Johnston: Food safety tips for tailgating

Published 10:40 am Wednesday, September 11, 2019

How awesome was the showing for the opening of the new football field at George Rogers Clark High School?

I saw some awesome photos on social media of great smiling faces from the crowd and the field. I also watched a great win by the Cats on Saturday night, even though our quarterback situation might look a little cloudy. I won’t talk too much about watching my Florida State Seminoles almost let another game get away from them … but enough about that.

What I love about football season is getting together to enjoy good food with friends and family.

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Tailgating and football go hand-in-hand for many fans, but unsafe food handling practices during your tailgating event could have you sidelined by game time.

To keep your guests and yourself safe from foodborne illnesses, follow these tips if you’re tailgating outside:

— Wash your hands. Hand-washing is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of disease-causing bacteria.

Parking lots don’t have access to running water so bring a hand-washing station.

Portable water jugs with a spigot are in the drinking water aisle of most grocery stores.

Bring along liquid soap, paper towels and a bucket to catch wastewater.

Wash your hands before and after preparing food and especially after using portable restrooms.

Always wash your hands before eating, and encourage your tailgating friends to wash their hands before eating.

— Keep cold foods cold. You should keep perishable food below 40 degrees. Use insulated coolers and plenty of ice or frozen gel packs to keep meat, poultry, sandwiches, dairy and deli salads cold. If you plan on grilling, keep raw meat separated from ready-to-eat products and drinks. Use two coolers and designate one for raw ingredients and one for ready-to-eat.

— Keep hot foods hot. Cooked foods should stay above 140 degrees. Food can be kept warm in disposable pans on the grill. You may also use insulated containers or Sterno heaters to keep casseroles and other cooked foods hot. If electricity is available, slow cookers are an excellent option for keeping foods like chili and homemade dips warm.

— When grilling, use a metal-stemmed thermometer to make sure your meats reach the correct internal temperature before taking them off the grill. You should cook all poultry should to 165 degrees and ground meats (burgers) to 160 degrees.

You should cook roasts, steaks and chops of beef, pork, lamb and veal to 145 degrees.

You should prepare hot dogs and bratwurst to 165 degrees.

Never use color as an indicator of doneness.

— Eat prepared food within two hours. If the temperature is over 90 degrees, consume the food within an hour.

— Discard leftovers in trash cans with plastic liners and lids before heading into the stadium.

— After returning home, clean and sanitize all of your food preparation equipment including coolers, thermometers and utensils.

Follow the same rules when tailgating indoors. You’ll have more ability to keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot when you’re at someone’s house or nearby.

For more food safety information, contact the Clark County Cooperative Extension Service at 859-744-4682. I’ve also included a yummy and easy dip recipe to try for your next tailgating get-together. Keep rooting on those Cats (and ‘Noles if you feel so inclined) and always support our Cardinals here in Clark County.

Shonda Johnston is the Clark County Extension agent for family and consumer sciences. She can be reached at 859-744-4682 or by email at shonda.johnston@uky.edu.