Summer Nutrition: Safe and Healthy Eating in the Sun

By Alysa Ferguson

Summertime is great for barbeques, picnics, and fresh produce (think grilled vegetables with your meal and watermelon for dessert!). However, fun-in-the-sun eating also means taking some extra precautions to ensure your family’s food is safe to eat. The warmer temperatures create a perfect environment for bacteria and other pathogens to multiply rapidly, increasing the chance of foodborne illness. Here are some tips to survive the summer heat:

• Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold – Potentially hazardous foods, such as dishes containing meat or dairy ingredients, left out in the danger zone (40-140°F) for longer than 2 hours must be thrown out. If the temperature outside is above 90°F, you only have 1 hour before food could become contaminated.
• Grilling etiquette – Marinating is a great way to add flavor and minimize harmful chemicals produced during the grilling process. Always marinate food in the refrigerator and never re-use the leftover marinade without reheating to boiling. Use a food thermometer to ensure your food reaches a safe internal temperature: hamburgers should be cooked to 160°F, steaks to 145°F, and poultry to 165°F. When taking foods off the grill, do not put cooked food back on the same plate that held raw food.
• Cooler Tips – Pack plenty of ice or freezer packs to keep the cooler full and ensure a constant cold temperature. Keep the cooler out of the direct sun as much as possible. Keep beverages in a separate cooler than the food since it will be opened more frequently.

So go ahead and plan that barbeque, picnic, or beach day. Bring lots of water and, as always, try to feed your family fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Be safe and don’t forget the sunscreen!

Sources:

Avoiding The Food “Danger Zone” When It is Hot Outside. http://www.tnstate.edu/agriculture/documents/Avoiding%20the%20Food%20Danger%20Zone.pdf

Alysa Ferguson is a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator and family health educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County. She can be reached at 631-727-7850 ext. 342 or at ah372@cornell.edu.