Cooking for Groups A Volunteer's Guide to Food

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When You Plan

Select a reliable person to be in charge. The person- in- charge should contact the local health department for information about the rules and regulations governing preparation and serving of food for groups. The person- in- charge should provide instructions to the volunteers, answer questions, and oversee the preparation, service, and cleanup of the event.

Make sure you have the right equipment, including cutting boards, utensils, food thermometers, cookware, shallow containers for storage, soap, and paper towels.

For outdoor events, make sure you have a source of clean water. If none is available at the site, bring water for cleaning of hands, utensils, and food thermometers. Develop a plan for transporting equipment for cleanup after the event.

Plan ahead to ensure that there will be adequate storage space in the refrigerator and freezer.

When You Shop

Do not purchase canned goods that are dented, cracked, or bulging. These are the warning signs that dangerous bacteria may be growing in the can.

Separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood from other foods in your grocery- shopping cart and in your refrigerator.

Buy cold foods last. Drive immediately home, or to the site from the grocery store. If the destination is farther away than 30 minutes, bring a cooler with ice or commercial freezing gels from home; place perishables in it.

When You Store Food

Make sure to set the refrigerator temperature to 40 °F and the freezer to 0 °F. Check these temperatures with an appliance thermometer.

Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared foods, and leftovers within 2 hours of shopping or preparing. Place raw meat, poultry, and seafood in containers in the refrigerator, to prevent their juices from dripping on other foods. Raw juices may contain harmful bacteria. Refer to the cold storage chart for recommended storage times in the refrigerator or freezer.

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Introduction -- Foodborne Illness: What You Need To Know -- What Is Foodborne Illness?
How Bacteria Get in Food -- In Case of Suspected Foodborne Illness -- Fight BAC! ™ -- When You Plan
When You Shop -- When You Store Food -- When You Prepare Food
When You Cook -- Internal Cooking Temperatures -- Danger Zone -- When You Chill Food
When You Transport Food -- When You Reheat Food -- When You Keep Food Hot
When You Keep Food Cold -- When You Serve Food -- Keep It Cold -- Keep It Hot -- When You Finish Up
Cold Storage Chart -- Foods Purchased Refrigerated -- Shelf- Stable Storage Chart -- Additional Resources

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