Hosting a Cook Out? Now What?!

Posted in Food Safety,Our Blog on May 17, 2025

Hosting a cook out? Now what?! Many of us are so used to hosting gatherings and having people over that it seems like second nature but I remember my very first cook out and how afraid I was that something would go wrong or that I wouldn’t prepare something properly. It was an anxiety that I don’t wish on anyone and I remember the sigh of relief when it was over because I had gotten so worked up over everyone coming that I felt a crash and burn coming on. I am thankful it was a huge success almost 15 years ago and now I am always up to host.

Here are some cook out tips to make the day not only fun but safe.

“Recent USDA consumer behavior studies have shown that individuals don’t always properly wash their hands or use a food thermometer,” said USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Emilio Esteban. “Show your family and friends that you’re a true grill master by cooking food to a safe temperature and washing your hands after handling raw meat and poultry.”

Ensure your food is safe to eat this Fourth of July by following these food safety steps:

Clean: Scrub the grill clean before use. Clean utensils and plates before they touch food. No access to a faucet? Carry bottled water, soap and paper towels. Wash your hands before and after handling raw meat and poultry. Follow proper handwashing steps to stop bacteria from spreading from your hands to your meal. Make sure to wet hands, lather with soap, scrub for 20 seconds, rinse and dry.

Separate: Avoid cross contamination. Separate raw meat and vegetables by using different cutting boards. Place raw meat or poultry on one plate and cooked meat and poultry on another. Don’t use the same utensils to place raw meat and poultry on the grill and take cooked food off.

Cook: Use food thermometers to ensure your grilled food is ready. Insert the thermometer through the side of the patty until the probe reaches the center. Color is never a reliable indicator of doneness. Cook food to a safe minimum internal temperature by using a food thermometer:

• Cook whole cuts of meat to 165 F with a three-minute rest time.
• Cook fish to 145 F.
• Cook ground meats to 165 F.
• Cook poultry (ground or whole) to 165 F.

Although frozen products may appear to be pre-cooked or browned, treat them as raw food and cook thoroughly. Products labeled as “Cook and Serve,” “Ready to Cook” and “Oven Ready” must be cooked.

Chill: Bacteria multiply rapidly between 40 F and 140 F — aka the Danger Zone. Perishable food should be consumed or refrigerated within two hours (one hour if outdoor temperatures are 90 F and above).

We love the idea of having multiple coolers to keep drinks and food separate because of cross contamination. Having lots of bottled water and other beverages especially if there are kids present makes for such a fun time. We also like to have popsicles but keep those inside because we want to make sure they stay frozen.

If people bring a side dish I ensure we have ways to keep them either hot or cold so that no one has to bring their own. I just sit out extra pot holders, warming trays, trays that hold ice or ice packs and whatever else we need. I also have different spots where people would get their utensils and plates to keep things clean and separate.

We are looking into an outdoor handwashing station, but having a bathroom easily accessible with hot water and soap is a huge perk at a cook out.

We hope that you all have a happy and safe cook out season and that your events are extremely fulfilling and successful. Keep an eye here at Make Food Safe for more fun spring and summer cooking related posts.