There isn’t much you can do to prevent your favorite team from losing, but there is a lot you can do to prevent food poisoning from ruining your tailgate. University of Tennessee Extension has all the tips to keep your pre- and post-game gatherings safe:
- Stock-up on supplies: Pack the car with a food thermometer, disposable plates, disposable utensils, disposable cups, paper towels, liquid soap, sanitizer, disposable resalable containers, resalable bags, bottled water, ice, food, and drinks.
- Mind your meat: Make sure you properly defrost your meat in the refrigerator or on ice, and marinate it in a cooler or refrigerator. Until its fully cooked, keep it (including any leftover marinade) separate from other foods to prevent contamination. If you want to flavor your cooked food, reserve a little marinade that is not used with raw meat and keep it in a chilled cooler.
- Keep it cool: Pack food in a well-insulated cooler with plenty of ice or icepacks, monitoring the temperature throughout the day. To be safe, you can always use two small containers for food instead of a large, one can be served before the game and one after.
- Before you head to the game: Throw away any perishable items that have been out of the cooler for two or more hours. After the game, you only want to serve and eat non-perishable foods unless the cooler was properly stored and kept cold in the meantime.
For more tailgate tips, click here.
More From: University of TennesseeShare this Post