How can I safely transport perishable foods to a picnic site, community supper, or family gathering?
If taking food away from home–on a picnic, for example–try to plan just the right amount of perishable foods to take. That way, you won’t have to worry about the storage or safety of leftovers. Items which don’t require refrigeration include fruits, vegetables, hard cheese, canned meat or fish, chips, bread, crackers, peanut butter, jelly, mustard, and pickles. You don’t need to pack them in a cooler. After estimating the amount of food which needs to be kept cold, pack an insulated cooler with sufficient ice or gel packs to keep the food at 40 °F. Pack food right from the refrigerator or freezer into it. Why? Bacteria grow and multiply rapidly in the danger zone between 40 °F and 140 °F (out of the refrigerator or before food begins to cook). So, food transported without an ice source or left out in the sun at a picnic won’t stay safe long. If packing a bag lunch or lunch box, it’s fine to prepare the food the night before and store the packed lunch in the refrigerator. To keep the
