Are leftovers from a tailgate party safe to eat later?
A. Some people have so much fun at tailgate gatherings, they never actually make it into the stadium to see the football game. But that doesn’t mean it’s safe for the food to stay unrefrigerated before, during, and after the game. Store perishable food in the cooler except for brief times when serving. Cook only the amount of food that will be eaten to avoid the challenge of keeping leftovers at a safe temperature. Discard any leftovers that are not ice cold after the game. Food should not be left out of the cooler or off the grill more than 2 hours (1 hour when the outside temperature is above 90 °F). Holding food at an unsafe temperature is a prime cause of foodborne illness.
