The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has logged dozens and dozens of food poisoning outbreaks associated with picnics and cookouts each year. And those are only the ones that are reported to public health. Growing up, my entire family became ill with shigellosis following a get-together, but I can assure you that we never received a call from the health department!

For most people, food poisoning is an uncomfortable inconvenience at most. But for some, it can be life-threatening. For example, a percentage of people who are infected wtih E. coli 0157:H7 go on to develop hemolytic uremic syndrome, where the kidneys essentially shut down. Little kids are at higher risk than older kids and adults, especially if they have an underlying illness.

The number of serious outbreaks that take place each year is no surprise based on what I’ve seen at many cookouts. How often have you attended an event and wondered how long the potato salad has been sitting out? Have you witnessed all the guys gathered around the grill, wondering if it’s hot enough and if the burgers are cooked through? Am I the only one who has cringed when cooked meat is put on the same plate as cooked meat, or when the raw meat handler has no way to wash his hands?

Here are some practical tips to prevent illness at your next cookout:

1. Use a separate plate for raw and cooked meats. Keep baby wipes and hand sanitizer handy if there is no sink nearby (use both, in that order, and make sure to clean all surfaces of your hands well with a good amount of friction)

2. Bring pre-cooked meats in a cooler with a lot of ice (like hot dogs or pre-boiled bratwurst). If you want to cook burgers, consider purchasing local grass-fed beef, which tends to be microbiologically safer than what you can buy from large processers. You can also consider purchasing irradiated ground beef, or having your local butcher grind up a steak for you. As long as he properly sanitizes his equipment you are reducing your risk considerably. Better yet, bring veggie burgers or portabello mushrooms to grill! I recommend against bringing raw chicken because it’s just too hard to handle properly and keep the juices contained in most scenarios.

3. Use plenty of ice in your cooler, and bring two if necessary. I don’t know how many times I’ve witnessed an overfilled cooler with a few paltry ice packs thrown in. Spend $5 for a good-sized bag of ice, and use it liberally (layer of ice, a few items, layer of ice including between the items, etc).

4. Bring a thermometer or two. This will help you when you’re grilling (165F is the magic temperature for chicken, and 160F for beef) and also allow you to monitor the temperature of the food in your cooler. Don’t forget to clean your thermometer if you use it on semi-cooked meat and plan on using it again.

5. Bring masking tape and a marker, and mark down what time cold items should be tossed. This should be within 2 hours of putting it out at room temperature, as long as it has been maintained at proper temperatures in transit.