ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - Tailgating and college football also means comfort foods and extending that grilling season into the Fall.

Virginia Tech Food Safety Expert Melissa Wright joined Here @ Home to talk about the dos and don’ts of food preparation and storage when you’re tailgating.

She said some of the biggest mistakes people make are temperature control. She stressed the importance of keeping cold foods cold and hot foods hot. Bacteria can grow and make you sick, so it’s important to bring a food thermometer when cooking meats.

She also recommends hand washing and sanitizing surfaces foods may touch.

To listen to the whole conversation, you can watch the video above. Tune into Here @ Home, Monday-Friday at 3 p.m. on WDBJ7.