Pointers for picnic time
These tips apply whether you’re car camping, spreading out a blanket at the state park, or getting a few sweet hours of sunshine at the beach.
1. Keep it hot…or cold: Hot foods need to stay hot and cold ones need to stay cold. It’s all about staying out of the Danger Zone. Hot stuff needs to be kept above 140° and cold items should be below 40°. Foods with a protein source (chicken salad, tuna salad, meats, cheese, and salads with eggs) are especially vulnerable.
Get a cooler or an insulated carrying bag. Attractive ones can be found pretty much everywhere these days, but I like the ones from Thermos.
If you’re only packing things that you want to keep cold, put the beverages on the bottom, and then stack your plastic food containers on top of them. If there are any spaces, fill those with freezer packs. Those should keep you perfectly chilled for up to two hours. Of course, if you’re driving in a car with no air conditioning or sitting in direct sunlight on hot sand, you’ll probably have a meltdown sooner than that.
2. Take what you need: When you’re ready to eat, dish out servings for everyone, and then put the main container back into cold storage. This rule is especially tough to follow at large gatherings, especially with kids. Little hands will try to dip into the cooler all day long. If you have little ones, dedicate a cooler for just drinks and snacks.
3. Mind your melons: Lots of people bring a juicy watermelon to picnics and then slice into them once they’re at their lunch spot. That’s fine—just make sure to wash the rind before you pack up your melon. Bacteria can lurk on the rind and get a free ride into the fruit when you slice into it. For more on melons, click here.
4. Chuck the leftovers: So your in-laws only ate half the potato salad you made. I hate throwing food away too, but if it’s been sitting out at room temp for more than two hours, you’ve got to ditch it. After a day outside, almost everything will need to get pitched except for sealed non-refrigerated beverages and packaged foods (chips, pretzels, cookies). Do Fido a favor and don’t unload your plate on him either—he can get sick too.
Whew—that’s it! And look on the bright side, that bottle of rosé is at least one thing you won’t need to worry about.
(PHOTO: FOTOLIA)
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