Never fear, because proper food handling and storage can prevent a food borne illness from happening to you. Be sure to pack food right from the refrigerator into the cooler immediately before leaving home. Keep the cooler in the air-conditioned passenger compartment of your car and at the picnic site either in the shade or shelter. Use an insulated cooler with sufficient ice or ice packs to keep the food at 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid opening the cooler's lid, which lets cold air out and warm air in.
Pack beverages in one cooler and perishables in another cooler.
Before grilling, so meat and poultry cook more evenly, be sure it is completely thawed. Thoroughly cook raw meat, poultry and fish. Hamburgers should be cooked until there is no pink in the center and the juices run clear. Poultry should show no red in the joints and fish should be flaky. Cooking meat thoroughly will kill any food poisoning bacteria present.