1. Holding and Serving Cooked Food

2. Lesson Objectives
After completion of this lesson, occasional quantity cooks will be able to:
Hold cooked foods safely
Serve cooked foods safely
Read and briefly discuss lesson objectives with participants.

3. There are many factors to keeping food safe during this time.
The space of time between when food is prepared and when it is consumed may allow for potential contamination.
There are many factors to keeping food safe during this time.
Give examples of how cross-contamination occurs.

4. Critical Thinking Question
Now that it’s prepared, what would you do to keep 50 pounds of ground meat safe until it is eaten?
Allow a few minutes for the group to discuss the question. Try to guide the discussion so that incorrect information is not reinforced. Ask them to identify possible critical control points.
Proceed to Slide 5 for discussion points.

5. Transporting Cooked Food
Plan carefully
Determine total vehicle space needed for transport
Identify/obtain appropriate storage containers for transport
Remember 2-hour rule
Review Handout 5-1a, Discussion Questions: Transportation of Cooked Food. Allow a few minutes for the group to discuss the handout questions. Answers to the discussion questions can be found in Handout 5-1b.

6. Equipment for Transporting Cold Foods
Insulated ice chests/jugs
Reusable ice packs
Leak-proof containers of ice
Dry ice

7. Equipment for Transporting Hot Foods
Insulated chests/jugs
Insulated wrapping/material
Reusable hot packs

8. If transport time is long:
Quickly cool food to below 40˚F
Transport cold
Reheat to 165˚F

9. Hold food below 40˚F or above 140˚F
Holding Cooked Foods
Hold food below 40˚F or above 140˚F
Select equipment that can maintain these temperatures
Holding equipment should only be used to maintain the temperature of a food, NOT to heat or cool a food
Review Handout 5-2a, Discussion Questions: Holding Cooked Food. Allow a few minutes for the group to discuss the handout questions. Answers to the discussion questions can be found in Handout 5-2b.

10. Equipment for Holding Hot Foods
Steam tables
Chafing dishes
Check the temperature of the food often

11. Do NOT leave food at room temperature for more than 2 hours; one hour if the temperature is above 90˚F

12. Choosing a Serving Style
Type of food event
Budget
Number of people to be served
Equipment available
Availability of volunteers
Preferences of decision makers
Review Handout 5-3, Services Styles: Pitfalls and Safe Practices. Allow a few minutes for the group to discuss the handout.

13. Handling Food While Serving
Proper hand-washing standards
Hair restraints
No smoking, eating or drinking
No jewelry
Do not touch dishes, glasses or utensils where the food or a person’s mouth will touch
Avoid serving food if you have open cuts or burns
Review Handout 5-4a, Discussion Questions: Food Handling/Server Hygiene. Allow a few minutes for the group to discuss the handout questions. Answers to the discussion questions can be found in Handout 5-4b.

14. When to Wash Hands Before handling food After handling food
After handling dirty dishes or surfaces
After eating, drinking or smoking
After touching animals
After coughing, sneezing, or touching face or hair
After using the restroom or changing a diaper
After taking out garbage

15. Some foodborne illness outbreaks are caused by failure of foodservice workers to follow good food-handling practices

16. Table Setting Procedure
Wash hands
Hold silverware by handles
Use scoop to serve ice
Avoid touching rim of glasses
Avoid touching dishes and utensils on food or mouth contact surfaces
Hold plates by bottom or at edges
Hold cups by handles or bottoms
Point participants to Mini-Poster 5-1, Safe Food Serving Practices and Mini-Poster 5-2, Table Setting Procedure. These are great resources to post in their quantity food preparation areas.

17. Revisit Critical Thinking Question
Now that it’s prepared, what would you do to keep 50 pounds of ground meat safe until it is eaten?
Allow a few minutes for the group to discuss the question. Try to guide the discussion so that incorrect information is not reinforced. Ask them to identify possible critical control points.
Proceed to Slide 5 for discussion points.

18. Discussion Points Hold food at 140˚F or higher until it is served.
If intended for later use, cool to below 40˚F within 4 hours. Reheat to at least 165˚F for 15 seconds within 2 hours.
Use appropriate food safe containers for storing and transporting food. Example —garbage bags are not approved for food storage.
When transporting, keep cold foods in a cooler with adequate ice or cold packs. Keep hot foods hot by wrapping well and placing in an insulated container.