Plan Now For A Safe Super Bowl Party

Super Bowl XLI takes place this Sunday in Los Angeles, and whether you’re rooting for the Bengals, the Rams or a just an entertaining matchup, you’ll most likely enjoy the game with some food; maybe a lot of food. According to the USDA, Super Bowl Sunday is the 2^nd biggest food holiday in the U.S. following Thanksgiving. And as Food Safety Expert Laura Scott points out, it’s a challenging weekend, in which you often cook larger dishes than normal, or try snacks that you typically don’t make.

To prevent the spread of food born illnesses, Scott says there are four steps to remember when preparing those snacks:  Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill. Make sure the areas where you’re preparing your foods are cleaned, keep foods separate when preparing them, especially meat products, cook foods thoroughly, and chill any leftovers. And when it comes to enjoying those snacks, Scott says after food has been out for two hours, it enters the Danger Zone.

“That is between 40 degrees and 140 degrees, and in that zone, bacteria can grow and spread more easily.  So, the best thing you can do is not let your food sit out for more than two hours.  And if you happen to be somewhere where it’s hot, like above 90 degrees, that two hour rule goes down to a one hour rule.”

So, what can you do so you can enjoy your snacks during the entire game and not let bacteria grow?

“What you want to remember is keep hot food hot and keep cold food cold.  So, for cold foods, you can nestle them in a bed of ice, and hot foods, you can keep them warm in a slow cooker, a preheated oven, a warming tray, or a chafing dish, and just make sure to stay out of that 40 to 140 degrees Danger Zone.”

Another option Scott said, split your food up into two different portions keeping one portion in the fridge until halftime, and then during intermission you can swap those foods out.

She added if you have any food safety questions, contact the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline at (888) MP-Hotline Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pacific or you can visit the USDA's Food Safety Website.

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