Return leftover cold foods to ice chest as soon as possible. Any hot food or cold food that has been held at room temperature for more than 2 hours during service should be discarded. At 90 degrees F. or above, food should not sit out over an hour. Try grilling marinated eggplant or portobello mushrooms as a change from hamburgers. Spice up your grilled chicken, hamburger or fish with a fruit salsa or black bean and corn salsa.
Fresh salsas are quick to make and easy to transport.
Create a pasta or potato salad using herbs, spices and fresh vegetables. Fresh fruit, dried fruit and nuts make great snacks and don't need refrigeration. With a little creativity and planning and safe food handling practices you and your family can enjoy the lazy days of summer and not worry about foodborne illness. Rinse and pat dry. Combine remaining ingredients in a large non-reactive bowl and add the eggplant slices, tossing to coat well.