By Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist, Blogging at The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Millions of Americans are enjoying barbecues and picnics today, while others have loaded up the family and are traveling.

If you’re grilling food, use a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of hamburgers has reached 160°. To avoid foodborne illnesses, don’t leave food out in hot weather more than two hours. If it’s above 90°, the time limit is one hour. See “Food Safety Tips for Fourth of July Barbecues” for details.

If you’re looking for decorating tips, one idea is to pick red, white, or blue as a theme for your party. See “Top 10 Tips for Celebrating the Fourth of July” for suggestions.

If you’re setting off fireworks, never have any portion of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse and move back to a safe distance immediately after lighting. Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that haven’t fully functioned. See “How to Avoid Injury and Death When Using Fireworks” for more information.

Happy Fourth of July. I hope you have the best celebration ever.

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