Food Safety Homegating Tips

Food Safety Tips for Your Next Homegate

Homegating allows you to support your favorite team from the comfort of your home! It is a convenient, safe, and less expensive way to gather family and friends to be a part of your favorite sporting event. While you may not have the "big crowd" experience at home, on the plus side you avoid the long lines for the restroom!

While you can make the homegate as fancy or low key as you want, remember that food safety is still a key component. With ready access to your kitchen and everything you need for planning, preparing, and serving the gang at your fingertips, the task is much easier!

Shopping

• Inventory ahead of time to be sure you're well stocked when it comes to disposable plates, utensils, cups, paper towels, garbage bags, toilet paper, and the like.
• Have extra ice on hand.
• Buy cold food last and take foods directly home for quick storage.
• Keep raw meat separate from other ready-to-eat foods in your grocery cart, in transport, and at home in the refrigerator.

Preparation

Just like a tailgate, you will be preparing many foods ahead of time, so consider your refrigeration space when it comes to storing prepared food items.

• When preparing cold dishes, salads, veggie trays, and fruit, place utensils, mixing bowls, and all ingredients in the refrigerator prior to preparation and then prepare in small batches and refrigerate immediately.
• Plan ahead to defrost meat in the refrigerator; do not thaw on the kitchen counter.
• Do not partially cook meat ahead of time. Either cook meat the day of the event or fully cook, cool, and reheat prior to your homegate.
• Marinate meat in the refrigerator.
• When preparing marinade, reserve and refrigerate a separate portion for flavoring cooked food.
• When preparing soups, stew, or chili ahead of time, be sure to cool quickly by dividing into smaller portions, placing in an ice water bath, or adding ice as a last ingredient before placing in the refrigerator.
  Do not cool on the countertop.

Grilling

Most likely you will be grilling foods at your homegate, so keep these general safe grilling tips in mind.

• Remove raw meat from refrigeration right before cooking.
• Grill only a portion of meat that will be consumed in 2 hours or less.
• Keep raw meat separate from cooked meat; use a clean plate and utensil when serving the cooked product.
• Use a clean, properly calibrated thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the meat (see "Recommended Cooking Temperatures").
• Do not use the color of the meat or juices to determine proper cooking; meat that has changed to a "cooked" color may not have reached the proper temperature to kill harmful bacteria.

Recommended Cooking Temperatures

Use a calibrated food thermometer to check the final internal cooking temperature of foods.

Serving

Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold before, during, and after the game.

Before the Game

• Use chafing dishes, crock pots, stove top or oven, hot plate, or a closed, lighted grill to keep foods at 140°F (60°C) or higher.
• Have an extra power strip available for appliances.
• Put out smaller containers of cold food and place on ice or ice packs to keep at 40°F (4°C). Refill with refrigerated foods.
• Do not let food sit out without temperature control for more than 2 hours or more than 1 hour in hot weather (above 90°F [32°C]).
• Use clean platters for serving cooked meats and replace serving utensils at least every 2 hours.
• Consider setting a timer for 1 hour when you initially put foods out and then every hour as a reminder to check food temperature.

During the Game

• Refrigerate all perishable items if you will not be monitoring temperatures during the game.
• Consider serving only nonperishable foods since you and your guests will be more involved in watching the event than eating.

After the Game

• Reheat foods to 165°F (74°C) before putting in chafing dishes or crock pots for serving.
• Refill containers with ice for cold food storage.
• Follow the tips above for before the game.

Handwashing

One advantage of homegating is easily accessible bathrooms for handwashing.

• Be sure your bathroom is well stocked with handwashing supplies: soap, paper towels, extra trash can, and trash bags.
• If needed, set up another handwashing station outside using a large container with a spigot for water, soap, paper towels, and a bucket to catch the water from the spigot.
• Hand sanitizers alone do not remove dirt or bacteria from your hands. Always wash hands before applying hand sanitizers.

Handwashing Rules

Wash hands by wetting hands, applying soap to make a good lather, and rubbing hands together for 20 seconds (sing "Happy Birthday"), and then rinse under running water and dry with a clean paper towel.

Wash Hands

• Before handling food or eating
• After touching raw foods (uncooked meat)
• After sneezing or coughing
• After handling garbage
• After petting animals or anything that may contaminate hands

The Temperature Danger Zone

Microorganisms, including those that cause foodborne illness, grow rapidly between 40°F (4°C) and 140°F (60°C), the temperature danger zone. The key is to minimize the time foods are at a temperature between 40°F (4°C) and 140°F (60°C) so microorganisms do not have a chance to multiply. Keep foods out of the temperature danger zone by storing, cooking, cooling, and holding foods at the correct temperatures.