For some, the Memorial Day weekend will be the first time they pull out the grill for the barbecue season.
If that describes you or that grill is out but might need a little maintenance, Caitlin Mellendorf at the University of Illinois Extension in DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt Counties has a brief checklist for you this holiday weekend.
Food safety can be a huge deal for a Memorial Day weekend and gatherings involving food. Mellendorf encourages using plates to transport food and utensils for food handling.
Keeping surfaces clean is often an aspect of grilling for a family or a gathering that goes unnoticed but can be vitally important to a healthy party. Mellendorf encourages frequently wiping down those counters and scraping the grill grates between food preparations.
Another key to a healthy party involving food is getting those meats cooked to a proper internal temperature. Mellendorf says a food thermometer is the only foolproof way to know you've gotten your meat to the proper temperature that is safe to eat.
The USDA has a hotline for food safety information. It is 1-888-MPHOTLINE or 1-888-674-6854. Mellendorf has more information at the Extension website, extension.illinois.edu/dmp.
