Sky Lakes Medical Center | Live Smart | Summer 2019

4 LIVE smart | Summer 2019 Andie Scherer is a registered and licensed dietitian at Sky Lakes Medical Center’s Diabetes and Nutrition Services department. No cooler? No problem! Don’t let disease-causing bacteria contaminate your food at outdoor gatherings. Place perishable foods—such as burgers, deviled eggs and potato salad—in a well-insulated cooler with plenty of ice or freezer gel packs. And keep the cooler in the shade; bacteria multiply rapidly in warm temperatures. And if you don’t have a cooler, bring nonperishable foods like fresh fruits and veggies, hard cheeses, or pre-prepared pouches of tuna or salmon to pair with crackers. Pasta salads dressed in balsamic vinegar and olive oil instead of mayonnaise, veggie sandwiches, traditional salsa, or fruit salsa are all also great dishes to pack along. SUMMER FOOD SAFETY By Andie Scherer, RDN, LDN There’s something special about summer—the days are longer, the sun is brighter, and we find ourselves drawn to the outdoors. And let’s be honest, if we’re outdoors, so is the food. Between Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and any other festivity marked on your calendar, summer is jam- packed with cookouts, picnics and parties. But remember: any occasion involving a large spread of cookout classics, salads and desserts may also bring the spread of bacteria. Fight back with these food safety tips to make sure your summer stays sweet, not sour. Make sure your hands are clean. Food safety is literally in your hands. Wash your hands with soap and water before preparing any food. Scrub for at least 20 seconds and rinse with warm water. For outdoor events, bring along hand sanitizer for extra peace of mind. Avoid cross-contamination. Summer is prime time for grilling out—and that usually means raw meat. Use designated cutting boards for raw meats, and use a separate cutting board to prepare fruits and vegetables. Make sure you also use a clean plate for cooked meat fresh off the grill, and discard any marinades that have come into contact with raw meat. Cook foods to a safe temperature. You can’t always tell whether meat is properly cooked