BBQ Safety: Safe Food Transport

This weekend, grills all over the country will be set aflame as we usher in the summer BBQ season. Whether you're a weekend grill warrior or a full-blown Weber aficionado, it never hurts to review some basic BBQ food safety rules. Below are tips for safely buying and transporting perishable foods, whether you're just driving home from the grocery store or packing for a weekend campout. 

Here are some basic USDA guidelines to keep your summer camping trips and backyard BBQ's safe and delicious all summer long.

9 Tips for Safe Food Transport

1. When shopping, buy cold food like meat and poultry last, right before checkout.
2. Separate raw meat and poultry from other food in your shopping cart.
3. To guard against cross-contamination, which can happen when raw meat or poultry juices drip on other food, put packages of raw meat and poultry into plastic bags.
4. Plan to drive directly home from the grocery store. You may want to take a cooler with ice for perishables. 
5. Always refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours. Refrigerate within 1 hour when the temperature is above 90 °F.
6. At home, place meat and poultry in the refrigerator immediately. Freeze poultry and ground meat that won't be used in 1 or 2 days; freeze other meat within 4 to 5 days.
7. Keep cold food cold. Keep meat and poultry refrigerated until ready to use. Only take out the meat and poultry that will immediately be placed on the grill.
8. When using a cooler, keep it out of the direct sun by placing it in the shade or shelter. Avoid opening the lid too often, which lets cold air out and warm air in. Pack beverages in one cooler and perishables in a separate cooler.
9. When carrying food to another location, keep it cold to minimize bacterial growth. Use an insulated cooler with sufficient ice or ice packs to keep the food at 40 degrees F or below. Pack food right from the refrigerator into the cooler immediately before leaving home.