Many will be taking one last vacation before the summer ends. You’ll pack your bug spray, suntan lotion, and camping gear before the summer lots. Food safety basics are essential.
Road Trip
A cooler that can hold enough ice and freezer packs for perishables should be kept in your car if you plan to transport them.
Perishable foods can be packed directly into the cooler from the freezer or refrigerator. You can pack meat and poultry while it’s still frozen. To ensure your food remains at room temperature, use a food thermometer.
Raw meats and poultry should be kept separate from cooked or raw foods like fruits.
Two coolers are ideal for long trips. One for immediate food, such as snacks or drinks, and one for perishable foods that can be consumed later.
Camping
Once you have found the ideal spot, cover the cooler with a blanket, tent, or tarp. This will reflect heat.
Bottled water is a good idea. Untreated water in rivers and streams is not safe to drink.
When preparing food, could you wash your hands and keep them clean? Use soap and water to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand soap that contains at least 60% alcohol if you don’t have soap or water.
To ensure food safety, consider buying shelf-stable foods.
Beach
Take only what you need for your beach vacation.
You can partially bury your cooler in the sand. Cover it with blankets and shade it with a sunshade.
If soap and water are unavailable, bring soap and water.
Perishable food should be included for at most two hours. Perishable food should be included at temperatures higher than 90 degrees F for longer than an hour, such as on a hot day at the beach.
