Food Safety Tips for Labor Day

As the unofficial end of summer, make sure you stay safe cooking and grilling outdoors this Labor Day.

Make sure your party-goers, friends and family members don’t spend their Labor Day recovering from food poisoning from your last get-together! Summer is packed with barbecues, picnics, and cooking in your screen enclosure’s outdoor kitchen, but it can also mean food that’s undercooked, mishandled, or not refrigerated. Any one of those things can lead to food poisoning. Make sure food poisoning is not a guest at your Labor Day party with these tips below.

Safety Tips for Your Labor Day Get-Together

Follow these food safety tips from FoodSafety.gov:

• Keep hands and preparation surfaces clean by washing often while prepping food.

• Keep food items you’re taking outdoors that need to be refrigerated—including, but not limited to, raw meats, fish and seafood, dairy, and anything with eggs—in coolers filled with ice and frozen gel packs.

• Cook meats thoroughly, ensuring they reach the appropriate inner temperatures using a meat thermometer, such as to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit for poultry.

• Keep hot, cooked items warm until it’s served.

• Use separate plates, utensils, and cutting boards for raw and cooked items.

• Refrigerate foods in under two hours. If the food is outside, and the temperature outdoors is over 90 degrees, you should refrigerate foods within an hour.

We install and replace screen enclosures! If you’re interested in having a dedicated outdoor screen enclosure for all of your parties and get-togethers, or you need an upgrade, contact us at Hendry Aluminum for a free estimate.