Now that warm weather is here, many families are eating their meals outside. From cookouts to campouts, as it heats up outside it is important to store and serve food safely. Warm weather creates ideal conditions for the bacteria that produce foodborne illnesses to thrive, causing sickness to spike during this time of year.  But there are simple safety recommendations that can help you picnic without worry.

First, start with clean hands. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water when handling food. Also, make sure that food preparation surfaces and utensils are clean. Next, avoid cross-contamination. Package and store raw meat separately from ready-to-eat foods. Use separate cutting boards for meat and other foods and always wash your hands after handling raw meat. Keep your food and utensils covered until time to eat so that insects that carry germs cannot touch them.

Third, cook food to the correct internal temperature; it varies by food type. Using a meat thermometer is best–don’t rely on the appearance of the food to determine doneness. Finally, ensure that perishable items are chilled properly. Keep cold foods cold with plenty of ice or cold packs. Store leftovers in a cooler or refrigerator within two hours of eating, or within one hour if it’s above 90°F. It’s a good idea to use a separate cooler for drinks, since people typically open a drink cooler frequently. If you are ever in doubt about the safety of a food item, discard it.