Grilling Safety Tips from NSF International {Prize Pack Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, Aisling!}

With Memorial Day right around the corner, the 4th of July coming soon, and a whole summer full of cookouts, picnics, and barbecues on the horizon, the nation is gearing up to fire up the grill for their next meal.

However, whether you (or someone in your family) is a grilling novice or expert, it is important to keep in mind all the importance of staying safe while also having fun. No one wants to end their family reunion with a trip to the hospital for food poisoning, right?

So there is no better site to look to for advice than from NSF International, a nonprofit organization that is committed to protecting public health and safety by developing standards and certifying products against those standards.

This summer grilling season, NSF International has a great list of cooking and grilling tips to remember:

1. Start with a Clean Kitchen. According to a swab analysis by NSF International, the kitchen sponge and kitchen sink were the germiest places in the home – items that are typically used in multiple stages of the cooking and cleaning process. Avoid cross-contamination by ensuring these items are clean by:

a. Placing wet sponges in the microwave for two minutes once per day and replacing them often - every two weeks or more as needed. A better option for kitchen cleaning are dishcloths, towels and rags. These items can be sanitized by washing on the clothes washer's hot water cycle with bleach. Replace every 1-2 days.

b. Washing and disinfecting the sides and bottom of the sink 1-2 times per week with a disinfecting cleaner. Sanitize kitchen drains and disposals monthly by pouring a solution of one teaspoon household bleach in one quart of water down the drain. Wash kitchen sink strainers in the dishwasher weekly.

2. Defrost Foods Safely. Don't attempt to defrost foods quickly by leaving them sit overnight on a kitchen counter. Use one of the following methods:

Option 1 - Place covered food in a shallow pan on the lowest shelf of the refrigerator.

Option 2 - Defrost the food item in the microwave, but keep in mind that you must finish cooking the food immediately thereafter, as some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during the microwave defrosting process.

Option 3 - If there is not enough time to thaw frozen foods, it is safe to cook foods from the frozen state. However, the cooking will take approximately 50% longer than the recommended time for fully thawed or fresh meat and poultry.

3. Practice Proper Marinating. If marinating food, marinate in a refrigerator overnight and dispose of any leftover marinade that has been in contact with raw meat. While acids in marinades can help tenderize meat, too much vinegar or hot sauce can cause meat to be more stringy and tough.

4. Keep Hot Foods Hot and Cold Foods Cold. Hot foods need to be kept at temperatures above 140°F and cold foods less than 40°F. Between these two temperatures, bacteria can multiply very rapidly and reach dangerous levels in as little as two hours.

5. Don’t cook with your eyes; Cook with a thermometer. In order to ensure food has reached a safe internal temperature, always use a certified food thermometer. Any leftovers should be put away within two hours (one hour if the temperature is over 90°F).

6. Avoid Cross Contamination. Since bacteria can easily spread from one food to the next via dripping juices, hands, or utensils, think ahead to avoid cross contamination. Don't use the same utensils and plates for raw and cooked foods, and always remember to wash your hands before preparing and consuming food.

If your plans for Memorial Day and the rest of the summer include grilling, these are great tips to remember to keep your family safe!

And, thanks to the generosity of NSF International, one person will be even more prepared to follow this wise advice and have a great grilling season, because...

One lucky person will win a Safe Grilling Prize Pack!

Prize Pack includes:
Grilling Tongs
NSF Apron
NSF Certified Tupperware
NSF Certified Meat Thermometer

To enter to win: Tell me your favorite grilled meal. Do you cook up anything more creative than burgers and steaks or does your family prefer the classics?

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

Time to fire up the grill & win a Safe Grilling Prize Pack (tongs, apron and more)! #thxmailcarrier http://bit.ly/kFFlY8 #giveaway #win

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on June 15th at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to NSF International for providing a Safe Grilling Prize Pack for me as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.