Food safety goes hand-in-hand with COVID-19 safety this year

Planning to enjoy a picnic, barbecue, or meal under the summer sun on this holiday weekend? In addition to food safety, remember to practice social distancing — stay 6 feet apart from others you don’t live with — and follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s safety precautions to protect yourself and others from COVID-19, which is a respiratory illness that is spread from person-to-person, unlike foodborne viruses that can make people sick from contaminated food.

Remember to pack your picnic basket with food safety in mind, as foodborne bacteria that cause food poisoning multiply faster in warm weather.

Follow these tips to keep your food safe when eating outdoors:

Before your picnic

Defrost meat, poultry, and seafood in the refrigerator or by submerging sealed packages in cold water. You can also microwave-defrost, but only if the food will be grilled immediately afterward.
Marinate foods in the fridge not the countertop. Never reuse marinade that touched raw foods unless you boil it first or set some of the marinade aside before marinating food to use for sauce later.
Wash all produce before eating, even if you plan to peel it. The knife you use to peel it can carry bacteria into the part you eat. Fruits and vegetables that are pre-cut or peeled should be refrigerated or kept on ice to maintain quality and safety.
If your picnic site doesn’t offer clean water access, bring water or pack moist towels for cleaning surfaces and hands. Don’t forget to pack a food thermometer!

Packing coolers

Place food from the refrigerator directly into an insulated cooler immediately before leaving home.
Use ice or ice packs to keep your cooler at 40 degrees F or below.
Pack raw meat, poultry, and seafood in a separate cooler, or wrap it securely and store at the bottom of the cooler where the juices can’t drip onto other foods. Place beverages in a separate cooler; this will offer easy drink access while keeping perishable food coolers closed.
Avoid loading coolers in the trunk of the car, as it can collect heat. Once at the picnic site, keep food in coolers until serving time (out of direct sun) and avoid opening the lids often.

Grilling

Have clean utensils and platters available. Cook meat, poultry, and seafood to the right temperatures ─ use a food thermometer to be sure (see Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures Chart). Keep cooked meats hot at 140 °F or warmer until serving time — set them to the side of the grill rack to keep them hot.
When removing foods from the grill, place them on a clean platter.
Never use the same platter and utensils for cooked food that you used for raw meat, poultry, or seafood.

Time and temperature

Don’t let hot or cold food sit in the “Danger Zone” (between 40 °F and 140 °F) for more than 2 hours – or 1 hour if the outdoor temperature is above 90 °F. If they do, throw them away.

Learn more:

https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/handling-food-safely-while-eating-outdoors

https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/barbecue-basics-tips-prevent-foodborne-illness

To Do List from the CDC:

— Visit parks that are close to your home

Traveling long distances to visit a park may contribute to the spread of COVID-19, as:

Travel may require you to stop along the way or be in close contact with others with whom you may not otherwise have contact.
Travel may also expose you to surfaces contaminated with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

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— Check with the park or recreation area in advance to prepare safely.

The federal or state and local authorities will decide whether parks and other recreational facilities will open. Check with the park in advance to be sure you know which areas or services are open, such as visitors’ centers, bathroom facilities, and concessions, and bring what you need with you, such as hand sanitizer or other supplies to maintain proper hygiene.

— Beaches or other swimming areas: State and local authorities will decide whether swim areas at oceans, lakes, and other natural bodies of water will be open. Please check with individual beaches for specific details, including whether the water is open for swimming.

— Stay at least 6 feet away from people you don’t live with (social distancing), and take other steps to prevent COVID-19 spread.

— When visiting parks, beaches, or recreational facilities open for public use, try to protect against exposure to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, by practicing social distancing and everyday steps such as washing hands often and covering coughs and sneezes.

— Follow these actions when visiting a park, beach, or recreational facility:

Do not go into a crowded area.
Avoid gathering with people you don’t live with.
Wear a cloth face covering as feasible. Face coverings are most essential in times when social distancing is difficult. Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, can’t move, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
Adults and older children who can safely use hand sanitizer: Use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol and rub hands together until dry, if soap and water are not readily available.

— Carefully consider use of playgrounds, and help children follow guidelines.

In communities where there is ongoing spread of COVID-19, playgrounds can be hard to keep safe because:

They are often crowded and could make social distancing difficult;
It can be difficult to keep surfaces clean and disinfected;
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can spread when young children touch contaminated objects, and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth.

If you choose to visit a playground:

Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet away from people you don’t live with.
Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Adults and older children who can safely use hand sanitizer: Use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol and rub hands together until dry, if soap and water are not readily available.

— Play it safe around and in swimming pools, hot tubs, and water playgrounds, and keep space between yourself and others. Evidence suggests that COVID-19 cannot be spread to humans through most recreational water. Additionally, proper operation of these aquatic venues and disinfection of the water (with chlorine or bromine) should inactivate SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Swimming and other water-related activities are excellent ways to get the physical activity needed for a healthy life. Taking steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19 is one way you can play it safe in and around swimming pools, hot tubs, and water playgrounds. Don’t visit a swimming pool if you are sick with, tested positive for, or were recently exposed to COVID-19. Practice social distancing by staying at least 6 feet (two meters) from people you don’t live with. Swimming does carry some health and safety risks. Visit CDC’s Healthy Swimming website for information to help you prevent illness and drowning, so you can safely enjoy the fun and health benefits of swimming.

The Don’t List from the CDC

Don’t: Visit parks if you are sick with, tested positive for COVID-19, or were recently (within 14 days) exposed to COVID-19.

If you are sick with or tested positive for COVID-19, were recently exposed (within 14 days) to someone with COVID-19, or just don’t feel well, do not visit public areas including parks or recreational facilities.
Follow recommended steps to take if you are sick.

Don’t: Visit crowded parks