From pancake breakfasts to school lunches to dinners for the homeless, ministries have ample opportunities to serve meals. Whatever the occasion, safe food preparation and serving techniques can help keep everyone healthy. This checklist covers the following questions:
Do you train workers and volunteers to wash their hands thoroughly before and after handling food?
Are countertops, cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and other surfaces regularly cleaned and sanitized?
Is raw meat prepared in an area that is separate from areas used to prepare raw vegetables or other types of food?
Is food served on plates and with utensils that have been properly cleaned and sanitized?
Do you check to make sure that meats have been cooked to their safe minimum internal temperatures?
Is excess food kept hot in the oven at 200-250° F or refrigerated until serving time?
Do you reheat hot foods to at least 165° F before serving?
Do you arrange and serve food on small serving dishes and replace depleted platters with fresh, full ones as needed?
Do you keep track of how long foods sit on serving tables?
Do you replace all food that has been on a serving table for two hours or longer?
Do you use chafing dishes, slow cookers, and warming trays to keep hot foods hot while held on a serving table?
Are hot foods held at 140° F or warmer?
Are cold foods held at 40° F or colder?
