We all look forward to our summer holiday weekends with great excitement. Whether you are traveling or simply picnicking at a local park, Harris Teeter wants you to be safe and healthy. By planning ahead and focusing on a few common safety concerns, you can relax and enjoy your weekend with family and friends.



Food Safety

There’s nothing that can spoil a picnic like food that hasn’t been properly prepared and stored. It’s important to keep picnic foods cold from the time they leave the refrigerator until they are consumed. Visit your local Harris Teeter and invest in a good cooler and ice packs. We even have our new Harris Teeter thermal totes available; these are excellent to take along to the beach, sporting events, boating or on car trips. Avoiding foods made with mayonnaise, dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese) and eggs is also a good practice when packing food. Remember, hot foods should stay hot and cold foods should stay cold. The temperatures in between (called the danger zone) are when bacteria on food can quickly multiply and cause sickness.



Skin Safety

Whether you’re at the beach or just taking a walk in the neighborhood, it’s important to protect your skin and eyes from the harmful rays of the sun. Avoid sun exposure during the hours of 10 am and 2 pm, when the sun’s rays are the strongest. Apply sunscreen with a SPF of at least 30 and wear sunglasses that protect against UVA and UVB rays. Harris Teeter can help keep you stay sun safe with our selection of sunscreens, blocks and sunglasses for the whole family. You may also want to have bug spray, band-aids and antibacterial ointment on hand to prevent and treat stings and scrapes.


Water Safety

Many of us spend time around water on our holiday weekends. Be sure to use life vests when needed and always have enough on hand when venturing out in a boat. And remember to never drink alcoholic beverages when boating or swimming.


Travel Safety

Be safe, put your phones and other handheld devices away before you hit the road. Avoid the temptation to chat or text while you’re driving. Buckle those seatbelts, sit back and enjoy the ride!