This Thursday, many of us will don a “Kiss the Cook” apron and grill up some food for our family and friends to celebrate Fourth of July. Our menus will probably include hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken wings, pasta and potato salad, kebabs, and much, much more. It can be easy to simply dig in and enjoy the barbeque, but is your food safe? Is it nutritious?

Foodborne illness causing bacteria can be on or in your food before you even purchase it. Plastic-wrapped chicken or ground meat, fresh produce such as lettuce or tomatoes can all have some form of bad bacteria on it. How can you keep your cookout safe? Follow these four rules to better eliminate foodborne illness causing bacteria:

Clean – wash your hands and prep surfaces often; wash your hands in hot soapy water before you prep and cook your food.
Separate – don’t cross-contaminate; when prepping your food, keep your raw meats away from foods that aren’t going to be cooked (like salad); ALWAYS wash your cutting boards, knives, and other utensils after they’ve come into contact with raw meats
Cook – make sure you cook foods to their proper temperature to kill harmful bacteria; use a meat thermometer to ensure your meats are cooked through; roasts and steaks should be cooked to at least 145°F, poultry should be cooked to at least 165°F, and ground meats should be cooked to at least 160°F
Chill – refrigerate your food at 40°F or below, this stops bacteria from growing in the cooked food

Bacteria grow most rapidly between 40°F and 140°F; this is known as the food “danger zone.” Cooked foods should not stay out at room temperature for more than two hours. If the temperature outside it over 90° F, food should only be left out for one hour. If food is sitting in the sun, bacteria growth will happen even faster. If you’re not sure if your food is safe or not, remember: when in doubt, throw it out.

It’s no secret, barbeques are not the healthiest. It can be fun to try all the foods and stuff ourselves at cookouts, but it’s important to have healthier options available. Carbohydrates and fats supply energy to your body, proteins build and repair cells, vitamins and minerals help make things happen in your body and regulate it, and water helps transport all nutrients throughout the body as well as keep us hydrated.

Put salad on your menu or grill up some fruits and vegetables! cookouts don’t have to be all carbohydrates and cholesterol.

If you want to get a taste of everything at the cookout, keep this in mind: moderation in all things. Too much of anything is not good for you. So try all of your uncle’s dip recipes! Just don’t have large portions of them.

Have fun this Fourth of July! Try a little bit of everything and see who makes a better salsa. Keep these tips in mind when it comes to food safety and nutrition, and your cookout will be a (culinary) success!

Is Your Cookout Safe & Nutritious?