Dashboard Dining-Take the Food Safety Route When Hitting the Road

CHICAGO, Nov. 12 -- With thousands of Americans hitting the road this holiday season for celebrations with family and friends, the car is bound to become a popular site for snacking, or ``dashboard dining.'' With this in mind, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and ConAgra Foods encourage Americans to follow a few simple tips to ensure travel plans aren't ruined by a bad case of food poisoning.

``The key to safe 'dashboard dining' is bringing foods that are easy to carry, store and eat,'' said Carolyn O'Neil, registered dietitian and home food safety expert. ``Take the time to think ahead and bring a supply of shelf- stable foods that are also nutritious. This way, holiday car travelers can safely enjoy favorite foods in the car.''

Dashboard Dining Tips: Ideas for quick, shelf-stable and easy foods to take on the road include:

-- Breads/Grains: single-serving boxes of cereal, trail mix, energy bars, granola bars, cereal bars, bagels, muffins, crackers, popcorn and chips -- Fruits and Vegetables: carrot and celery sticks and other cut-up raw vegetables, grapes, single-serve applesauce, whole fruit (apples, peaches, bananas), dried fruit mix and juice boxes -- Dairy and Alternatives: single-serve milk or soy beverage boxes and pudding cups -- Meat and Other Protein Sources: cans of tuna, peanut butter (for sandwiches or with celery and apples), nuts and single-serve packages of peanut butter and crackers or cheese and crackers -- Water: bottles of water

Tips for Perishable Foods: -- If transporting perishable foods (i.e., cheese sticks, yogurt and yogurt drinks), pack them in plenty of ice in a well-insulated cooler or with cooling packs in a well-insulated lunch bag. As an extra safety precaution, keep a refrigerator thermometer inside the cooler at all times. Make sure the cooler is set below 40 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure safe food storage. Note: In regions with cold weather, transport the cooler in the trunk, which is the coolest part of the car in the wintertime. In warmer weather, transport the cooler in an air-conditioned car instead of in a hot trunk. -- When preparing perishable items to transport, do not partially cook foods. Partial cooking of foods ahead of time allows bacteria to survive and multiply to the point that subsequent cooking may not destroy harmful bacteria. Cook meat/poultry completely and place in a cooler that is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure to reheat foods to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. -- Remember to watch the clock when eating food in a hot car. Perishable foods should not stay unrefrigerated for more than two hours, and when the temperature is 90 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer, that time is reduced to one hour.

Tips for Keeping Hands and Eating Surfaces Clean: -- Always wash hands thoroughly, especially after activities such as filling the car with gas, stopping at a rest area or changing a child's diaper. Stop at a restaurant, gas station or rest area to wash hands, using warm, soapy water (washing for at least 20 seconds), or bring a pack of moist towelettes or spray bottle of soap and water solution with paper towels in the car. Be sure everyone washes hands before handling or eating foods in the car. -- Keep a stash of eating utensils in the car (i.e., plastic utensils, straws, napkins, garbage bags and paper towels).

Take Control of Food Safety Home Food Safety ... It's in Your Hands(R), a national education initiative, empowers consumers to take control of home food safety by following four simple tips: 1) Wash hands often; 2) Keep raw meats and ready-to-eat foods separate; 3) Cook to proper temperatures; 4) Refrigerate promptly below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

For more information about holiday food safety, visit www.homefoodsafety.org , or call ADA's Consumer Nutrition Information Line at 800/366-1655. To receive a free Home Food Safety ... It's in Your Hands® brochure (in English or Spanish), send a self-addressed, stamped envelope (business size) to the American Dietetic Association, NCND-Home Food Safety Brochure, 216 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60606.

The 70,000-member American Dietetic Association is the largest organization of food and nutrition professionals in the nation. With headquarters in Chicago, ADA serves the public by promoting optimal nutrition, health and well-being.

ConAgra Foods, Inc. is one of the world's largest and most successful food companies. ConAgra Foods is North America's largest foodservice manufacturer and second-largest retail food supplier. This program is funded by the ConAgra Foods Foundation, the philanthropic arm of ConAgra Foods, which works to improve the quality of life in communities across the U.S.