If your family is among the many that will be traveling this summer, heed these food safety tips from the American Dietetic Association/ConAgra Foods Home Food Safety Program.
- Remember to wash hands with soap and water during food preparation, especially between tasks.
- If you can't get to a restroom to wash your hands with soap and water, pack moist towelettes or a hand sanitizer to clean up before digging in.
- Don't let food sit out unrefrigerated for more than two hours; in hot weather (above 90°F), the time is reduced to one hour.
- Pack food with a frozen ice pack or ice in an insulated lunch bag or cooler -- and remember to drop in a refrigerator thermometer to ensure the temperature is kept below 40°F.
- In hot weather, transport food in a cooler (packed with ice or ice packs) in the back seat of an air-conditioned car instead of the trunk.
- If you don't have access to a cooler, try packing frozen juice boxes or bottles of water for a hydrating refresher that will also help keep other foods around them cool.
- If you plan to cook family favorites like hamburgers, hotdogs, or chicken breasts at home to take with on your trip, remember to cook to proper temperatures: hamburgers (at least 160°F), hot dogs (reheated to 160°F), and chicken (165°F).
- Consider packing easy-to-transport, shelf-stable foods: single-serve boxes of cereal, trail mix, popcorn, single-serve applesauce, cans of tuna peanut butter sandwiches, fresh fruit, carrots or celery.
- Don't forget that carry-out and fast-food are also susceptible to food poisoning.
