Food scares like the recall of potentially tainted eggs are important to pay attention to. But food-safety experts warn that it’s not tainted meat or contaminated spinach and sprouts that ruin most cookouts. "It's the everyday things that people do at home that they’re getting sick from," says CiCi Williamson, food-safety expert at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service. "Not washing hands remains a primary cause of foodborne illness," she says.

So while we all demand a safer food system, we also need to follow these five easy tips to control common sources of contamination at backyard barbecues. (Tip 0: Wash your hands first!)

1. Use clean plates. Putting cooked meat back on the same plate used to hold the raw meat is one of the most common, and worst, things people do at barbecues, says Williamson. When raw and cooked meet touch, or their juices mix, bacteria can make a move from raw to cooked. Use separate plates for cooked and raw meat, and save your guests the stomachache later on.

2. Soak safely. Marinated meat certainly tastes better, but don't leave it out on the counter while it's marinating; put it back in the fridge. If you’re tempted to reuse the marinade, either by freezing it to use on another steak, or as a sauce to serve alongside the meat, rethink that idea, says Williamson. Bacteria can linger in frozen marinades, she says. "If you want to use any to brush on the meat or as a sauce, boil it first," she suggests.