I love Super Football Big Bowl parties! The holidays are well over and it seems like you’ve been stuck in the house for the month of January, freezing. It’s a time to get together with friends and family, enjoy great food, and watch the Big Game while showing your team spirit (If you’re lucky enough to have your team in the game). Is your Super Football Big Bowl party food safe? Do you properly prepare, serve, and store your food?

Sometimes it’s not the hot wings that sends you running to the bathroom. When foods are left out for a long time, you could be inviting in bacteria that cause food borne illness. Here’s a few tips to keep your guests watching the game and out of the john.

• Wash your hands – When preparing foods make sure to wash your hands! If you’re handling raw meats, again wash your hands before touching the next piece of food. We don’t want chicken juice on our cut veges!
• Buffalo Wings and Tenders are a big hit and must have at Super Bowl parties – Be sure to cook your wings/tenders to an internal temperature of 165 °F.
• Keep the hot food Hot- Serve a portion of the food and keep the rest in the oven on warm (200-250 °F). When you need to replenish the platters, the food will be nice and hot or use chaffing dishes, warmers or crock pots.
• Keep the cold food Cold – Serve a portion of the food and keep the rest in the frig. You can also us a larger bowl with ice under a smaller bowl to keep the food cold (this is great for dips)
• Use the 2-Hour Rule – Foods should not be kept at room temp for more than 2 hours. If food is out for 2 hours it should be discarded.
• Visit FoodSafety.gov for more tips

You can also check out Martie Duncan’s winning plan to keep your food safe during the big game.