Food Service

Even when food is ready to serve, food service staff must continue their efforts to maintain food quality and avoid food contamination. 

1. Maintain foods at proper temperatures before and during service. Hot foods must be 139 °F or above and cold foods must be at 40 °F or below. Use food thermometers to determine temperatures. 

2. Use correct serving utensils to get the correct portion size. Be consistent in portion sizes. 

3. Serve meals as a unit with only one meal served per child. 

4. Keep an accurate count of the number of children and adults you serve. 

5. Encourage a pleasant eating environment that will support mealtime as a learning experience.