Handling food safely while on the road

Finally, spring/summer has arrived for good now. With the thought of warmer weather comes the thought of getting away for some needed time away. V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N! Oh, how we long for the eight letter word every summer, when millions of us eagerly get away from school and work. We take to the road in cars or recreational vehicles; live on boats; relax on the beach or mountain vacation homes; and go camping.

No matter where we go or what we do, there is a common denominator that runs through all of our summer travels and relaxation—it’s called F-O-O-D!

The “road” to food safety, however, can either be a bumpy one or smooth—depending on what precautions are taken handling meals and snacks as we travel this summer.

First, some general rules, while traveling this summer:

In hot weather (above 90 degrees F), food should never sit out for more than one hour.

Discard any food left out more than two hours (one hour if temps are above 90 degrees F).

Plan ahead

If you are traveling with perishable food, place it in a cooler with ice or freezer packs.

When carrying drinks, consider packing them in a separate cooler so the food cooler is not opened frequently.

Pack safely

Pack perishable foods directly from the refrigerator or freezer into the cooler.

Meat and poultry may be packed while it is still frozen; it stays colder longer. Also, a full cooler will maintain its cold temperatures longer than one partially filled.

Be sure to keep raw meat and poultry wrapped separately from cooked foods, or foods meant to be eaten raw such as fruits.

If the cooler is only partially filled, pack the remaining space with more ice.

For long trips to the shore or the mountains, take along two coolers–one for the day’s immediate food needs, such as lunch, drinks or snacks and the other for perishable foods to be used later in the vacation.

Limit times the cooler is opened. Open and close the lid quickly.

Make this a vacation to remember because of the memories made, not because everyone was sick from preventable food mistakes.