Keep hot food hot
Hot food should be kept at or above 140°F. Hot food should be wrapped well and placed in an insulated container. If bringing hot take-out food such as fried chicken or barbecue to an outdoor party, eat it within two hours of purchase. In addition to bringing a grill and fuel for cooking to an outdoor location, remember to pack a food thermometer. Use this to check that your meat and poultry reach a safe internal temperature. When reheating food at the outing, be sure it reaches 165°F.
Keep cold food cold
Cold food should be held at or below 40°F. Foods like chicken salad and desserts that are in individual serving dishes can be placed directly on ice. You can also place it in a shallow container set in a deep pan filled with ice. Drain off water as ice melts and replace ice frequently.
This article appears on the FDA’s Consumer Updates page, which features the latest on all FDA-regulated products.