--- title: Memorial Day Grill and Cookout: How to Cook Safely description: Here's how to have a safe Memorial day picnic, grill and cookout. canonical: https://time.com/4346703/cookout-food-safety-meat-temperature/ author: Alexandra Sifferlin article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-05-25T16:17:54.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:59:57.883Z article:section: Health og:title: Memorial Day Grill and Cookout: How to Cook Safely og:description: Here's how to have a safe Memorial day picnic, grill and cookout. og:url: https://time.com/4346703/cookout-food-safety-meat-temperature/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Memorial Day Grill and Cookout: How to Cook Safely twitter:description: Here's how to have a safe Memorial day picnic, grill and cookout. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # 4 Hidden Dangers In Your Summer Cookout > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=1e82fba1-7a5a-43a7-8b45-da6600a0ae71&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | Subscribers | Open rate | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | 540,000 | 45.6% | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | 430,000 | 50.7% | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Daily | 240,000 | 54.1% | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Tuesday and Saturday (2x per week) | 40,000 | 31.7% | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Monday to Saturday (3x per week) | 85,000 | 37.0% | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | 40,000 | 34.2% | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | 25,000 | 28.6% | Source: TIME, August 2026. Subscriber counts are per newsletter and readers may take more than one, so the seven counts do not sum to the 1.1 million+ unique newsletter audience. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Highest open rate | 54.1%, Health Matters | TIME, August 2026 | | Largest list | 540,000, The Brief | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=1e82fba1-7a5a-43a7-8b45-da6600a0ae71&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=1e82fba1-7a5a-43a7-8b45-da6600a0ae71&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (daily health), Worth Your Time (culture, twice weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin May 25, 2016 4:17 PM UTC by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin May 25, 2016 4:17 PM UTC With Memorial Day around the corner, there’s no doubt many Americans will be heating up the grill and hosting a cookout or two over the weekend. While the BBQ picnic has become an American mainstay for the holiday weekend, there are [several things that can go wrong](http://time.com/4344811/listeria-outbreak-foodborne-illness/), including [contaminated food that can make us sick](http://time.com/4344671/listeria-monocytogenes-outbreak-recall-symptoms/). Each year, around one in six Americans gets ill from eating food that’s been tainted with bacteria. That’s why it’s so important to follow good cooking hygiene and safe practices. Here are a few tips for keeping your cookout safe this weekend—and all summer. ### Produce  Danny Kim for TIME —Before you buy produce, or any food for that matter, it’s a good idea to check if its been recalled. You can check that, [here](http://www.foodsafety.gov/recalls/recent/listeria.html). —Always wash your fruits and vegetables before eating and cooking. (This, according to experts, includes fruit that you peel, like oranges or bananas; compliance seems unlikely on this one.) —The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends using a brush to scrub harder produce, like melons or cucumbers. —Be sure to keep fruit and vegetables separate from raw meat to avoid cross contamination. —When you store your produce before the cookout, make sure your refrigerator temperature is 40°F or lower, and the freezer at 0°F or lower. This will help avoid spoilage. ### Meat  Danny Kim for TIME —When you’re buying meat and poultry at the grocery store, the CDC recommends putting those items in your shopping cart right before you check out. This way you can make sure the meat is kept cool for as long as possible. —Consider carrying meat home in different bags from your other grocery items or asking the cashier to put it in a small plastic bag. —Wash your hands immediately after handling and cooking raw meat, and clean off any work surfaces. —You don’t want the juices from raw meat to mix in with other food, so make sure you keep your cooking station separate, and discard any packaging that has come in contact with the raw meat. —Consider using a meat thermometer to make sure your food is well cooked. Sometimes meat will looked cooked on the outside but not on the inside. Here’s how hot your meat should be cooked: * 145° F for whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and veal * 145° F for fish * 160° F for hamburgers and other ground beef * 165° F for all poultry and pre-cooked meats, like hot dogs ### Grill  Getty Images —Keep your grill clean, and make sure bristles from wire scrubbing brushes don’t get stuck on the grill and then lodged into foods like meat. —If you cooked some food ahead of time, reheat the meat to 165° F. —Be aware that grilling meat at high temperatures can create carcinogenic chemicals. Eating grilled meat in moderation is advised. Keep in mind that the World Health Organization (WHO) also [recently announced](http://time.com/4086858/who-meat-cancer/) that processed meats in general are carcinogens and that red meat is likely a carcinogen as well. ### Leftovers  Hot dog, french fries and ketchup bottle on a table, view from above. Getty Images —Foods that are precooked or ready-to-eat should be consumed as soon as possible, the CDC says. —Deli meat shouldn’t sit longer than five days in the fridge. —Opened packages of hot dogs shouldn’t be kept for longer than one week. —In general, it’s good practice to eat leftovers within four days, the CDC advises. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4346703/cookout-food-safety-meat-temperature/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4346703/cookout-food-safety-meat-temperature/"},"headline":"4 Hidden Dangers In Your Summer Cookout","datePublished":"2016-05-25T16:17:54.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:59:57.883Z","description":"And “fire” isn’t one of them.","url":"https://time.com/4346703/cookout-food-safety-meat-temperature/","keywords":["Diet & Nutrition","meat","Memorial Day","BBQ","Produce"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Alexandra Sifferlin","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/dietnutrition/","name":"Diet & Nutrition"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4346703/cookout-food-safety-meat-temperature/","name":"4 Hidden Dangers In Your Summer Cookout"}}]}] ```