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Summertime dining means cookouts, reunions and traveling.

But before you throw the steaks on the grill, or load up those plates with burgers and potato salad, there are a few things to keep in mind. Outdoor dining -- especially in the South -- means hot weather, insects and a greater likelihood that your food could come become contaminated. The conditions couldn't be better for bacteria. Still, it doesn't mean you shouldn't enjoy a picnic or a backyard barbecue.

Some tips for safe summer dining:

Shopping

Select perishable foods just before checkout.

Take groceries home immediately. If you need to run errands, or if your destination is more than a half-hour away, take a cooler with ice or cold packs to store your groceries.

Ask the bagger to put meat and refrigerated items in paper bags. Paper is a better insulator than cloth or plastic.

Outdoor dining

Place food in a cool, dry, shaded area. Keep cold foods over ice and hot foods on or over a warming unit. Consider a serving bowl or platter designed to keep foods at their desirable serving temperatures.

Use a thermometer to test and make sure food is out of the danger zone -- more than 40 degrees for cold foods and less than 140 degrees for hot items.

In hot weather, food should not sit out more than one hour.

Throw away perishable leftovers if left out of refrigeration (warmer than 40 degrees Fahrenheit) for more than two hours, or if contaminated with dirt, bugs or dirty hands.

Provide a hand-washing area, moist towelettes or hand sanitizer at the food area to ensure people are killing germs before touching the food.

Grilling and meat preparation

Proper thawing is important. Completely thaw meat so that it cooks evenly. Thaw in the refrigerator or in cold water if stored in sealed packages. Meat can be defrosted in the microwave if it will go directly to the grill.

Partially pre-cooking meat or poultry in the microwave, stove or oven cuts down on grilling time. It should go straight to the grill afterward.

Never partially grill meat and poultry, then finish cooking later.

When reheating fully cooked meats such as hot dogs, grill to 165 degrees Fahrenheit or until steaming hot.

Prevent cross contamination by properly washing hands and using different plates and utensils for raw and cooked meat.

Don't overcook meat, pork, fish or poultry. Reduce your risk of cancer by using aluminum foil. Wrap meat completely in foil, or place it under meat with a few holes to prevent smoke from enveloping the meat when the fat starts to drip.

Safe minimum internal temperatures:

Chicken and turkey breasts and ground turkey or chicken burgers: 165 degrees.

Beef hamburgers and all cuts of pork: 160 degrees.

Beef, veal and lamb steaks, roasts and chops: 145 degrees, for medium rare; 160 degrees for medium.

Traveling

Every state doesn't have a restaurant grading system. When stopping to eat, check for cleanliness. Notice whether the employees have their hair pulled back and if aprons or uniforms are clean. Look out for bugs or flies. Check for clean tables and restrooms. Make sure there is antibacterial soap in the restrooms.

Pack some nonperishable crackers and peanut butter, dried fruit or nuts and seeds for the road. If you prefer cold food, pack it in an insulated cooler with ice or chemical cold packs. Avoid opening the cooler too often, which lets cold air out and warm air in.

Pack beverages in one cooler, and perishables in another.

Hiking, camping or picnicking

Fill insulated coolers 75 percent full of food, allowing 25 percent for ice or chemical cold packs.

Throw away perishable leftovers when without refrigeration (40 degrees Fahrenheit) for more than two hours, or if contaminated with bugs, dirt or dirty hands.

Disinfect lake or stream water with iodine or chlorine tablets, or a filtration or purification device.

Contact Tina Firesheets at 373-3498 or tina.firesheets@news-record.com

Source: Amy Fanjoy, BestHealth Dietitian, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center; USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.