Summer parties mean lots of cooking, so cook safely

Summers mean celebrations, get-togethers with families and friends, barbecues and lots and lots of cooking.

And nobody wants a bellyache, or worse, a foodborne illness, because bacteria like salmonella, listeria or E. coli crashed their party.

So, here are five helpful tips from the San Diego County's Department of Environmental Health to help residents keep their celebration delicious and safe: plan ahead, clean, separate and chill.

Plan ahead

Before the cooking starts, decide how much food can safely be served. For example, figure out how much cooking and refrigerated space there is. Don't l...