National Picnic Day Food Storage and Safety Tips
National Picnic Day is celebrated every year on April 23. It’s a perfect day to enjoy the outdoors and have a picnic with friends and family. But if you’re planning a picnic, it is important to have a plan for food storage and safety. It’s not quite as easy as Yogi Bear makes it seem! Here are a few tips:
Choose foods that are easy to transport and store. Sandwiches, wraps and salads are all good options. You can also pack fruits, vegetables and cheese. Just remember that if you’re packing items that need to be chilled – or that taste better chilled – you might want to swap that cute basket for a cooler. We’d also like to suggest taking a container of one of our dessert dips – Creamy Chocolate Ganache, Salted Caramel or Vanilla Cream Cheese. They are all fantastic with fruit and dippers like pretzels!
Make sure that your food is properly sealed. This will help to prevent it from spoiling and, if you’re using a cooler, keep it protected from water. You can use plastic containers, zip-top bags, saran wrap or even aluminum foil. Just make sure that you also take something to pack up the trash in case there isn’t a receptacle nearby.
If you are packing meat, make sure that it is cooked thoroughly. You can also pack cold cuts, but make sure that they are stored in a cooler with ice. Meat gets gross – and unsafe – pretty quickly. If you’d rather avoid worrying about meat, take bread or crackers along with our Buffalo Style or Nashville Hot Chicken Dip. They both taste great cold and you can use them to make sandwiches if that’s your style.
If you are going to be picnicking in the heat – and we know it’s already 90 degrees in many southern states – make sure to pack drinks that will stay cold, but are still OK warm, like water, lemonade or tea. If your picnic is part of larger plans, we’d advise against soda – it doesn’t stay at cold and it won’t keep you as hydrated.
Once you have your menu selected and packed, there are a few additional things you want to remember. First, choose a location that’s safe, convenient and shady. If you’re bringing kids, you might also want to check for the nearest bathroom. You’ll also want to pack blankets to sit on (grass is scratchy!), sunscreen, bug spray, and a few outdoor activities, like Frisbees or Lawn Yahtzee. With a little planning, you can have a fun and enjoyable picnic that everyone will remember.
