Now Here’s a Tip – January 7, 2025

#MiddleburyCT

• Many people have written in the tip to use two similarly sized bowls, one larger than the other, to serve cold salads at picnics. You add a few cups of crushed ice to the larger bowl, then nestle the smaller bowl into it, making it “chilled.” In any case, remember: Don’t leave food out longer than two hours.
• If you are doing food platters for your barbecue, consider making several smaller platters instead of one large dish. The large ones are harder to store when you prep beforehand, but a better reason is that the items will not go stale/too warm/too cold quite as fast, and it’s easy to switch out plates throughout the party.
• “Using plastic cups for a crowd? Remember to put out a permanent marker, colorful rubber bands or some other way to mark one’s glass. It’s sometimes hard to keep track when they all look the same.” – C.L. in Pennsylvania
• “Purchase a small cooler to use for large quantities of sides. I have a cooler advertised as fitting a six-pack of drinks. It’s perfect for holding macaroni salad at our summer beach gatherings with family. I do not use it for anything else, and it retains its cold temperature despite the heat (when everyone remembers to keep the lid closed, of course).” – R.R. in South Carolina
• “For serving utensils used during picnic lunch, I have two large zip-top plastic bags. I label them ‘clean’ and ‘dirty.’ Anything used to touch raw meat goes in the ‘dirty’ bag. And serving spoons that can be used again to serve are in the ‘clean’ bag.” — M.A. in Arizona

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