Add Food Safety to the Rules of the Road This Summer

CHICAGO – Grabbing a quick meal in the car, also known as “dashboard dining,” has emerged as a common option for many Canadian and Americans. During “National Family Vacation Month” in August, snacking on the open road is at an all-time high.

The American Dietetic Association (ADA) and ConAgra Foods encourage travellers to follow a few simple tips to ensure travel plans aren’t ruined by a bad case of food poisoning.

“The key to safe ‘dashboard dining’ is bringing foods that are easy to carry, store and eat,” said Carolyn O’Neil, registered dietitian and home food safety expert. “Take the time to think ahead and bring a supply of shelf-stable foods that are also nutritious. This way, summer car travelers can safely enjoy favorite foods in the car.”

Dashboard Dining Tips:

Ideas for quick, shelf-stable and easy foods to take on the road include:

• Breads/Grains: single-serving boxes of cereal, trail mix, energy bars,
  granola bars, cereal bars, bagels, muffins, crackers, popcorn and
  chips

• Fruits and Vegetables: carrot and celery sticks and other cut-up raw
  vegetables, grapes, single-serve applesauce, whole fruit (apples,
  peaches, bananas), dried fruit mix and juice boxes

• Dairy and Alternatives: single-serve milk or soy beverage boxes and
  pudding cups

• Meat and Other Protein Sources: cans of tuna, peanut butter (for
  sandwiches or with celery and apples), nuts and single-serve packages
  of peanut butter and crackers or cheese and crackers

• Water: bottles of water

  Tips for Perishable Foods:

• If transporting perishable foods (i.e., cheese sticks, yogurt and
  yogurt drinks), pack them in plenty of ice in a well-insulated cooler
  or with cooling packs in a well-insulated lunch bag. As an extra
  safety precaution, keep a refrigerator thermometer inside the cooler at
  all times. Make sure the cooler is set below 40 degrees Fahrenheit to
  ensure safe food storage. Transport the cooler in an air-conditioned
  car instead of in a hot trunk.

• Remember to watch the clock when eating food in a hot car. Perishable
  foods should not stay unrefrigerated for more than two hours, and when
  the temperature is 90 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer, that time is
  reduced to one hour.

  Tips for Keeping Hands and Eating Surfaces Clean:

• Always wash hands thoroughly, especially after activities such as
  filling the car with gas, stopping at a rest area or changing a child’s
  diaper. Stop at a restaurant, gas station or rest area to wash hands,
  using warm, soapy water (washing for at least 20 seconds), or bring a
  pack of moist towelettes or spray bottle of soap and water solution
  with paper towels in the car. Be sure everyone washes hands before
  handling or eating foods in the car.

• Keep a stash of eating utensils in the car (i.e., plastic utensils,
  straws, napkins, garbage bags and paper towels).

  Take Control of Food Safety

  Home Food Safety … It’s in Your Hands, a national education
  initiative, empowers consumers to take control of home food safety by following four simple tips:

• Wash hands often

• Keep raw meats and ready-to-eat foods separate

• Cook to proper temperatures

• Refrigerate promptly below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.