Tip Sheet Template

Don’t Let Your Vacation Spoil

A recent survey conducted by the American Dietetic Association in partnership with ConAgra Foods found that 92 percent of respondents plan to travel this summer; the majority for pleasure with family and friends. One third more Americans than last year plan to carry foods with them when traveling by plane, trains, or automobiles. 90 percent plan to travel by car for at least one trip and of those, almost all plan to take along food and meals especially when traveling with kids.

Typical travel foods packed include sandwiches, chips and dip, fresh fruit and veggies, and prepackaged meats and cheese. These foods if not properly prepared and stored may put the breaks on reaching your final destination. To ensure that your family remains healthy and happy in vacation photos keep these four things in mind:

1. Wash your hands before, during, and after eating.
2. Keep raw foods separate from cooked foods.
3. Cook food to proper temperatures; above 160° F for most meat.
4. Keep cold foods cold; less than 40° F.

Millions of Americans get sick each year from foods that are not properly stored and prepared in their own home. We often mistake food born illness for a case of the flu. Experts predict that simply washing your hands frequently when preparing food could prevent 50% of food born illness. Here are some suggestions for food safety when traveling.

Take along a travel pack of moist towelettes or waterless hand sanitizer to clean up before digging in.
Cook foods thoroughly ahead of time and to the proper temperatures, hamburgers and hotdogs to 160° F, poultry 170° F. Pack cooked foods in clean, resealable, shallow containers and refrigerate to below 40° F immediately. Take that kitchen thermometer along for cooking those burgers on an outdoor grill. If reheating foods, reheat to 160° F.
Wash fresh fruits and veggies ahead of time and store them in clean, resealable containers to contamination from dirt or raw foods.
Pack cooked and clean foods separately from raw foods. Juices from raw meats or leaky packaging can contaminate fresh foods.
Keep food cold by packing them in a cooler or insulated bag with ice or cold packs on all sides. Frozen juice boxes and water bottles can be tossed in to double as ice packs and a refreshing drink when you get to your destination. Transport the cooler inside the air-conditioned car instead of the hot trunk.
Do not leave foods un-refrigerated for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if temperatures are above 90° F.
If you stop to eat or carry out, remember to refrigerate any leftovers immediately. By the time you have sat down to eat and packed up leftovers, that food has probably been sitting out for at least an hour. Toss anything left out for more than 2 hours.

Plan on packing easily transportable, non-perishable foods such as single serving cereal boxes, trail mix, granola or cereal bars, single serve fruit cups, individually wrapped peanut butter and cracker packages, fresh fruit, and canned tuna lunch packs.

"Home Food Safety, It's in Your Hands"

For more tips on food safety while traveling or at home, go to the American Dietetic Association and ConAgra partnership website: www.homefoodsafety.org

By: Lona Sandon, MEd, RD, American Dietetic Association Spokesperson
Assistant Professor, UT Southwestern Medical Center

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