Summer is officially here and the Fourth of July, one of our favorite holidays of the year, is just around the corner. And that means loads of picnic plans! 

Our team of Food Safety experts at Festival Foods has some suggestions to keep safe the food you're taking to the campsite, playground or even the weekend graduation party.

Cooler Packing Tips: 

• Keep fresh foods cold at 41 degrees or below with gel packs or bagged ice
• Store raw meats on the bottom of the container and ready to eat foods on the top
• Freeze your meats and poultry before you head out to your campsite; they will stay cooler longer if you’re not planning on consuming them until the next day
• Keep coolers out of the sun, always keep them in a shady cool spot
• Avoid mixing beverages and ready to eat foods or frozen foods; keep beverages in a separate cooler if possible
• Fresh foods can stay out of refrigeration for only 2 hours; 1 hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees

Grilling Tips: 

• Keep meats and poultry out of the danger zone (40 degrees to 140 degrees)
• Marinate meats in the fridge, not on the counter
• Never use leftover marinade as a sauce unless you plan on boiling it first
• Do not reuse the same platter for raw and cooked meats
• Keep a thermometer nearby

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