Food Safety "Road Rules" For the Savvy Traveler

Summer Travel Trends

• Six out of 10 Americans plan to take one to two trips this spring and summer, and three out of 10 plan to take three to four
• Thirty-two percent of travelers are more likely to pack food or snacks from home for their trips than a year ago
• When traveling with children, 65 percent say they are more likely to bring food or snacks from home
• And, nearly all (97 percent) of those driving to their vacation destinations will pack a meal for the road

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

• Nine out of 10 Americans will travel by car this spring and summer and more than half will travel by plane
• No matter the mode of transportation, packing for a trip also means packing food from home for many travelers this season:
• By plane: 37 percent will bring food
• By train: 19 percent will bring food
• By bus: 22 percent will bring food
• If an airline does not offer food en route, 61 percent say they?ll carry it on themselves; and 20 percent will be bringing their in-flight meal from home

Backpack and Backseat Treats

• When packing their on-the-road picnic, travelers report most often including:
• Sandwiches (67 percent)
• Chips and dips (66 percent)
• Fresh fruit or vegetables (65 percent)
• Pre-packaged lunch with meat and cheese (28 percent)

Food Safety on the Road

• Remember to wash hands with soap and water during food preparation, especially between tasks
• If you can't get to a restroom to wash your hands with soap and water, pack moist towelettes or a hand sanitizer to clean up before digging in
• Don't let food sit out unrefrigerated for more than two hours; in hot weather (above 90°F), the time is reduced to one hour
• Pack food with a frozen ice pack or ice in an insulated lunch bag or cooler -- and remember to drop in a refrigerator thermometer to ensure the temperature is kept below 40°F
• In hot weather, transport food in a cooler (packed with ice or ice packs) in the back seat of an air-conditioned car instead of the trunk
• If you don't have access to a cooler, try packing frozen juice boxes or bottles of water for a hydrating refresher that will also help keep other foods around them cool
• If you plan to cook family favorites like hamburgers, hotdogs or chicken breasts at home to take with on your trip, remember to cook to proper temperatures: hamburgers (at least 160°F), hot dogs (reheated to 160°F), and chicken (165°F)
• Consider packing easy-to-transport, shelf-stable foods: single-serve boxes of cereal, trail mix, popcorn, single-serve applesauce, cans of tuna peanut butter sandwiches, fresh fruit, carrots or celery
• Don't forget that carry-out and fast-food are also susceptible to food poisoning

*Source: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Survey by Impulse Research, April 2003