July 2, 2002

Prairie Fare: Don’t Get Bugged at Your Next Picnic

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

Mention the word "picnic" and I think of sunny days surrounded by family and a delicious spread of food. I can almost taste the hotdogs, hamburgers, potato salad, chips, watermelon, toasted marshmallows and ice-cold lemonade. I remember the ants and mosquitoes quite well, too. I can almost feel them biting.

But annoying ants and miserable mosquitoes aren’t the biggest pests that could invade your picnic. The bugs invisible to the naked eye, or bacteria, are the greatest menace to a memorable family outing.

After a long cold winter, people like to soak up warm summer temperatures, and cooking and eating move outdoors. The controls possible in a kitchen, like refrigeration and running water, aren't as readily available at picnic sites. As a result, foodborne illness cases tend to increase during summer months. Warm, humid weather promotes bacterial growth in unprotected food.

Here are some tips to help keep bacteria at bay at your next picnic. Finding the best mosquito spray is up to you.

• Keep cold foods cold! Pack foods directly from a refrigerator into an insulated cooler. Consider using block ice, which lasts longer, instead of ice cubes. A full cooler maintains its cold temperature longer than a partially filled cooler.
• Keep raw meat in sealed containers to help prevent juices from leaking onto other foods. Better yet, use separate coolers for raw meat, ready-to-eat foods and beverages.
• Find out if there's a source of clean water at the picnic site. If not, bring water for preparation and cleaning. Clean, disposable washcloths and paper towels are also helpful.
• Transport coolers in the passenger area of the vehicle instead of in the trunk. Keep coolers closed as much as possible and in the shade.
• Cook food completely at the picnic site instead of partially cooking the food ahead of time. Bring a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature of grilled meat. Discard marinade that has been in contact with raw meat.
• Use a clean plate when retrieving food from the grill, instead of the plate which held the raw meat.
• In hot weather (90^o F or higher), perishable food -- including meat, salads, cut-up watermelon and other produce -- should not be out of cold storage more than one hour.

Here’s a recipe you can make ahead of time and refrigerate. Just grill and enjoy.

Grilled Corn-on-the-Cob

1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced (optional or can substitute purchased red peppers)
1 Tbsp. margarine
1/4 c. fresh cilantro (optional)
2 Tbsp chopped green onions
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. Tabasco sauce (optional)
4 ears fresh sweet corn, husked

1. To roast bell pepper, place on baking sheet; broil in oven until blistered and charred. Put in heavy plastic or paper bag; seal; let set for 20 minutes. Peel skin; don’t worry about removing all the charred parts.
2. In a blender or food processor, combine the red pepper, margarine, green onions and cilantro. Add salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce.
3. Place each ear of corn in the center of a piece of aluminum foil, shiny side up. Coat each ear with a quarter of the pepper seasoning mixture. Wrap the foil around the corn, making sure the ear is well sealed by the foil. Refrigerate until ready to grill.
4. Preheat grill. Place corn on grill near the edges or cooler areas. Grill until tender, turning frequently, about 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully unwrap the corn and serve.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving contains 103 calories, 17 grams carbohydrate and 4 grams fat.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu