|
|
|
Blue Springs, MO —
Did you know that each year roughly one out of six Americans (or 48 million people) gets sick, 128,000 Americans are hospitalized and 3,000 die from foodborne diseases?
As picnic season begins, don’t let the uninvited guest of a foodborne illness ruin your outing! Enjoying a picnic during a beautiful summer day is a great way to socialize with friends and family, but don’t forget to remember these tips to make your day fun and safe.
1. Wash your hands! Half of all food-borne illness can be eliminated by proper hand-washing. It’s never too early to start teaching children how to wash their hands correctly, too. Hands should be washed in warm water with soap before cooking foods and after handling raw meat, seafood and poultry. Hands should be washed for 20 seconds, or the same time it takes you to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice. And don’t forget to wash your cooking surfaces and replace your dishcloths and sponges on a regular basis.
2. Keep raw meats and ready-to-eat foods separate. Be sure to place your raw meat on the bottom shelf in your refrigerator and below any ready-to-eat foods such as fruits and vegetables. Also, remember to use a clean serving dish and utensil for any cooked meats that you are serving to your family and friends. When dining outside, be sure to bring two coolers with you. Use one for raw meats and put the ready-to-eat foods in the other.
3) Cook to proper food temperatures. The only way to make sure you are cooking foods to their proper temperatures is by using a meat thermometer. They are a very inexpensive way of making sure you save a trip to the emergency room! Cook ground meats to 160 degrees; poultry to 165 degrees; steak/roasts to 145 degrees; pork to 145 degrees with fresh, raw ham to 160 degrees; and egg casseroles to 160 degrees. Also, don’t forget to reheat any leftovers to 165 degrees before being served.
4) Stay out of the “danger zone”! Food should not be left out longer than two hours at one time. Your food should be kept below 40 degrees or above 140 degrees to prevent it from being in the “danger zone.” This is especially critical at picnics and pot-luck dinners when the time passes by fast and the snacks and dishes are nibbled on throughout the day. Be sure to have coolers and ice on hand or a refrigerator nearby to keep the foods stored in.
Did you know that each year roughly one out of six Americans (or 48 million people) gets sick, 128,000 Americans are hospitalized and 3,000 die from foodborne diseases?
As picnic season begins, don’t let the uninvited guest of a foodborne illness ruin your outing! Enjoying a picnic during a beautiful summer day is a great way to socialize with friends and family, but don’t forget to remember these tips to make your day fun and safe.
1. Wash your hands! Half of all food-borne illness can be eliminated by proper hand-washing. It’s never too early to start teaching children how to wash their hands correctly, too. Hands should be washed in warm water with soap before cooking foods and after handling raw meat, seafood and poultry. Hands should be washed for 20 seconds, or the same time it takes you to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice. And don’t forget to wash your cooking surfaces and replace your dishcloths and sponges on a regular basis.
2. Keep raw meats and ready-to-eat foods separate. Be sure to place your raw meat on the bottom shelf in your refrigerator and below any ready-to-eat foods such as fruits and vegetables. Also, remember to use a clean serving dish and utensil for any cooked meats that you are serving to your family and friends. When dining outside, be sure to bring two coolers with you. Use one for raw meats and put the ready-to-eat foods in the other.
3) Cook to proper food temperatures. The only way to make sure you are cooking foods to their proper temperatures is by using a meat thermometer. They are a very inexpensive way of making sure you save a trip to the emergency room! Cook ground meats to 160 degrees; poultry to 165 degrees; steak/roasts to 145 degrees; pork to 145 degrees with fresh, raw ham to 160 degrees; and egg casseroles to 160 degrees. Also, don’t forget to reheat any leftovers to 165 degrees before being served.
4) Stay out of the “danger zone”! Food should not be left out longer than two hours at one time. Your food should be kept below 40 degrees or above 140 degrees to prevent it from being in the “danger zone.” This is especially critical at picnics and pot-luck dinners when the time passes by fast and the snacks and dishes are nibbled on throughout the day. Be sure to have coolers and ice on hand or a refrigerator nearby to keep the foods stored in.
By remembering these four tips, your picnic outing will be a safe and memorable one!
Here’s a quick and healthy picnic idea to bring to your next get-together:
Coconut-Lime
Fruit Salad
Serves 12 (1/2 cup each)
Source: Hy-Vee
All you need:
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup lite coconut milk
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 medium orange, peeled and sectioned
2 ripe nectarines, pitted and sliced
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup cut-up fresh pineapple
All you do:
1. Combine sour cream, coconut milk, lime juice and brown sugar in a small bowl, mixing until smooth; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add coconut-lime mixture and lightly toss to coat all fruit.
Nutrition information (per serving): 40 calories; 1 g total fat, 0.5 g saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 10 mg sodium; 8 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 6 g sugars; 1 g protein
