Entertaining is tough on any occasion – especially with a bigger group. You have people with different tastes in music, food and general group related activities.
The nice thing about having a party on Super Bowl day is that:
ONE, there are a buzzillion fun, warm recipes floating around the Internet to flavor the buffet table (like the chili I will be cooking in my new Food Ninja);
TWO, you can be somewhat casual in the food you serve;
THREE, you can be totally casual in the outfit you wear; and
FOUR, the main activity is obvious – turn on the TV and watch the game.
…. BUT, as casual as you want to be, there are still food precautions you should take as hostess to prevent one of the most common foodborne illnesses (norovirus) or any other illness from entering your food and spreading from guest to guest.
Both the infographic to the left created by the USDA & the Ad Council and the video shown below basically cover the four main points of food safety: Clean, Separate, Cook, Chill.
When you prepare food, like I will be doing this coming Sunday, wash your hands and surfaces regularly. Use separate plates for raw and cooked food when grilling or separate cutting boards for raw versus cooked items. Cook food to the right temperature and make sure to refrigerate — putting things away after two hours, like at halftime, or waiting to pull some dishes out until halftime to last to the end.
Martie Duncan of MartiesKnowsParties shares a wonderful video below highlighting food safety tips outlined by the USDA and the Ad Council:
For more food safety tips,
- Ask Karen – the USDA database of common food safety questions (available 24/7)
- Chat online with one a food safety expert (available weekdays between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) or by phone (1-888-674-6854).
- Email your question to mphotline.fsis@usda.gov
Enjoy the game!
