Make The Most Of Food Safety Month
December is Food Safety month! This annual observation was created to remind everyone of the importance of food safety.
Food safety and food poisoning are not exactly anyone’s idea of a casual dinner topic but it is an important topic all the same. Basic knowledge of food safety from preparation to consumption should be well known by everyone. The importance escalates to a much higher degree for those in the foodservice industry.
Ways Your Restaurant Can Participate in Food Safety Month
In tune with this month’s Worldwide Food Safety month, it is important to emphasize its value for both your employees and your customers. Here are some things you can do:
Hold a Refresher Course on Food Safety.
There is no such thing as being too safe, especially where food and food preparation is concerned. And certainly, you can never educate your employees too much. This month could not be any more perfect and opportune a time to hold a refresher course for your employees on food safety.
Aside from the usual, one-sided teacher-student setup, it is also a good idea to hold a dialogue with your employees on this topic. Initiate activities where all employees can provide insight and input on how they can improve food safety protocols at work. You can explore different angles in food preparation safety.
Good examples of these angles include how to improve food safety under pandemic circumstances and how employees can better protect themselves, their co-workers, their customers, and communities. There’s also the issue of environmental awareness by exploring new ways to reconcile food safety with sustainability. These dialogues are not only a great way to reinforce their knowledge of food safety measures in foodservice. They can also encourage employees to adopt proactive associations with food safety, as opposed to just following the rules.
Extend Food Safety Advocacy Towards Diners.
Doing business in the food industry during the pandemic is both difficult and eye-opening. Everyone certainly had to adapt, and it has been quite the adjustment! The dining scene has shifted especially on the issue of where diners consume. This month presents an opportunity to highlight food safety on the consumers’ side, particularly concerning takeout food. You can advocate for educating your customers in the safe handling and consumption of their takeout food.
One perfect way to do this is to provide safe reheating instructions for their takeout food. Make it detailed by adding information on how long the food can be stored in the refrigerator. You can also go the extra lengths of providing hand sanitizers or sanitizer-soaked towelettes. These prove especially helpful for commuting diners who love consuming their food in the car. Food safety information is also a great source of content for your social media marketing efforts!
Reinforce Your Hand Hygiene and Sanitation Programs with Better Supplies.
Clean hands and clean spaces are two of your most important weapons against food poisoning. Food Safety month is a great time to reassess how well-equipped your business is in ensuring that the best hygienic standards are observed at all times. This includes making sure that you have ample supplies of hand hygiene products and that they are easily accessible in key areas (i.e. restrooms, hand washing stations, food preparation stations). This also includes having access to and adequate supplies of the right cleaning tools (i.e. clean mopheads, clean towels).
Coast Linen Has Your Restaurant Covered!
Celebrate good, clean food safely. Have a happy and productive Worldwide Food Safety Month! For high-quality restaurant linens, uniforms, floor care service, and more, contact Coast Linen today at (732) 775-2000.
