Live Healthy Live Well

The days are getting warmer and after being cooped up for so long, I am excited to get outside and enjoy delicious food on the grill.

Grilling is a healthy cooking option and isn’t just for meats. Grilled veggies are a family favorite and are perfect foil wrapped or in a grilling basket. Regardless of what you put on the grill, it is important to keep it food safe. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

1. Food safety starts at the grocery store. Especially on warm days (70 degrees and above), remember to take a cooler with you to keep meats cold on the way home. Keep the cooler in the passenger area of the car as it is air conditioned and will not be as hot as the trunk.
2. Store meats in the refrigerator or freezer until you are ready to use them. If you plan to grill a frozen product, plan ahead and thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or defrost it in the microwave just prior to grilling. Never thaw frozen meat on the counter.
3. Be mindful of marinades. If you intend to keep the marinade for later use, be careful not to contaminate your marinade by touching the utensil to the meat and then placing it back into the marinade container. If you plan to use the marinade you have applied to the meat as a dipping sauce or topping, it must be heated to a boil.
4. Use a thermometer to check that meats are done. Foodsafety.gov provides a list of minimum internal cooking temperatures for a wide variety of foods.
5. Use a clean plate for cooked items; never use the same plate for raw and cooked products.
6. Remember to use separate cutting boards for raw meats and items that will not be cooked. For example, prepare your hamburger patties on one cutting board and your sliced tomatoes and onions for on your hamburgers on another cutting board. If you only have one cutting board, make sure to wash, rinse, and sanitize the cutting board after working with meats and before preparing ready to eat items.

For more information about grilling safely, visit the Partnership for Food Safety Education. Enjoy safe and delicious food every time you grill!

Writer: Christine Kendle, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Tuscarawas County, kendle.4@osu.edu

Reviewer: Shannon Carter, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Sciences, Ohio State University Extension, Fairfield County, carter.413@osu.edu

References:

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Four Steps to Food Safety. https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/keep-food-safe.html. Accessed April 20, 2023

Partnership for Food Safety Education. Grill Master. https://www.fightbac.org/grill-master/. Accessed April 20, 2023.

US Department of Health and Human Services. Minimum Internal Cooking Chart. https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-internal-temperatures. Accessed April 20, 2023.