Several of us are planning a tailgate party at the stadium. How can we handle the foods safely?
A. Keeping food safe from home, a store, or restaurant to the stadium helps prevent foodborne illness. If bringing hot take-out food, eat it within 2 hours of purchase. To keep food like soup, chili, and stew hot, use an insulated container. Fill the container with boiling water, let it stand for a few minutes, empty, and then put in the piping hot food. Keep the insulated container closed and the food should stay hot (140 °F or above) for several hours. Or plan ahead and chill the food in your refrigerator before packing for your tailgate. Carry cold perishable food like raw hamburger patties, sausages, and chicken in an insulated cooler packed with several inches of ice, frozen gel packs, or containers of frozen water. Perishable cooked food such as luncheon meat, cooked meat, chicken, and potato or pasta salads must be kept refrigerator cold, too. Tuck an appliance thermometer into the cooler to make sure the food stays at 40 °F or below. When packing the cooler for an outing, be su
