Cooking in a clean space with sanitized utensils is an important part of food safety. But when it comes to cooking outdoors, maintaining a clean environment can present a challenge.
Older adults often neglect to clean their outdoor cooking spaces as well as they maintain their indoor kitchens—if they clean them at all. Even when preparing food outside, it’s important to clean the grill, cooking utensils, and the overall preparation area before and after use.
Because outdoor cooking space is often limited, seniors need to be mindful and closely monitor where they’re placing food. For example, raw meat should never be kept on a surface that will also be used to prepare food that is going uncooked, such as fruits and vegetables. Keeping food separate during the meal preparation process is essential to protecting the health of those enjoying the meal.
One element of grilling that people of all ages fail to do is measure the internal temperature of their food while it’s cooking. Even self-professed “grill masters” will find it imperative to use meat thermometers to make sure food is fully cooked before consuming. Never try to judge meat readiness based solely on the color or look of the food.
Finally, get leftover food into a refrigerator or cooler as quickly as possible. In the blazing summer heat, bacteria grows quickly on perishable foods. So be sure to store leftovers shortly after finishing a meal.
Check out this article if you want more safe cooking tips.
