Planning the perfect bridal shower can be stressful. Endless days and nights searching for the perfect games, favors and food can cause some things to fall through the cracks. Safe food handling shouldn’t be one of those things. Good planning always helps ease the mind, so follow our food safety advice to compliment your bridal shower food station and mark this item as done on your to-do list.
Bridal Shower Food Stations
Bridal brunch
If you are having a bridal brunch, it’s likely that an egg casserole or a delicious quiche could make an appearance in your food station.
Make sure that all egg dishes reach to a safe minimum internal temperature of 160°F, measured by a food thermometer. When serving, remember that egg-based dishes should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. A good food safety tip is to keep the egg casserole dish or the quiche warm (at 140°F or above), serving on warm trays or chafing dishes.
Other popular food items at a bridal brunch are fresh cut fruits and veggie trays. Make sure to scrub and wash all produce under running water before cutting on a clean cutting board. Cut fruits and veggies should be kept cold at 40°F or below. You can achieve that by serving them in a container over a bed of ice.
Temperatures to keep in mind for other items on your menu
If your bridal shower plan is a more formal seated meal, don’t worry! These are the temperatures you should keep in mind for all the items on your menu:
- Appetizers like hummus or guacamole should be kept cold (at or below 40°F). You can serve them on a container over a bed of ice or in smaller portions, keeping the rest in the fridge.
- Hot appetizers like meatballs (beef, lamb or pork) must be cooked to at least 160°F, measured by a food thermometer, and then kept hot in slow cooker (at or above 140°F).
- Main courses like meat (145°F with a three-minute rest), poultry (165°F) or fish (145°F) should reach the safe internal temperatures, measured by a food thermometer.
Finishing Up Before the Games
Before moving on to the fun bridal shower games, make sure all the perishable food items are properly stored in the fridge within two hours of serving. If any were left at room temperature for more than two hours, they should be tossed.
Give your best wishes to the bride, but don’t forget to also congratulate and thank the host on a food safe (and fun) bridal shower!
For more wedding food safety tips, follow us in our Pinterest account, USDA Food Safety. Consumers with questions about food safety can call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or chat live with a food safety specialist in English or Spanish at AskKaren.gov, available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.