Submitted Photo When preparing food for a large group of people outside, be sure to consider food safety. (Pixabay photo)

The month of May is marked with celebrations for many families. This year has its usual events for my family with two birthdays and a wedding anniversary. Mother’s Day is in the mix, so I hope they remember.

We also have two college graduations, two performance shows, multiple band concerts, a bridal shower, a groom’s dinner and a wedding.

I will be making a lot of cupcakes in May. My small handmade cakes will number in the hundreds, all with a swirl of frosting.

I bought myself a small scoop and a large pastry bag for the frosting. I think I should do some wrist exercises.

When planning parties for groups, be sure to add nutrition and food safety into the mix. I could provide a long list of tips, but instead, we will make this a bit interactive with some questions to consider. The answers and some resource suggestions follow.

Let’s imagine we are planning a family reunion for June. You and your family will be the cooks, bakers and servers.

You have found a salad recipe for 50 people that uses the terms “as purchased” and “edible portion.” What do those terms mean?

The family reunion meal will include pasta salad with many types of vegetables. At what temperature should you maintain these salads, and how can you keep cold foods cold?

Several people in your family have allergies to various foods. What are at least two best food safety practices when preparing food for people with allergies?

You are preparing a fruit and vegetable charcuterie board with crackers, cheese and dips. The dips include mayonnaise and cream cheese. What can you substitute to reduce the calorie content?

You decide to grill meat for the celebration. What are three food safety tips to follow when cooking outdoors?

If the day is unseasonably warm, how much time can food be on the outdoor buffet table without additional precautions to keep it cold?

Here are some thoughts about the preceding questions.

“As purchased” refers to food as you buy it from the store, with the peelings and any other compostable waste. Edible portion refers to the food that is ready to use in recipes. If your recipe calls for 3 cups of chopped onion, that means the edible portion without the outer peeling.

Salads of all types must be treated as perishable and need to be kept cold at 40 degrees Fahrenheit. You can nest smaller bowls of salad in larger bowls of ice. Replace the ice as needed. Put out smaller amounts of salad at a time and keep the rest in the refrigerator. See NDSU Extension’s “Cooking for Groups: A Volunteer’s Guide to Food Safety” publication for more details.

Find out ahead of time about any allergies. Exercise caution in the kitchen and on the serving line to avoid cross-contamination of allergenic foods. Label all foods with allergen content and consider keeping the foods on a separate serving table to avoid cross-contaminating with serving utensils. See NDSU Extension’s “All About Food Allergens”

You can decrease calorie content while improving nutritional value (protein, calcium) by substituting Greek yogurt for mayonnaise. Low-fat sour cream or cream cheese can be substitutes. See NDSU Extension’s “Now You’re Cookin’: Recipe Makeovers!” and “Pinchin’ Pennie$ in the Kitchen: 7 Steps to Creating a Charcuterie Board” for more information.

Thaw meat safely in the refrigerator or microwave, followed by immediate cooking. Avoid cross-contamination in the kitchen and refrigerator by keeping raw meat and ready-to-eat foods separate. Place raw meat below ready-to-eat foods in the refrigerator. Use a calibrated meat thermometer to judge doneness. Bring a clean plate to retrieve food from the grill, not the plate that held the raw meat. See NDSU Extension’s “Keep Food Safe During Grilling Season.”

On hot days, remember that perishable foods such as salads and high-protein foods such as meat can be safely stored without temperature control for one hour. Keep hot foods hot or cold foods cold using slow cookers or ice baths. Learn more about safe temperatures from NDSU Extension’s “Keep Hot Foods Hot and Cold Foods Cold: A Foodservice Guide to Thermometers and Safe Temperatures.”

Fresh Italian Pasta Salad

4 ounces whole-wheat penne pasta or your favorite pasta (about 1½ cups before cooking)

6 ounces frozen peas

1 cup bell peppers (red or yellow), chopped

1 (2.25-ounce) can black olives

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup cucumbers, chopped

½ tablespoon dried basil

Dressing:

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon salt

Dash of ground black pepper

Cook pasta as directed, then drain and rinse with cold water. Prepare vegetables as described and combine all ingredients, then sprinkle with basil. In a separate bowl, combine dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over pasta, toss gently then refrigerate until ready to serve.