When the weather's warm, nothing beats eating outside, preferably on a blanket under a shady tree. My husband's new job is right near Centennial Park, a vast, verdant park that was built for the 1996 Olympic Games and which reminds me a little of the beautiful city parks in my old home, New York City.

With a roster of noontime concerts in the bandstand, and an awesome playground that my daughter loves, we've gotten into the habit of meeting him every couple of weeks for a casual picnic.

The trouble is, my culinary school training can't help but make me cringe at the thought of sandwiches festering for hours in my backpack, growing bacteria like ants on a picnic blanket. Knowing our lunch is smack-dab in the danger zone makes a picnic just a little less fun.

But there are precautions that can be taken to so food that's transported for a picnic is safe to eat. Here are some of my favorite tips to make sure that our weekday adventure doesn't come back to haunt us:

• Use plenty of ice packs to keep food cold. Ideally, food should be kept cooler than 40˚F, and if it is warmer than that, it should be eaten within two hours. Ice packs are most effective if they're placed on top of the food, since cold air sinks. Opt for a biodegradable, nontoxic ice pack that you can reuse.
• If you're driving to the picnic site, keep your cooler of food in the air-conditioned car, not in the hot trunk.
• Don't be tempted to put perishable leftovers back in the fridge to eat later. Since it's been subject to temperature changes, it's better just to throw it away.
• Avoid foods with ingredients that are prone to bacteria growth, such as mayonnaise, eggs and poultry. Or, if you can't resist the deviled eggs and tuna salad, take extra care that these types of dishes are kept cold.
• Believe it or not, watermelons can carry foodborne illnesses, since they're not acidic. Be sure to wash the rind before cutting them, and refrigerate cut melon.
• Be sure to pack antibactieral wipes or hand gel, to use both before and after you eat.

As for what's safe, healthy and easy to pack for my lunches in the park, here are some of my favorite choices:

• Wrap sandwiches made with roast beef, baby spinach, and hummus
• Cucumber salad made with thinly sliced cucumbers tossed with rice wine vinegar, scallions and sesame seeds
• Sandwiches on hero rolls made from tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil leaves drizzled with balsamic vinegar
• Good old-fashioned PB&J... but made with almond butter and cherry compote on whole grain bread

Happy picnicking! 

Photo courtesy Uberculture.