Safeguard Your Holiday Buffet: Food Safety Tips for A Successful Event

The holidays are quickly approaching and plans for events and parties are on the rise. Buffets are often the popular choice for serving large gatherings and it is important to maintain food safety not only during the preparation and cooking but also during service.

7 Smart Tips To Keep Your Buffet Safe

1. Time & Temperature Matter: Check the temperatures of your hot foods every 2 hours to ensure food is still at safe temperatures. Perishable food that has been at room temperature for more than two hours should be thrown away.

2. Attend The Buffet: Have at least one staff member per shift supervising the buffet, and train them on how to respond to possible contamination.

3. Install Sneeze Guards: Sneeze guards shield customers and staff from airborne pathogens that can contaminate food.

4. Freshly Filled: When any of the buffet serving pans get low, don’t add fresh food to the old pan, instead replace it with a freshly-filled pan.

5. Serve Clean Plates: Offer guests clean plates for each visit to the buffet. Keep a large stack of plates ready for use.

6. Dedicated Utensils For Each Dish: Prevent cross-contamination by placing clean serving spoons, forks, or tongs at each serving dish. Place a spoon holder or small plate at each serving dish to discourage guests from leaving utensils in the food.

7. Shallow Pans Are Safer: Use 2” to 4” deep pans for heating and chilling foods. A shallow pan is easier to heat and cool thoroughly.

Be Aware Of The Danger Zone

The danger zone applies to temperature-sensitive foods that are held between 40°F and 140°F, when bacteria grows most aggressively, making food unsafe to eat.

• Train staff on foods that need to be monitored regularly.
• Use a thermometer to check the food’s internal temperature.
• Hot foods should be held at a minimum temperature of 140°F. Chafers, food warmers, and slow cookers keep hot food at optimum serving temperatures without drying the food out.
• Cold perishable foods should be held at 40°F or cooler. Ice pans insulated containers, or bowls of ice are often used on the buffet to keep salads and other cold food at safe temperatures.

ServSafe Manager, Guidelines for Holding Food