Unfortunately, food-borne illnesses are more common in the summer, and can ruin your best-laid plans. Keep your family and friends safe when you’re preparing or enjoying food this summer by remembering a few tips:
1-Minute Tip: Check the temperature of your meat. Make sure that pork, beef and lamb have a minimum internal temperature of 160˚ F using a meat thermometer.
5-Minute Tip: Toss out food that’s left out. When the weather gets hot, food shouldn’t be left out for more than an hour. If any food has surpassed that time limit, throw it in the garbage.
15-Minute Tip: Wash produce thoroughly. Make sure you wash your fruits and veggies with cool water before cutting or eating to eliminate bacteria. This includes produce like melons — you’ll want to wash the skins before you slice or peel.
30-Minute Tip: Prep meal ingredients in advance. If you’re in charge of foods for an activity such as camping, prepare everything ahead of time. Chop up all your fruits and veggies, make your burger patties, and butcher any other meats at home — and place them in separate sealed bags in a cooler with ice. Let the cooler chill with ice for 30 minutes before you pack it up.
This article first appeared in the July 2017 edition of the HealthPerks newsletter.
