Volunteer host training

Training 3: understanding food safety (6 minute read)

Thank you for the time and effort that you put into providing food and drink for the older guests and volunteers in your group. Your contribution is invaluable, and we simply couldn’t deliver our tea party service without you. This module includes some general information to help you ensure that the food you serve is safe. Understanding food safety is a vital part of your voluntary role, particularly as older people are more vulnerable to food poisoning.

What kinds of foods do people eat at Re-engage tea parties?

Many of our volunteer hosts serve a traditional afternoon tea, with hot drinks, sandwiches, savoury snacks, and a variety of cakes and sweet treats. On occasion, our older guests are treated to a range of meals, from roast dinners to barbecues and picnics, although this is not the norm. If you’re ever unsure of what food to serve at a tea party, please feel free to ask your group coordinator for their suggestions.

The following guidance is taken from the government’s food safety website where you can read useful information about food preparation.

Storing food safely

To keep your food safe, please make sure you store any food with a 'use by' date, along with cooked dishes, salads and dairy products, in your fridge. It is also really important that you keep chilled food out of the fridge for the shortest time possible during preparation, and that you cool cooked food quickly at room temperature and then place in the fridge within one to two hours.

Frozen food should be defrosted in the fridge overnight or in a microwave on the ‘defrost’ setting shortly before cooking. Please avoid defrosting frozen food at room temperature as this can lead to the spread of harmful bacteria.

Click this link for more information on how to chill, freeze and defrost food safely.

Cleaning

You should wash your hands before you prepare, cook or eat food.

Take care to keep all utensils and dishes clean before preparing food. This is to avoid cross-contamination.  You should use different utensils, plates and chopping boards when preparing ready-to-eat foods and raw foods that require cooking. Remember to wash them thoroughly between tasks to avoid the spread of harmful bacteria. You should also wash or change dish cloths, tea towels, sponges and oven gloves regularly. It's important to let them dry before you use them again. This is because dirty, damp cloths allow bacteria to breed.

Click this link for more advice on how to clean effectively in the kitchen and prevent harmful bacteria from spreading onto food.

Cooking food safely

Cooking food at the right temperature and for the correct length of time will ensure that any harmful bacteria are killed. Always check the advice on food packaging and follow the cooking instructions provided.

Click this link for more guidance on how to cook your food to prevent food poisoning.

What to do if someone has an allergy or intolerance

Cooking for someone with food allergies and intolerances can be worrying if you’re not used to doing it. Your group coordinator will be able to let you know in advance if any of the older guests or volunteers in your group have special dietary requirements.

It’s important that you keep any allergens separate from other foods and that you double-check the ingredients lists on pre-packed foods for allergens. Avoid adding toppings or decorations to dishes which might otherwise appear safe.

Clean work surfaces and equipment thoroughly to remove traces of anything you might have cooked before, to avoid cross contamination.

If someone is allergic to something, and you have served them a food they can’t eat, simply taking it off their plate isn’t enough. Even a tiny trace can be enough to cause an allergic reaction.

Click this link for more information on planning an allergy friendly meal at home.