Picnic Food Safety

Picnic food safety is an absolute essential to an enjoyable picnic. In the summer heat, dangerous bacteria can multiply quickly and cause you and your family foodborne illness.

Picnic foods (such as potato and pasta salads, sandwich fillings, cut watermelon and hamburgers) often receive a lot of handling during preparation. This increases the risk of contamination.

Some picnic meals are precooked in large quantities. These foods must be cooled rapidly and refrigerated immediately (warm temperatures promote bacterial growth). This can be done by placing the food in shallow pans in the fridge. Over 67% of reported cases of foodborne illnesses are due to improper cooling.

During a picnic, food can sit out for long periods of time. The longer the food is left out, the more likely the chance of foodborne illness.

Food Safety Preparation

• Wash hands before handling food with soap and water. Hand Sanitizer or moist towelettes work well when you are away from running water. Also remember to use clean utensils and food containers - never reuse dishes that have touched raw foods like meats and poultry.

• Prepare the food no more than one day before your picnic - otherwise it must be frozen. Cooking food in advance allows more opportunities for bacterial growth.

• All mayonnaise-based salads and sandwiches must be kept cold until serving time.

• All melons (watermelon, cantaloupe, etc.) must be washed before cutting, and they need to be kept cold. Salmonella is often present on the rinds of these fruits. When cut the bacteria can be transferred into the flesh. Melons are also non-acidic and can therefore support the growth of bacteria more easily than other fruits.

• Never reuse marinades that have contacted raw meat. If you wish to use it as a dip, it must be cooked.

Packing for Food Safety

• Keep food cold (below 4°C (39°F). Use a sturdy, insulated cooler with plenty of ice. I highly recommend the Coleman Wheeled Ultimate Extreme Cooler. It has built-in wheels making it easy to roll along to your picnic destination (and much easier on your back!). I have used mine on some very warm weekends and I can assure you that it will keep your food cold and safe for at least 4-5 days.
• A full cooler keeps its temperature longer than a partially filled one.
• Ice packs work best - when ice cubes melt the water transfers bacteria from one food to another. My personal favourite ice packs are milk jugs and plastic bottles - washed, filled with water (leave room at the top for expansion) and kept permanently in my freezer until I need them.
• Freeze some of the kids juice boxes and water bottles - they make great ice packs and can be consumed after they melt. Try freezing leftover coffee and tea in ice cube trays to keep your iced drinks cold.
• Prewash all fruits and vegetables before packing.
• Place raw meats in sealed containers at the bottom of the cooler. This prevents their juices contaminating other foods.
• If bringing along take-out foods (like fried chicken), eat them within two hours. Otherwise, purchase ahead of time and cool completely before packing.
• Pack foods in the cooler in the order opposite of how you will use them - pack the food you will use last at the bottom.
• Place the cooler/picnic basket in the coldest part of your vehicle (not the trunk where it can get very warm). Covering it with your picnic blanket keeps it better insulated.
• Keep your cooler in the shade at your picnic destination and move it as the sun moves. Keep the lid closed and latched in between uses.
• Clean and sanitize the cooler before and after every use.