Tips for healthy summer eating for your family

There can be some difficulties while preparing safe, wholesome meals outside. Check out these suggestions for food safety that go well with your summertime activities.

Suggestions on food safety temperatures

Keeping hot foods hot and cold meals cold is a useful rule of thumb for maintaining food safety. Food safety is a worry for traditionally refrigerated food when it is kept above 40° Fahrenheit (F) or out of the acceptable refrigeration range for an extended period of time. 

Food-borne illnesses have a probability of developing when foods are out of this safe range for two or more hours.

Foods including meat, eggs, and dairy products may be more prone to dangerous germs. Use a sizable picnic cooler with a lot of ice or ice packs to securely carry chilled meals. You can place the dish on top of a bigger dish filled with ice to keep the food safe once it is on the table. (Alternatively, you can pre-freeze serving plates with about 1/3 water in them and use small ice cubes.)

Dishes should be covered to keep food safe from insects, pests, and dust. Lids and covers for dishes can also contribute to preserving the ideal temperature. Additionally, umbrellas and shade are beneficial.

Grilling guidelines 

The following are some safety guidelines for foods that are being grilled:

Any meat, fish, or poultry should be refrigerated overnight to defrost. When food defrosts and rises above 40° F, if you defrost it on the counter, bacteria can begin to proliferate. If you leave it on your kitchen counter, this is probably what will happen.

After using a marinade on meat, fish, or fowl, discard the marinade. Don't use it to baste the grilled food.

Don't pre-wash poultry. Cooking food at the proper temperatures is the best way to serve it safely. You run the danger of spreading salmonella by rinsing it onto your counters, kitchen sink, and dish towels.

Any uncooked meat, fish, or poultry should be kept cold in a container with a tight-fitting lid. If you're tempted to partially cook it ahead of time, be aware that this can encourage the growth of bacteria. Instead, cook it where it will be eaten and use a reliable meat thermometer to check how it turned out.

Keeping a thermometer in your refrigerator and using it in your fully-stocked picnic cooler is also a wonderful idea. Find out more information about the ideal cooking temperatures.

Grilling can cause charring, which contains carcinogens. Gas cooking can aid in temperature control and help prevent charring.

When fat drippings splash into the flames, dangerous substances are produced. To minimize this, use fish, chicken, and lean meat. Grilling vegetables is a simple way to add a low-fat option that also adds fibre and other nutrients. 

Foods should be wrapped in foil wrappers to stop fat from spilling into the fired.

Continue to sip water.

It's crucial to stay hydrated during the summer because some days can reach 100 degrees or more. Drinking water or other beverages with little or no added sugar is a fantastic way to slake your thirst and keep your body well-hydrated.

Always have a glass of water along with your alco beverage because alco causes dehydration. Consuming fruits like watermelon will also help you get the necessary fluids. When you're indoors or outside, having an insulated water bottle nearby might serve as a helpful reminder to sip water frequently. This summer, choose locally grown food.

Fruits and vegetables that are in season are typically more tasty and more inexpensive. During the summer in California, you can choose from a wide range of vegetables that are full of nutrients, such as berries, corn, tomatoes, melons, asparagus, avocados, cucumbers, peaches, and nectarines.

The time is right to attend the farmer's markets in our area. Before serving, wash the veggies under cool running water.