Food safety always begins with proper hand washing, and this includes the outdoor setting. Washing your hands for 20 seconds and drying them on a clean towel or paper towel is the first step in preventing a food borne illness. So, before you begin setting out your picnic foods, make sure hands and surfaces are clean.

• Outdoor hand cleaning: If you don’t have access to running water, use a water jug, soap and paper towels. If these items are not available use an alcohol based hand sanitizer for cleaning your hands.
• Utensils and serving dishes: Remember to keep all utensils and platters clean when preparing foods.
• Prevent cross-contamination when serving. NEVER reuse a plate or utensils that previously held raw meat, poultry or seafood for serving. Unless they have been washed in hot, soapy water, you can spread the bacteria from the raw juices to your cooked or ready-to-eat food. This step is particularly important to remember when serving cooked foods from the grill.

View other posts in the series:

• Food Safety: How to pack and transport food (read on/after July 3)
• Food Safety: Safe grilling tips (read on/after July 10)
• Food Safety: Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot (read on/after July 17)

RESOURCES

• www.fightbac.org
• www.foodsafety.gov
• www.cdc.gov/foodsafety

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