So far the summer of 2012 has been a record-breaker, with several days of intense, high heat all across Virginia. Despite the heat, backyard barbecues and summer parties are still in full swing. When the weather is this hot, it’s important to take a few extra steps to make sure your perishable foods stay safe. Here’s how:

Grocery shopping: Buy your cold foods last, right before you’re ready to check out. Drive straight home from the store and put food away as quickly as possible. Perishable foods like meat and poultry should always be refrigerated within 2 hours—or within 1 hour if it’s hotter than 90 degrees. Consider using a cooler or insulated bags to transport your food home.

Grilling: Keep all meat, fish, and poultry in the refrigerator or cooler until you’re ready to put it on the grill, and take out only what you plan to cook immediately. If you’re using a cooler, keep it out of direct sunlight, and don’t open the lid too often. Try using a separate cooler for things you want to have access to more often, like cold drinks.

Transporting food: If you’re going to a potluck or picnic, pack your food into a cooler straight from the refrigerator. And don’t dawdle! Once the cooler is packed, it’s time to go. Use enough ice or ice packs to keep the food at 40 degrees or cooler.

Leftovers: In hot weather over 90 degrees, never keep food out for more than 1 hour. If you do, throw it out. Otherwise, the rule of thumb is to toss anything left out more than 2 hours. Even if it doesn’t look or smell bad, harmful bacteria can make you sick.