For example, Walmart has just partnered with Gobble to deliver meal kits. In the battle over the future of food consumption in the U.S., Walmart wants a fighting chance against the industry’s new mammoth, Amazon, after the latter acquired Whole Foods a year ago.

Don’t be surprised if more grocers do the same.

Meal kit delivery services made their debut in 2012. Most companies are still considered startups. Gobble, for example, started in 2014 with its three-step, one-pan, 15-minute meal kit.

The United States now has more than 150 meal kit companies across the country. And Canada has just under 20 significant players already.

While this is a relatively new food retail segment, it represents over US$1.5 billion in the U.S. alone and is growing. In Canada, the meal kit segment is estimated to be worth around $200 million and growing.

Metro made a brilliant move when it acquired MissFresh last year, allowing it to hit the ground running. And meal kitting is likely in the cards for other Canadian grocers but no great announcements have been made thus far. And why not?

Instead of takeout, consumers choose a meal kit that brings them pre-shopped, pre-measured, pre-everything, so they can whip up an appealing dish in minutes, even with little or no cooking experience.

Costs, however, are anywhere from $9 to $12 a meal, which makes this service prohibitive for many.

The other problematic issue is packaging. For assured freshness and food safety, ingredients must be thoroughly wrapped, making environmentally conscious buyers less enthusiastic about their purchases. This is likely the biggest hurdle that meal kits must overcome: the waste is astronomical.

Another issue is profitability.

Goodfood is one of Canada’s largest meal kit providers. It has tripled its active subscribers, to 76,000, but is still losing money. Most providers aren’t making profits and that’s peculiar for a new and growing segment.

But given the excitement around meal kits, most of these companies barely sweat to raise capital. The pressure to generate revenues without spending too much on marketing is the real problem. So as the market matures, only some will survive.

Those partnering or working with large retailers have a greater chance of survival and of grabbing a decent share of the market.

Grocers have never been great at food service, so uniting forces makes sense. And grocers are starting to see meal kits as foot traffic drivers, a major advantage these days. This is what Gobble is doing for Walmart.

Despite the challenges, meal kits face relatively few headwinds. The food service and hospitality sector in Canada has been booming over the last few years, with growth exceeding five per cent in 2017 and forecasted to grow more than four per cent this year. Compared to food retailing, these numbers are spectacular.

Grocers want into the food-service game and meal kitting is one way to do it. What makes the meal kit case more compelling is the expected revenue for home delivery. In 2018, we expect Canadians to order $2.5 billion worth of food, an increase of 23 per cent from last year. And the industry expects double-digit growth to continue over the next few years.

People are eager to eat more at home while forgoing the worst of cooking. Canadians are still buying cookbooks in droves and watch a record number of cooking shows. But meal kits are increasingly popular.

Ghost restaurants are in vogue in North America and Europe. Unlike Uber Eats, for example, where consumers can directly connect with restaurants, there’s no interaction between a ghost restaurant and the consumer. These are virtual eateries for consumers who don’t want to cook at all. They order from these establishments through third-party applications, all for the sake of convenience.

All of these service models eliminate the inconvenience of waiting in dining rooms for your meal.

For the business owners, they solve the issues of extra labour costs, helping to mitigate risks related to higher minimum wages and, most important, the risk of choosing the right location.

But meal kits still don’t resolve one age-old issue: you still need to clean your dishes after you’re done. Technology hasn’t solved this problem yet but surely someone will come up with something soon.

Sylvain Charlebois is dean of the faculty of management and a professor in the faculty of agriculture at Dalhousie University. He writes regularly about food and agriculture.

The post Comment: Meal kits set the table for a new food retailing boom appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

But vague, large-scale goals like these often lead to disappointing results with only 58 per cent of people sticking to them by end of January, according to a 2017 survey.

To be more successful, psychologists like Dr. John Norcross of Scranton University recommend you set specific, realistic goals with concrete action steps and either declare those goals to others or write them down. He also cautions that you should be prepared for minor slips and setbacks and not to let them derail you. Successful resolvers have the confidence to stick to their goals and resume working on them when temporarily sidetracked.

Keep these recommendations in mind when it comes to setting goals for eating and living healthier. Set yourself up for long-term success. Avoid unrealistic targets, fad diets, cleansing, fasting or detoxing schemes, diets that avoid entire food groups or that rely on “superfoods” or an array of special supplements. Focus on small, incremental steps that you can incorporate into your everyday routine. Start wherever you are today with confidence and determination.

Here are some specific action steps to implement some of the healthy eating recommendations from leading chronic disease organizations in Canada. Remember, be realistic — pick and choose only a few suggestions from the list. Write them on your fridge, calendar or meal planner and work on them until they’ve become a habit. As you successfully incorporate one item into your daily routine, add another. Building on small successes will be much more rewarding than planning too much at one time.

Here are a few important points to keep in mind.

Eat more vegetables and fruits

• Eat one additional serving of fruits and vegetables every day.
• Have a serving of fruit every breakfast. If you don’t eat breakfast, that’s a good challenge in itself; start every day by having a piece of fruit and work up to having three food groups at breakfast.
• Pack a fruit or veggie snack whenever you’re in the car for more than one hour.
• Bring a salad, vegetable platter or fruit dessert to potlucks or parties.
• Fill half your dinner plate with vegetables every day.
• Taste a new fruit or vegetable once a month.
• Add fresh or frozen spinach, kale or dark greens to soups, stews or casseroles.
• Choose dark-green lettuce or leafy greens instead of iceberg lettuce.
• Prepare and cut fresh veggies so they’re always easily accessible for snacking.

Eat more whole grains and high-fibre foods

• Choose whole grain breads, pitas or tortillas for sandwiches, wraps and quesadillas. If 100 per cent whole grain is too much, start with 60 per cent whole wheat.
• Use whole wheat flour, oats, wheat germ and bran in baking recipes. In most baking recipes, you can substitute half of the white flour with whole wheat flour without changing anything else.
• Eat a bowl of air-popped popcorn as a snack instead of chips or crackers.
• Make a new recipe using oats every month (overnight oats, hot oatmeal, pancakes, granola, oat bread, oat snacks, etc.).
• Try a new whole grain recipe at least once a month. Try quinoa, buckwheat, wheat berries, hulled barley, amaranth, wild rice, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, millet, etc.
• Pick breakfast cereals made with whole grain, bran or oats and that are high in fibre. The first ingredient listed should be a whole grain.
• Check the “% Daily Value” on nutrition fact labels and choose whole grain foods (crackers, cereal, baked goods, granola bars, bread) with 15 per cent of fibre per serving.
• Add nuts (walnuts, almonds, pistachios) and seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, flax, hemp, or chia) in baking, on top of salads or as the basis of snacks.

Choose a variety of lean protein sources

• Eat one high-protein, vegetarian meal per week. If this is too much for your family, try once a month, if you’re already doing this add a second or third meal per week. Try lentil or bean soup, three-bean chili, frittata, quiche, chickpea curry, pasta and beans, etc.
• Eat fish once a week (especially salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, halibut).
• Add beans, peas and lentils to salads, soups and main entrees.
• Try a new pulse recipe once a month. Look for black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, adzuki beans, mung beans, broad beans, red lentils, green lentils, split peas, chickpeas, etc.
• Eat eggs more often. One whole egg a day does not increase the risk of heart disease or stroke. If you have diabetes limit whole eggs to four per week.
• Limit the size of meat portions to the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand; that’s roughly equal to 75 grams or three ounces.
• Make a meal using tofu or tempeh once a month.

Reduce sugar, salt and overly processed foods

• Cook one additional meal from scratch per week. Avoid using packaged sauces, soups or mixes.
• Reduce the number of meals you eat out per month by one or two. Fast-food and high-end restaurant food typically has more salt, sugar and fat than home-cooked meals.
• Make a habit of reading the “% Daily Value” on the nutrition facts label and choose foods with five per cent or less of sodium, trans fats and saturated fats.
• Switch to water or milk instead of pop, fruit beverages, Kool-Aid or juice. If this is a real challenge, take small steps by choosing water or milk every other time, once a day or whatever target works for you.
• Buy additional fresh, frozen or canned fruit for snacking instead of buying chips, cookies or packaged snack food.
• Make homemade muffins, cookies and granola bars (using oats and whole grains when possible) to replace store-bought baked goods, packaged cookies or granola bars. Home-baked goods usually contain less sugar, fat, salt and preservatives, use better-quality ingredients and come in better portion sizes.
• Reduce sugar in baking recipes. In most recipes, you can use one-third less sugar without any other modifications.
• Use herbs, low-salt spice blends and citrus to flavour food instead of salt.
• Replace bottled salad dressings with homemade dressings and vinaigrettes.
• Make sandwiches with oven-roasted chicken, beef, pork, tuna, salmon, eggs or nut butters instead of processed deli meats.
• Prepare homemade freezer meals and snacks to have on hand for busy days.
• Make a weekly meal plan and buy groceries accordingly. This helps avoid impulse buying and lets you plan healthy meals and snacks.

Choose and use fats wisely

• Grill, steam and bake food instead of deep-frying.
• Use soft margarine or canola or olive oil instead of hard margarine.
• Choose canola or olive oil instead of corn oil or vegetable oil.
• Choose eggs with omega-3 fatty acids.

Adopting several small changes and incorporating them into daily routines will go a long way to helping you achieve your goal to eat and live healthier in 2018.

I’m looking forward to joining you on that journey and providing more recipes and tips throughout the year.

The post One day at a time appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

To help use any extra servings, I eat left­overs almost every day at work. Unfortunately, sometimes a few odds and ends of food hide behind the milk carton and eventually need to be discarded.

Illness-causing micro-organisms such as bacteria and mould can grow and/or produce toxins in leftover food. Unfortunately, you cannot see, smell or taste most micro-organisms. We have to be guided by storage time and temperature to help avoid foodborne illness.

I am sure we do not toss one-third of our food in my house. That’s the national average, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In Canada, the numbers are similar.

Unfortunately, we are now in the prime food-wasting season: the holiday season. During this time, the amount of food wasted increases by 25 per cent. We all can take steps to avoid food waste.

During the holiday season, we might want to embark on some early resolutions that can prevent excess food waste and save us some money in the process. We also might preserve our waistlines with some of the strategies.

If you plan to have guests during the holidays, simplify your menu and the number of different cookies, dips and side dishes that you make. Focus on your family’s favourite recipes instead of making a large number.

Perhaps a full batch of casserole is too much. You might need to trim the size of your recipes. Many recipes are easy to cut in half.

Think about potential food waste as you shop at the grocery store. You might be tempted to buy the bargain-size container of mayonnaise because it has a lower price per ounce. However, if you only need a cup of mayonnaise to make your famous artichoke dip, the remaining mayonnaise eventually outlives its shelf life. It’s not a bargain after all.

As you plan meals, spread the effort. Make holiday meals an opportunity for sharing food. Try a “theme potluck,” such as all healthy appetizers, build your own meal in a bowl or make a personalized pizza buffet. Everyone could bring a part of the menu. At the end of the meal, your guests can share the leftover food and have easy meal preparation the next day.

You can help your guests maintain their weight with a few savvy serving ideas. Use smaller plates and provide smaller serving spoons in the containers. People take less food on a smaller plate, and they serve themselves less food with a smaller serving spoon, according to researchers.

You might even want to try a little trick someone mentioned to me recently: Put a stack of “tasting spoons” on the buffet (along with a container to discard the used ones). Allow people to try the food before serving themselves a full portion.

Keep food temperature controlled during service, or replenish containers regularly. If the party will go on more than two hours, set out smaller amounts of food and keep the rest in the refrigerator. Replace the serving containers as needed. Keep salads, cut fruit and vegetables, and meat and cheese trays cold by nesting the bowls or platters in containers of ice.

Keep warm foods, such as hot wings and warm dips, in slow cookers. If you do not have small slow cookers, set out a smaller amount of food and keep the remaining food warm in the oven or on the stove.

If you know you are not going to be able to use the refrigerated leftovers within three to four days, freeze immediately in meal-sized amounts. Be sure to use appropriate freezer containers and label with the contents and date. Keep an inventory of food that’s in your freezer so you do not forget that it’s there.

If the idea of “leftovers” is not appetizing, create something completely new. How about using leftover turkey in soup, stir-fry, casseroles or sandwiches? Extra mashed potatoes can become potato soup.

Learn to create your own casserole or soup with the “Pinchin’ Pennies in the Kitchen” handouts at https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/food. Click on “Food Preparation.” Also click on “The Family Table” for dozens of ways to savour family mealtimes during the holidays and any day.

Here’s a tasty way to use leftover roasted turkey courtesy of the Midwest Dairy Association.

Cranberry Turkey Wrap

• 4 (7-inch) whole wheat flour tortillas
• 8 slices turkey breast (about 1-1/2 oz. per serving)
• 4 slices cheddar cheese (4 oz.), cut into thirds
• 1/3 c. dried cranberries
• 8 leaves parsley or fresh basil (optional)

Alternate a slice of turkey, one-third of a slice of cheddar cheese and another slice of turkey breast down the centre. Sprinkle one-fourth of the dried cranberries on top of turkey and top with cheese. Fold tortilla into thirds. Place seam-side down on microwave-safe serving plate. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Place a piece of cheese on top of each sandwich and microwave each tortilla on high for 30 seconds to one minute (until cheese melts). Cool slightly and slice in half. Place two or three dried cranberries and a sprig of parsley or basil on both halves.

Makes four servings. Each serving has 330 calories, 13 grams (g) fat, 18 g protein, 33 g carbohydrate, 3 g fibre and 750 milligrams sodium.

The post Cut food waste this holiday season appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

When I opened the container, the frosting had the consistency and colour of a tire. The rich brown chocolate was now black. That container ended up in the trash, of course, especially when I saw the “use by” date was two years in the past.

I bought a shelf to store extra food in our basement after that. Now I can see what I have.

Have you ever found a container of leftovers tucked in the back of the refrigerator? If this has happened to you, you may have been surprised by the fuzzy, colourful appearance. Perhaps the contents did not have a delicious aroma, either.

Or maybe you weren’t sure what the dates mean on the package, and you chose to throw the food to be safe.

Most of us “lose” a little food now and then. Recently, I gave a workshop about avoiding wasted food, and I acknowledge the Midwest Dairy Council for providing me with these compelling statistics.

“Food loss” can happen through cooking loss, spoilage or inadequate temperature control.

On the other hand, “food waste” occurs when still-edible food is tossed in the trash by retailers because of issues with colour or appearance.

Maybe the carrots are “crooked” instead of straight. Perhaps the food has some minor blemishes. Many consumers want the food to look close to perfect upon purchase.

Food waste also occurs at home. In fact, wasted food in homes accounts for 45 per cent of the total food waste disposal. Maybe you or a family member took too large a serving, and the leftover food ended up in the trash.

Eventually, much of wasted food ends up with municipal solids. Although we hear more about paper and plastic as contributing to solid waste, food makes up 21 per cent of solid waste. Plastic trash makes up 18 per cent and paper makes up 15 per cent.

In fact, people are throwing away 50 per cent more food now than in 1970. The average consumer wastes 1.1 pounds of food per day, or 401.5 pounds of food per year. That’s like throwing money in the trash.

What foods do you think are tossed frequently? If fruits and vegetables come to mind, you are correct. However, dairy is the No. 1 food group “lost.”

Here are some tips to trim food waste in your house:

• Develop a meal plan. Creating a menu or meal plan can help eliminate food waste by ensuring you only purchase what you need. Use leftovers as other meals, such as breakfast or lunch.
• Shop your refrigerator. This means taking a close look at what foods you have available. Instead of planning foods you need to buy to start your meal, plan to make a meal with what you have and pick up added ingredients.
• Try to keep on hand a well-rounded selection of food and food ingredients, such as pasta, flour, sugar, bread, canned vegetables, vegetable oils, eggs, spices and other canned goods.
• Create grocery lists. After you shop your fridge, you are ready to make a list. Shop sales and write down everything you need.
• Repurpose food. Try making a dish into something else: Use leftover meat as a pizza topping or make a breakfast omelette with leftover veggies.
• Freeze the excess. Visit ‘Food Preparation’ on the NDSU website to learn more.
• Consider frozen versus fresh. If you are not using fresh produce before it spoils, try frozen instead. Out-of-season fruit and vegetables may spoil quickly, but frozen can be stored for a few months, on average.
• Organize cabinets with the first-in, first-out system. Know what “Use by” and “Sell by” dates mean. Sell-by dates are for the grocery stores and a use-by date is for best quality. The food usually can be eaten beyond the dates.

Try this recipe below with leftover grilled chicken for even more flavour.

Creamy avocado chicken salad sandwich

• 2 cooked chicken breast halves, diced
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 1/2 c. sour cream
• 1-1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Process chicken in a food processor until finely chopped or chop finely by hand. Add avocado, sour cream, black pepper, lime juice, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Process until completely combined and almost puréed.

Makes four servings. Each serving has 220 calories, 15 grams (g) protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 14 g fat, 4 g fibre and 220 milligrams sodium.

The post How much food do you toss? appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Fall suppers have wrapped up for 2016, but the appetite for the tradition remains strong in many rural Manitoba communities. One example is Carman United Church which has served fall suppers to tens of thousands of people over the decades, and come every October, volunteers of all ages help plan, cook and serve a meal that feeds over 1,000 visitors. In this video, hear from some of the volunteers who have helped make Manitoba’s fall supper tradition a success and some of the challenges it faces in the years ahead.

Video editing by Greg Berg.

The post VIDEO: Dinner is served: Manitoba’s fall supper tradition appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

“That does smell amazing,” she agreed.

“It’s all in the coals,” said Andrew, who was standing over the barbecue, holding a stopwatch. “Hickory-infused briquettes. And no lighter fluid. Build a small wood fire, throw the briquettes on top and wait 20 minutes till they’re white all over, and you’re all set. Perfection is not easy to achieve.”

“Wow,” said Amanda. “I had no idea you were such a purist.”

Andrew placed a hand lovingly on the handle of the barbecue lid. “This is real beef,” he said, from grass-fed purebred Hereford cattle. No steroids or hormones or antibiotics. This is how God made steers.”

“Except of course,” said Brady, “that God didn’t make steers. He only made cows and bulls, if my understanding is correct.”

“Whatever,” said Andrew. “If He had made steers, these are the ones He would have made. And I would consider it disrespectful at best, and sacrilegious at worst to profane such a steak by cooking the dang thing with a propane torch.”

“Amen,” said Amanda. “You’re like the Billy Graham of barbecuing steaks.”

“Billy Graham would be a lowly disciple,” said Brady.

“That’s high praise indeed,” said Andrew. He glanced at his stopwatch, opened the barbecue lid and quickly flipped two of the sizzling steaks inside before closing the lid again.

“Why only two?” asked Amanda. “Why didn’t you flip them all?”

Andrew looked at her querulously. “You like your steak rare?” he said.

“I’m a vegetarian,” said Amanda.

“So you are,” said Andrew. “And here I have been boring you with my steak barbecuing secrets. I apologize for my insensitivity. We are simple country folk so vegetarianism is a foreign concept to us, and not one we easily understand.”

Amanda laughed. “Get out,” she said. “I’m not a Buddhist. I just don’t eat meat. What’s to understand?”

“Darling,” said Brady, “never underestimate how simple my father actually is.”

“Yes, don’t,” said Andrew, opening the lid and flipping the other two steaks then tossing the mushrooms onto the grill as well. “Barbecuing is as complicated as I get.”

The back door of the house opened at that moment and Rose Jackson stepped into the backyard, carrying a bowl of tinfoil-wrapped potatoes in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. “Hi kids,” she said. “What’s up?”

“Hi Mom,” said Brady. “Dad has been sharing his steak-barbecuing secrets with us.”

Rose set the potatoes down and seated herself on the Adirondack chair close by. “Oh,” she said. “I can hardly contain my excitement.”

Brady laughed out loud. “Mom is not impressed,” he said to Amanda.

“Oh no,” said Rose, “I am totally impressed. I could never learn to barbecue a steak. Now chicken Kiev, that I can do, with rosemary roasted potatoes and fresh, steamed broccoli and cauliflower, covered with a smooth three-cheese sauce, and freshly baked bread on the side. But throwing a slab of meat on a grill and burning it to a crisp? Only a man can do that.”

“And I do it without complaining,” said Andrew.

“That’s true,” said Rose. “Although that has more to do with your instinct for self-preservation than your instinct for self-sacrifice.”

Andrew lifted the barbecue lid and removed two of the steaks, placing them on plates waiting on the table. “One more minute,” he said, “and it will all be ready.”

“To the table,” said Rose, “and get your plates ready. Grab a seat and a potato and a cob of corn.”

There was a flurry of activity as all four of them did as she suggested. Finally, Andrew retrieved the remaining items from the barbecue and put them on their respective plates. He lifted his bottle of beer.

“Bon appetit,” he said.

Brady raised his own bottle. “Salute,” he said.

Amanda raised her wine glass. “Nostrovia,” she said.

“Pass the butter,” said Rose.

There was a moment of silence as they passed the butter around and sprinkled salt on the steaming cobs of corn on their plates. Rose was the first to pick up her steak knife. She carefully sliced off a juicy morsel and lifted it to her mouth. She chewed for a long time and then swallowed.

“Andrew?” she said.

“Yes darling?”

“You must never leave me,” she said.

“It’s that good?” said Brady.

“That good,” said Rose.

“Here’s to true love,” said Andrew, “based on a solid foundation of well-cooked red meat.”

Rose lifted her glass. “I’ll drink to that,” she said. “To love,” she said, “as rare as a perfectly cooked steak.”

“Amen,” said Brady.

The post Love, and the secret to good barbeque appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

“These potlucks were really helpful for me personally,” she said, “because they helped me feel motivated during the coldest months of the year when it’s hard to think about what to do or what the coming year will bring.”

She suspected other producers might feel the same so the ‘freelance farmer,’ and founder of Small Farms Manitoba, started organizing.

“Obviously winter affects all farmers but the potlucks are a really good way for producers to connect and support each other in the off season.”

Spain said the potlucks this year would be mostly informal — largely free of organized speakers and panel discussions.

All the meals will be near Winnipeg, so as to encourage aspiring farmers to attend. Danielle Mondor, from Fort Whyte Farms, hosted the kickoff potluck on November 15.

“All the food was homegrown and reflected the work that we do,” said Mondor. She described the citrus lamb slow-cooked stew made by Sarah Ryves from Willow Farm Wollies, a heritage squash from the Canadian Mennonite University farm, the canned salsa, kale salad and homemade sauerkraut.

“It was all delicious,” she said. About 15 people attended the first meal — a mixture of second-generation farmers and new farmers. Bruce Berry, from Almost Urban Vegetables in St. Norbert, spoke about the working group created by the Manitoba government to clarify small-farm regulations.

“It’s something producers and farmers don’t have a lot of time for and really there’s not a lot of resources for us so it was great to hear that update and connect over that,” she said.

Ultimately the potlucks are about bringing people together over good food and conversation.

“Something like this that is so informal can strengthen our farming systems,” said Mondor.

The potlucks are just one of the ways Spain, through Small Farms Manitoba, gathers small-scale producers. She’s also organizing a conference January 10 at the Oak Bluff Recreation Centre that will feature speakers on a variety of topics including sausage making, on-farm grain milling, hosting interns and hiring farmhands, farrowing pigs and selling to wholesale markets.

Spain is also organizing a monthly small-farms tour, beginning in February and going into the spring. “The idea is to get people from the city out to the farm and learning about that particular farm.”

Producers, or aspiring producers, interested in attending the potlucks or the small-farm tours can email Kalynn Spain. The next communal meal happens December 13 and the location is to be announced. The potluck schedule and a list of other events, including updated information on the conference, can be found on the Small Farms Manitoba events page.

The post Breaking bread, sharing food appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Today, grills are prominent features on most patios and decks. If you haven’t shopped for grills recently, you might be amazed at all the types of grills and grilling accessories.

We didn’t have a charcoal grill until I was in high school, but we had an old campsite stove that my dad kept tuning up, so it lasted for decades. Although we were engaged in “outdoor frying” in heavy cast iron pans instead of grilling, that worked for us. We all enjoyed the aromas of burgers, steaks and other foods wafting around our yard. I think our neighbours did, too.

I especially liked the fried potatoes, which were crispy and well browned. For some reason, all the foods tasted better when they were cooked outdoors. We certainly didn’t require a lot of enticement to take our places at the picnic table. However, we did have to battle a bit with pesky flies and mosquitoes.

When the weather is warm, people enjoy bringing their meal preparation outdoors. Not only does it make memories, but it keeps the kitchen cool and provides a more economical dining experience than eating at a restaurant.

As with any food preparation, keeping your eye on safe food handling is important. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, foodborne illness cases peak during the summer months for a couple of reasons.

Although pests, such as flies and mosquitoes, can be visible invaders at our picnics, the bugs we can’t see are more problematic. Micro-organisms thrive during the warm, humid summer months. Unlike humans who suffer when the thermometer rises, bacteria and other germs thrive. In fact, the temperature range of 32.2 C to 43.3 C is where foodborne bacteria grow the fastest.

Some homes feature “outdoor kitchens,” but most people lack the safety controls that a kitchen offers when they move their food preparation outdoors. When at picnic sites, we usually lack running water, thermostat-controlled appliances and refrigeration. So, we need to take steps to make up for the shortcomings in our environment to keep our food safe at picnics and barbecues.

• Always wash your hands before you handle food or eat. If there is no running water at the picnic area, bring some hand sanitizer or wet wipes to clean hands. Or bring extra water for the purpose of washing hands and utensils.
• Use separate cutting boards when cutting up meat and cutting up vegetables for a salad (or thoroughly wash the cutting board with hot, soapy water between uses). Even better, sanitize the cutting board by immersing it in a solution of one tablespoon of unscented chlorine bleach in one gallon of water. Allow the board to soak a couple minutes, and then air-dry.
• Rinse the outside of whole fruit (including melons) with cold running water, using a produce brush if necessary. Consider doing this step at home, then cut up the fruit and place in a covered bowl in a cooler to stay cold.
• Use insulated coolers filled with ice or frozen gel packs to pack perishable foods such as salads and cut-up fruits and vegetables.
• Keep raw meat separate from ready-to-eat foods, including canned beverages. Use separate coolers to prevent meat juices from getting on salads and beverage containers.
• On hot days (32.2 C plus), keep perishable food outside of a cooler no more than one hour.
• Transport perishable foods in the passenger compartment of your vehicle (not a hot trunk).
• When cooking at the site, use a food thermometer to check doneness of meat. Cook steaks and pork chops to an internal temperature of at least 62.7 C (145 F). Cook chicken and other poultry to 73.8 C (165 F) and burgers to at least 71.1 C (160 F). Be sure to clean the thermometer thoroughly between types of meat.
• Cover food with plastic wrap or foil to protect it from insects (which carry bacteria on their bodies). Be sure not to spray pesticides near food.

The post Annual food safety reminder appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

One in six U.S. residents gets food poisoning every year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but it is unclear how many cases are caused by lukewarm sack lunches.

The study by Fawaz Almansour, a doctoral student at the University of Texas in Austin, was the first to check how the food that children take to school is doing in terms of health about 90 minutes before they eat it.

“It was a shock when we discovered that more than 90 per cent of the perishable items in these packed lunches were kept at unsafe temperatures,” Almansour said.

According to his study, published inPediatrics,some 705 lunches packed by parents for children in full-time day-care centres were checked for the temperature of perishable food items and the number of ice packs included.

Foods that should be kept cold, for example, should be thrown away if they are left at a temperature more than 4.7 C or 39.2 F for more than two hours because bacteria can produce toxins during that time that can cause food poisoning.

Some 39 per cent of the lunches had no ice packs, while 45 per cent had at least one. Some 12 per cent were kept in refrigerators.

Still, 88.2 per cent of lunches were at ambient temperatures.

“Even with multiple ice packs, the majority of lunch items were at unsafe temperatures,” Almansour and colleagues wrote.

Almansour said the study had been an “eye-opener.”

“It shows there is a problem,” he added, recommending that lunches be packed with lots of ice packs and refrigerated once the children arrive at school.

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Keep the potluck meal safe by following safe food-handling practices. Whenever possible, prepare your dish on the same day as the potluck event. Cook food thoroughly and use a food thermometer to check doneness. Never partially cook a dish and finish cooking it the following day. If you do prepare your food the day ahead, cool it quickly in shallow pans. Always reheat foods to at least 74C (165F).

Do not prepare food for a potluck if someone in your home has been experiencing diarrhea, vomiting or fever within the past week. You could pass their sickness on to others through your food!

If you plan to bring foods that need to be kept warm or cold, keep these foods at a safe temperature by using coolers or insulated containers.

If you cannot keep hot foods hot at 60C (140F) or higher, or cold foods cold at 4.4C (40F) or colder, for two hours or more, consider bringing foods that do not require temperature control such as cookies, cakes, breads, nuts, packaged snacks, beverages or non-food items.

When your food is served, keep an eye on the clock. If it will be on the serving table for a long time, use small bowls or trays. Replenish these from larger quantities kept in the refrigerator or oven.

If potluck attendees will be tempted to touch food at the serving line with their bare hands, provide long-handled serving utensils that will not be buried in the food. Increased food handling increases the chances of spreading foodborne illnesses.

If you plan to use a slow cooker to keep food warm at a potluck, boil the food on the stove or in the microwave when you arrive at the potluck site and then use the slow cooker to keep it piping hot.

If you are uncertain about the safety of food at potlucks you attend, make wise choices. Cooked foods that are moist and high in protein are riskier choices if the storage temperature is unknown. These risky foods include meat, poultry and hot dishes made with them, baked beans, and potato and pasta salads. Avoid eating lukewarm main dishes. Look for raw fruit and vegetable dishes, breads and non-perishable desserts such as cookies and cakes.

– Carol Ann Burtness is a food science educator with

University of Minnesota Extension.

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