Super Bowl Party?

If you’ve got plans for a Super Bowl Party today, you may want to take note of the tips below.  These are compliments of NSF International—a nonprofit public health and safety organization. 

Super Bowl Party Safety Tips

Serve Hot Foods Hot

· If you are planning to serve hot dishes, make sure they are cooked to a proper internal temperature (use a thermometer!).

· Hot foods can be kept in a warm oven (set at 200° - 250° F) until serving, although they may dry out if kept in the oven more than an hour.

Don’t let perishable foods sit out for more than 2 hours.

· Hot dishes can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator until game time. When your guests arrive, simply reheat the food to an internal temperature of 165° F.

· Once served, hot foods need to be held at 140° F or warmer. Use chafing dishes, slow cookers, and warming trays on the buffet table to keep foods warm.

Keep Cold Foods Cold

· Cold foods need to be held at 40° F or colder. Keep cold dishes in the refrigerator until just before serving.

· Once served, keep foods cold by nesting dishes in bowls of ice.

General Safety Tips

· Don't let foods sit at room temperature for more than two hours.

· Keep track of how long foods have been sitting on the buffet table and discard any perishable foods that have been sitting out for two hours or more.

· Arrange and serve food on several small platters rather than on one large platter.

· Always serve food on clean plates or use disposable plates.

· Rather than refilling platters of food, replace empty platters rather than adding fresh food to a dish that already had food in it.

Don’t Forget to Wash Your Hands!

· No matter what the time of year, handwashing is key to stopping both the spread of germs and foodborne illness. Be sure to wash your hands before and after handling any party food and encourage your guests to do so as well.