Eating out can be lots of fun-so make it an enjoyable experience by following some simple guidelines to avoid food-borne illness. Remember to observe your food when it is served, and don’t ever hesitate to ask questions before you order. Waiters and waitresses can be quite helpful if you ask how a food is prepared. Also, let them know you don’t want any food item containing raw meat, poultry, fish, sprouts, or eggs.

Basic Rules for Ordering:

• Ask whether the food contains uncooked ingredients such as eggs, sprouts, meat, poultry, or seafood. If so, choose something else.

• Ask how these foods have been cooked. If the server does not know the answer, ask to speak to the chef to be sure your food has been cooked to a safe minimum internal temperature.

• If you plan to get a “doggy bag” or save leftovers to eat at a later time, refrigerate perishable foods as soon as possible - and always within 2 hours after purchase or delivery. If the leftover food is in air temperature above 90 degree F, refrigerate it within 1 hour. If you are ever in doubt, make another selection.

For more information contact Lethia Lee, EFNEP Assistant with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service at 910-592-7161.