Have fun with family and friends while staying safe with our guide to outdoor entertaining during the pandemic.
As we move towards further easing of lockdown, more and more of us are starting to venture out to see loves ones, while keeping the recommended distance.
Now that one household is allowed to meet with another (providing there are no more than eight people present from the two households) friends and family can get together outside and see one another for the first time in months.
While lots of people are meeting up for a walk and a chat in public parks, many are inviting one another over as we try to navigate the new rules of entertaining.
To do just that, Public Health Scotland and Food Standards Scotland have shared some useful tips on how to keep our distance and ensure everything runs smoothly.
They advise that as well as keeping your two-metre distance at all times, be sure to take your own cutlery, condiments and plates so there is minimal crossover.
They also suggest creating a one-way system around your garden so that, to get their food, guests will be able to walk in the same direction to avoid getting too close. You can easily turn it into a game for children, too.
While a few usually like to man and socialise around the barbecue, this should only be done by one person, and that same person should be the only person touching the tongs to ensure minimal contamination.
You should also have hand sanitiser and soap available for visitors to use.
The message from the Scottish Government is to stay home as much as possible. If you are heading out to visit friends and family, be sure to stay within five miles of your address, and walk, cycle or travel by car there instead if possible. Avoid using public transport as much as possible. The Government is strongly advising the public stays within this five mile radius for now.
Also, keep in mind you are not allowed to go inside other household’s homes, so if you need the toilet or it starts to rain, you must go home to use your own facilities. It is also important to consider who you are going to visit. Be mindful of those who work frontline and are more exposed to the virus.
When it comes to cooking food correctly, Food Standards Scotland has some sound advice for those manning the barbecue to keep their guests safe.
Top tips on how to keep food safe:
- Prepare salads before you touch raw foods.
- Keep raw foods and ready-to-eat food in separate, sealed containers.
- Don’t lift raw meat from the barbecue with the same tongs you use to lift the cooked meat – be sure you have enough equipment before you start.
Tip: It is best to oven cook chicken first, and then finish it on the barbecue. - Keep everything moving around the barbecue so it cooks evenly.
- When using a disposable barbecue, be sure to check the food is thoroughly cooked. The meat often sits close to the flames and can look cooked, but may not be inside.
- When cooking on the barbecue, wait until the flames die down and the charcoal coals glow red with a powdery grey surface – this way they will be piping hot and will cook the meat better, rather than just char it.
- Don’t spread bugs when using a marinade. Marinades should never be used on cooked meat after it has been used with raw, and while you have food marinating keep it in the fridge covered or in a sealed container.
- Keep hot food hot and cold food cold until you are ready to eat.
- Make sure chicken, pork, burgers, sausages and kebabs are steaming hot all the way through. There should be no pink meat, and juices should run clear.
