Central Kitchen

Head Start Food Services

Family Activity Event Menus 

The Head Start Central Kitchen provide nutritious snacks at family events. Here is the monthly menu.

OTHER MEALS

1. If you want something different than the above you may choose two components (fruit or veggies , protein, milk, grain) and serve as snack.
    
2. If you have your parent meeting on Friday when there are no classes you can serve a complete breakfast or complete lunch. You would have to prepare it yourself or come into the main kitchen and help prepare it there.

SUPPERS

1. Due to budget cuts supper are not provided this year (2011).
    

Sanitation Guide: How to Prevent Food-borne diseases

Personal Cleanliness

1. Wash your hands before handling any food, utensils, equipment, dishes or silverware.
2. Have all children wash their hands before eating. Use hand washing sinks for hand washing only.
3. Use hair restraints and clean outer clothes when preparing or serving food. Remove aprons when leaving food preparation area or going to the rest room.
4. Use disposable tissue for coughs, sneezes or blowing noses and then wash your hands.

Food Preparation

1. All raw fruits and vegetables must be washed before being served.
2. Wash your hands before preparing food and then handle food with fingers as little as possible. Use clean tongs or scoops.
3. Wiping cloths shall be cleaned and rinsed in a sanitizing solution. (Sanaquat)
4. Test all hot foods when they arrive in your kitchen. They should be at least 140 degrees F upon arrival.
5. Cold foods should 45 degrees F or less.
6. Dispose of prepared foods daily and never mix old foods with new (milk, dip, etc.)

Dish washing

1. All dishwasher should be working properly. Cold temperature dishwashers should have bleach rinse checked daily. Hot temperature dishwasher should have the rinse cycle reach 180 degrees F. Check daily. Call Food Service Department at 747-2425 x239 or 245 if you have any questions.
2. Wash and soak cutting boards in bleach solution after each use.

Food Storage

1. Frozen foods must be kept frozen until used or thawed in a refrigerator and used immediately after thawing. Perishable foods shall be stored in a refrigerator at 40 degrees F or below.
2. Empty tin cans or plastic containers shall not be used to store food. All food shall be covered when stored. Food and drink in storage will be kept at a minimum of 6 inches above the floor. No cleaners or other non-food items may be stored with food products.

Classroom Food Service Tips and Information

Sanitation Procedure

1. Sanitation checklists posted in the classroom should be used to ensure that laundering, cleaning, sanitizing and disinfection is occurring according to the schedule.
2. All cleaning materials must be stored out of reach of children.
3. All bottles must be labeled with the manufacturer's label.
4. Dilution of Saniquat 512 and Hepastat 256 will occur only at the dilution station in the central office.
5. No concentrates of any cleaning agents will be stored in classroom areas. Staff members are not authorized to use the dilution station until they have been trained to do so.

Food Contact Surfaces

1. The food-safe sanitizer (Saniquat) should be utilized in kitchen areas, on lunch tables and on any mouthed toys. For full sanitizing effect, the area should be cleaned first (soap and water or spray and wipe) and then spray again (spray and leave to air dry) and allowed to air dry for ten minutes.
2. Use disposable wipes and discard daily.
3. Do not use sponges in food service!
4. Cutting boards must be soaked and washed in dishwasher after each use.
5. Dishwasher/sanitizer should be checked (hot water rinse should be 180 degrees).
6. Chlorine test strip for low-temp dishwasher/sanitizer should be checked daily. The PH level should be 50-100 ppm.

Cleaning and Serving

1. All dishes and utensils need to be scraped and rinsed before going into the dishwasher/sanitizer.
2. Pans and plastic containers that are returned to the Main Kitchen must be cleaned!
3. All dishes are to be air dried. Do not wipe!
4. When food arrives, check temperature using your pocket food thermometer. Hot foods must be kept at a minimum of 140 degrees F, cold foods must be kept below 45 degrees F.
5. Hot food that has cooled below 140 degrees F must be reheated to 165 degrees F, then maintained at 140 degrees F.
6. Go over portion sizes when preparing meals (e.g., cutting rolls, bread, apples, etc.)
7. Hot food is served in plastic bowls only, cold food may be served in steel bowls.
8. Cover food in bowls to set on table before serving. Use plastic wrap for cold, aluminum foil for hot.
9. Dispose of all hot entrees and any food from the serving table after each meal.
10. Leftover breads, fruit, and vegetables may be sent home.
11. Do not pour new milk into pitchers containing any milk. Instead, empty and clean pitcher and then refill. In any event, wash pitchers daily.
12. Refrigerators must be cleaned daily.
13. Wear plastic aprons for food prep and service once, dispose each day.