Food safety tips for your cookout

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Cookouts are a 4th of July tradition. But that fun outdoors could turn ugly with a food-borne illness.

The combination of warm temperatures, multiple foods making contact and even simple distractions could put you and your family at risk.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers these tips to prevent food contamination:

1. Thaw your meats, preferably in the fridge, before grilling so they cook evenly.
2. If you're transporting food to another location, keep it cold to minimize bacterial growth.
3. Only take out the meat and poultry once you're ready to place it on the grill and most importantly, be sanitary when cooking.

And when it comes to those tasty leftovers, remember to refrigerate them quickly and toss out anything that's been left out for more than 2 hours.