• Serve desserts, pasta salads and diced fruit in individual plastic cups with shrink wrap over them. Serve beverages in canning jars all pre-made with lids on them.
• Have a tote with a lid handy to collect plastic wear in when your event is over fill with water and a little soap swish everything around and then dump out water and take dishes home to wash and reuse.
• Wet dish/bath towels can be placed in plastic bags and frozen to make easy cold packs.
• Don’t forget to grab a power strip to plug slow cookers into.
• Set up a hand washing station near the food that includes soap, water (repurpose empty laundry detergent bottles or an old water cooler) and paper towels.
• Use painters’ tape to identify foods that are allergy friendly. You can color code for foods that are gluten free, peanut free, diary free or soy free. Have people with allergies go through the line first to avoid cross contamination.
• Foods on a stick are easy to serve and easy to clean up. Consider grilling kebabs or even hot dogs on sticks.
• Cook your own food options work well for those trying to avoid allergens and germs. Consider having a nice hot grill available and encourage people to grill their own food.
• Divide chips up in individual sandwich bags for easy grab and go convenience.
• As soon as meat is removed from the grill place in a heated slow-cooker/roaster with a little water in the bottom to keep meat hot until it’s time to eat. 

For safety tips for outdoor cooking check out FDA Handling Food Safely While  Eating Outdoors

Enjoy outdoor entertaining? Consider creating your own custom cookbook with favorite recipes! Learn more at Cookbook Specialists