How to ensure that the Rams vs the Bengals doesn’t turn into a Zoo

It is finally here, the last big game of the football season. If you are planning on hosting any parties (hopefully small and Covid free) to watch the Bengals and the Rams, or perhaps a winter Olympic watch party, please keep in mind that food safety should be a priority when it comes to storing, prepping, handling, and staging food for your guests. Handwashing should be a priority for you and your guests and keeping bottles of hand sanitizer out is a good idea.

Always start with a clean preparation site. Washing your hands and sanitizing surfaces go a long way in preventing food safety. When prepping raw vegetables, make sure to carefully wash them before slicing or dicing. Bacteria can be present on the outside of the vegetables and transferred on the knife by cutting or slicing.

If you are tackling food ahead of game day make sure that ready-to-eat foods are stored separately from raw meats and kept cold. If you plan to serve sandwiches, remember that cold cuts and mayonnaise-based spreads need to be kept cold and should not be left out for any length of time.

When kicking off that meat prep for the barbeque, make sure that it is marinating or dry rubbed and curing in the refrigerator. Make sure that they are stored in a leak-proof container and are separated from other foods in the refrigerator. When grilling, make sure that you use a meat thermometer and that the temperature reaches USDA recommended temperatures: 165°F for poultry and ground poultry, 145°F for beef, 160°F for ground meats and 145°F for pork. The full list can be found here: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/safe-temperature-chart .

While preparing for your party, it is easy to forget the basic food safety rules – which are wash your hands, keep cold foods cold, hot foods hot, use a thermometer to ensure food safe temperatures and don’t cross contaminate from one food to another.

When setting up the spread for your guests, please remember that food should not sit out for more than two hours, and preferably less time for cold foods. Keep cold foods on ice or you can use bowls of fresh snow in a pinch – just be careful to use clean snow and to cover it with saran wrap, tinfoil, or a large zip lock bag to keep cross contamination to a minimum. If you are serving mayonnaise-based foods such as potato salad or shrimp salad, please make sure to keep them on ice. Hot foods need to be kept warm by using electric cookers or crockpots on a warm setting. It is always handy to have a few thermometers around to check to see if foods are at the proper temperatures and minimizes cross contamination. Consider serving chips, popcorn, or nuts at the beginning of the game and serving the hot and/or cold foods at half-time, so that the time they are sitting out is manageable.

If you are looking for new recipes to dazzle your guests check out the following links:

83 Super Bowl Party Foods That Are Better Than A Touchdown https://www.delish.com/entertaining/g2171/super-bowl-food-menu/

Super Bowl Recipes & Party Ideas 2022 – Good Housekeeping https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/super-bowl-party-menu/

Made-Over Game-Day Classics – Food Network https://www.foodnetwork.com/big-game/big-game-appetizers/made-over-game-day-classics

Nashville Hot Duck Wings – Maple Leaf Farms https://mapleleaffarms.com/recipes/nashville-hot-duck-wings

Foodborne illness can happen the best of us, and while it is easy to forget in the excitement of preparing for the big game, please follow the basic food safety rules to ensure that you and your loved ones and friends stay healthy. As always, wash your hands, stay safe, and may your favorite team win! If you have questions, comments, or suggestions for topics, feel free to contact me through our contact page.