Food Safety for the Outdoors

Minnesota Department of Health Consumer Fact Sheet
Revised 3/2018

• Download a print version of this document:
  Food Safety for the Outdoors (PDF)

Plan Ahead

• To avoid leftovers, bring only the amount of food that can be eaten.
• When planning meals, think about using shelf-stable food to ensure food safety.
• Wash fruits and vegetables before bringing them with you.
• Bring biodegradable soap so hands and surfaces can be washed often.
  • If you are going somewhere where running water is not available, bring water with you if possible or use hand sanitizer.
• If running water will not be available, bring bottled or tap water or always treat water collected from lakes and streams before drinking.
  • Information about treatment methods: Water Treatment in the Backcountry (PDF)

Pack Safely

• If traveling with perishable food, use a cooler with ice or freezer packs.
  • Packing frozen meat and poultry will help them stay colder longer.
  • A full cooler maintains its cold temperature longer than a partially filled one.
• Keep raw meat and poultry separate from cooked foods or foods meant to be eaten raw.
  • Pack foods in tight, waterproof containers to prevent juices from the raw product from dripping on other foods.

Clean & Separate

• Wash hands and surfaces often.
  • Always wash your hands before and after handling food, and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, or handling pets.
• Don’t use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meat and poultry.
  • Harmful germs present in raw meat and poultry can be easily spread to other foods by juices dripping from packages, hands, or utensils.

Cook & Chill

• Fresh and frozen raw meat, poultry, and fish should be cooked hot enough to kill any harmful germs that may be in the product.
  • Use an accurate food thermometer to make sure foods are cooked to and held at safe temperatures: Use Proper Cooking Temperatures to Ensure Safe Food
  • Color is not a reliable indicator of doneness.
• Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
  • Only cook food that will be eaten right way to avoid leftovers.
  • Discard any food that has been left out for more than 2 hours
    (or 1 hour if it’s above 90° F).
  • Keep the cooler in a shady spot or covered with a light-colored blanket.
  • Avoid opening the cooler repeatedly so that food stays colder longer.