Have you ever gotten sick after a backyard cookout?

The culprit may have been potato salad that was sitting outside too long or undercooked meat.

Why is food safety important?

It can be hard to judge when meat is fully cooked, and it’s easy to forget to put away side dishes when you’re having fun. But that could mean food poisoning for your family and friends.

Bacteria grows on undercooked food, cold food that gets too warm and warm food that cools down, Marshfield Clinic Health System dietitian Stacy Getten said.

Cookout food safety tips

Next time you have a cookout, bring a meat thermometer and glance at your watch or phone so you know when it’s time to put away food.

Check out these other food safety tips from Getten to prevent food poisoning at your next cookout.