Food safety for picnics and cookouts

Bacteria in food multiply faster between 40°F and 140°F, which makes cooking and eating outdoors in warm weather a challenge. Meat and poultry on a grill also brown quickly on the outside, so the color doesn't show whether they're done.

Packing and carrying

• Pack straight from the fridgeLoad the cooler just before you leave, with enough ice or ice packs to keep the food at 40°F or below.
• Use two coolersKeep one for drinks and one for perishable food.
• Put raw meat at the bottomSeal it well and keep it under the other food. Poultry juice that leaks onto other meat means that meat has to be cooked to 165°F.
• Bring water if there's none thereYou'll need it for preparing food and washing hands, surfaces and utensils. Otherwise, pack clean cloths, moist towelettes and hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

At the grill

• Keep the cooler in the shadeKeep the lid closed as much as you can too, since opening it lets warm air in.
• Take out only what's going on the grillKeep the rest of the meat and poultry cold until it's time to cook it.
• Marinate in the fridge, not on the counterSet aside some marinade for a sauce before the raw meat goes in. Boil used marinade for a few minutes before brushing it on during grilling.
• Use a clean platter for cooked foodNever put cooked food on a plate or platter that held raw meat, poultry or seafood, and use clean utensils to take it off the grill.
• Cook it all the way throughNever partly grill meat or poultry to finish later. If you precook food in the microwave or oven, put it on the hot grill right away.

Safe temperatures

Check them with a food thermometer.

• Hamburgers and other ground beef, lamb and veal160°F.
• Chicken and other poultry, including ground165°F.
• Beef, lamb and veal steaks, chops and roasts145°F, then let the meat rest at least 3 minutes.
• Hot dogs and other fully cooked meatsReheat to 165°F, or until steaming hot.

Serving and leftovers

• Keep cooked food hotHold it at 140°F or warmer, to the side of the grill rack rather than right over the coals.
• Set cold dishes on icePut chicken salad, desserts and other cold dishes directly on ice, or in a shallow container set in a deep pan of ice. Drain off the melted water and add ice often.
• Mind the clockDon't leave food out of the cooler or off the grill more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it's above 90°F. Throw out food that's been out longer.
• Refrigerate leftovers promptlyUse shallow containers so they cool quickly.

Grill and fire pit safety for the backyard covers using the grill itself safely.