A few food safety tips for your family picnic

WHILE picnics are a great way to enjoy outdoor life and can also make for an affordable family day out, it's important to remember some top picnic tips from Safefood to keep your food safe when away from the kitchen. As a general rule, all foods are suitable for picnics, but keeping large amounts of cooked food and salads chilled when eating outdoors can be a challenge. Ready-to-eat foods that need to be refrigerated such as cooked meats, quiches, mayonnaises, prepared salads and dairy products like cheeses need to be kept chilled as these are highly perishable and if not stored correctly could make you ill. Keep them cool - it is essential that food is stored at the appropriate temperature when you prepare it and take it with you. Warm temperatures can make your food an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. â€Â¢ Cooked food needs to be chilled thoroughly in your fridge before you leave - use an insulated cool box or bag with enough icepacks to keep the food chilled (frozen juice cartons can be used as ice packs). â€Â¢ Take the food from the fridge at the last moment before you leave and then place it in the cool box straight away â€Â¢ Keep the cool box in the coolest part of the car away from direct sunlight. â€Â¢ When you arrive, keep the cool box out of the sun and keep the lid closed as much as you can. Leave the food in it until you are ready to use it. â€Â¢ If any perishable food has become warm then it should not be eaten and should be disposed of carefully. â€Â¢ When travelling home if there is still ice left in the cool box, and you are certain that any unused food has not been left out or warmed up, then it should be safe to bring it home. â€Â¢ As always, the rule with leftovers is, if in doubt throw them out. â€Â¢ Wash your hands thoroughly before eating or drinking. If there is nowhere suitable to wash your hands bring antibacterial wipes or gel instead. â€Â¢ Don't put food directly on picnic tables or other outdoor surfaces, and don't allow it to touch the ground. â€Â¢ Pack away food and utensils when not being used as food poisoning germs can be carried by birds, insects and other animals. For more information on food safety and healthy eating, visit www.safefood.eu or call the Safefood helpline on 0800-0851683.