Picnics are a popular way to enjoy the great outdoors with your family. But if you’re not following proper food safety measures, your fun family day in the sun can quickly turn into a nightmare. Check out our tips for keeping your picnic fun and safe for all. 

• Make a list of essentials you’ll need ahead of time so you don’t forget anything on the day of the picnic. Essentials should include a food thermometer, a cooler with ice, clean utensils, food storage containers, paper towels, and trash bags. If no running water is available at the picnic site, add wet wipes or hand sanitizer to the list. 

• Call the park or campground where you plan to picnic to find out if amenities such as running water, trash cans, picnic tables, and on-site grills are available. 

• If you must thaw food for the picnic, thaw it overnight in the fridge. Do not thaw food on your counter.

• Make sure you use a food thermometer on all foods to ensure safe temperatures. For instance, hamburgers should be cooked to at least 160℉ while chicken should be cooked to at least 165℉.

• Keep all perishable items in a cooler with ice or ice gel packs as much as possible. Only bring these foods out when you are ready to serve or cook them. 

• Don’t partially cook food to save time. It doesn’t really save time and it’s very risky. 

• Only serve food items on clean platters. Do not reuse platters that held raw meat. 

• Never, ever leave food out in the sun. Always find a shady spot for your serving area, serve up the food quickly and return it to its cooler as soon as possible.

• Food left out in the sun for more than an hour when weather temperatures are 90℉ or higher should not be consumed. 

• Only refrigerate leftovers that have remained cool and were stored properly in the cooler. Throw out all foods that have become warm.