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SUMMERTIME FOOD SAFETY

As the summer months approach, picnics and cookouts become our kitchens. But make sure the same food safety practices you use in the kitchen come with you to those outdoor gatherings with family and friends! Statistics show that food borne illnesses can rise during the warm months because bacteria grow faster at summertime temperatures. People with diabetes should use the same caution when handling and cooking foods as those without diabetes.

Some simple steps can help make those delicious and nutritious foods safer all summer long!

• CLEAN: Wash hands and surfaces often. If there is no soap and water, use moist towelettes and paper towels. Be sure you have plenty of clean utensils and plates so you don’t have to use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meat and poultry.

• SEPARATE: Don’t cross contaminate! Separate raw and cooked/ready to eat foods, like fruits and vegetables. Wrap raw meat securely when packing to keep the raw juices from leaking onto other foods. Wash plates, utensils, and cutting boards which may have touched raw foods before using again for cooked foods.

• COOK: Food safety experts agree food is properly cooked when heated long enough and at a high enough temperature to kill bacteria which cause food borne illnesses. Take your thermometer along. Food thermometers are quick, easy to use and widely available. Place the thermometer in the thickest part of the food you are testing. Meat and poultry cooked on a grill browns very fast on the outside, so use that thermometer to be sure meats are cooked thoroughly on the inside.
*Cook ground meats to an internal temperature of 160°- 165° degrees.
*Cook steaks, roasts, and chops to 145° degrees for medium rare, 160° degrees for medium, or 170° degrees for well done.
*Cook all fresh pork to an internal temperature of 160° degrees.
*Cook poultry to an internal temperature of 170°-180° degrees.
*Never partially cook meats ahead of time as bacteria can survive and multiply to the point where cooking does not destroy it.

• CHILL: It is most important to keep hot food hot and cold food cold on the way to,
and during the meal. Store food within 2 hours of taking it off the grill or cooking it. To
be safe, put leftovers back on ice or refrigerate once you have finished eating.

Remember- if you have any doubts, please throw it out!

Make it an enjoyable summer with safe and healthy foods!

And don’t forget those healthy eating practices you use all year long for good diabetes management. Summer foods are delicious, but too many- too often can change your blood sugar levels. Meal timing, portion control and daily physical activity can keep you healthy all year long!

How to “Lighten Up” Those Summer Treats

Ah... summertime and those delicious summer foods that can tempt anyone to eat more than they planned. Who can resist that potato salad, cole slaw, hot dogs, desserts, and your favorite ice cream?? Your goals for summer eating, weight and blood sugar control and resistance can wobble this time of the year. What harm can a little summer indulgence do?

Summer means family gatherings, picnics, vacation, traditional recipes, grilling outside, irregular meals, and in-between snacking. For some people with diabetes, the challenge of how to eat those favorite dishes which do not fit into their lower-fat diet and structured meal plan, can often change their commitment to healthy eating practices.

With moderation enjoying summer foods can be part of your healthy eating goals. But be careful because some of those foods you may think are harmless can add a bigger fat and calorie load than you might have thought. A bowl of cole slaw-macaroni salad- that potato salad- all heavy with mayo- can be so loaded with calories and fat it cancels out the benefit of eating the vegetable itself!

So make those salads yourself and alter the recipe with reduced fat mayonnaise. A typical serving of regular potato salad can have over 350 calories and more than 20 grams of fat. Substitute low fat mayo and voila! Both fat and calories are cut in half! And guess what? It still tastes delicious! Same with cole slaw- cabbage may be a true low calorie vegetable until the mayonnaise hits it, and again the fat and calories double.

If desserts are your weakness, try some fresh fruit alternatives. There are great recipes using fruit that can be a delicious part of that summer meal. If hot dogs are your weakness, try a lower fat content dog (6 grams or less of fat). Grill it up and there you have it! Add a little mustard, catsup, chopped onion and the picnic is a success.

And finally what about the ice cream? We are a nation of ice cream lovers, with each of us on an average eating about 23#’s a year. But be careful when choosing your favorite frozen splurge- read the labels carefully because if a low fat claim refers to the dairy part of the ice cream only, the nuts and oils may make up the difference. Some general guidelines to follow: Light ice cream must contain 50% less fat or 33% less calories. Low–fat ice cream is required by law to contain 3 grams or less total fat in a ½ cup serving and Non-fat ice cream contains less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving. When all else fails, even with all the lighter products available, but your craving is winning, the only sure way to indulge without overdoing it is portion control.

Peach and Blueberry Crisp

3 cups fresh or thawed frozen sliced peeled peaches, undrained
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen blueberries, undrained
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons uncooked old-fashioned oats
2 tablespoons crisp rice cereal
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon reduced-fat margarine, melted
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 3750F.
Combine peaches and blueberries in ungreased 8-inch round baking pan.
Combine granulated sugar and nutmeg in a small bowl.
Sprinkle over fruit. Toss gently to combine.
Combine oats, rice cereal, flour, brown sugar, margarine and cinnamon in small bowl.
Sprinkle over fruit.
Bake, uncovered, 35 to 40 minutes or until peaches are tender and topping is
golden brown.