities at your picnic site, take along moist towelettes, a spray bottle of soapy water and antibacterial hand gel. Your first line of defense against illness is clean hands. Also, spread clean newspaper over picnic tables before topping with a plastic tablecloth or other covering.

How to pack

Perishable foods that are to be eaten cold should be stored below 40 F. Even an hour in high temperatures can be long enough for microorganisms to multiply on cooked foods and cause illness. Keep foods cold inside an insulated cooler with crushed ice, freezer gel packs or containers of ice. You can make your own ice packs by filling clean, empty, plastic milk jugs with water and freezing. Jugs of ice last longer than bags of ice cubes.

You can freeze meat and bread for sandwiches and pack mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato and other condiments separately. It is a good idea to freeze meats that you plan to cook at the picnic site. Partially frozen hamburgers, hotdogs and chicken parts will thaw in one hour in the ice chest and will be ready to cook safely when you arrive at the cookout site.

On the grill

The coals should be hot before placing meat onto the grill. Sometimes it can take 30 minutes or longer before coals are ready, so give yourself plenty of time so all meat is cooked thoroughly.

Do not eat raw or undercooked hamburgers made from ground beef or ground poultry since harmful bacteria such as E. coli could be present. It is always a good idea to take an "exploratory" cut into any patties, poultry, meat or fish to check doneness. Juices should run clear and meat should not be pink.

The USDA recommends cooking ground meat to 165 F. Serve hot, grilled foods immediately. Put cooked foods on clean plates that weren't used to hold raw meat or poultry.

After the meal

Perishable foods should be consumed within two hours after cooking, one hour if the temperature is 90 degrees or above. All leftovers should go back into the cooler where there is plenty of ice. Some people leave picnic food out on the table after the meal and this is asking for trouble. Cooked food can spoil as quickly as raw food, especially on a hot summer day.

The bacteria that cause food poisoning do not cause food to look, taste or smell bad. So don't try to justify eating food that sits out for hours just because it doesn't smell or taste bad. E. coli, Salmonella and other bacteria are tasteless and odorless. Sometimes you do not get sick until hours or even days later. By that time most people don't remember what they ate.

It is important to handle food properly at all times. When you suspect food has been mishandled, don't eat it anyway just because it doesn't smell bad. "When in doubt, throw it out."

Have a happy and safe summer!

Source: University of Illinois Extension

Debbie Wilburn is county extension agent in family and consumer science with the Hall County Extension. Contact: 770-535-8290.