Feeding a crowd safely
Hot, cold, the 4-hour rule, cooling, and what can be shared or donated.
About 3 minutes
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Hot food stays at 135°F or above. Cold food stays at 41°F or below. In between, germs grow fast. Check with a thermometer, not your hand.
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On the 4-hour time rule, food can sit out without temperature control for up to 4 hours. Mark the time it went out. At 4 hours it gets thrown out or composted, not put back and not donated.
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Cooling a big pot: get it from 135°F down to 70°F within 2 hours, then to 41°F within 4 more. Use shallow pans and an ice bath. Never leave a full pot to cool on the counter.
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What came back on plates never goes back to the kitchen and is never donated. Food that stayed in the kitchen, kept hot or cold, can be shared or donated. Call your pickup partner first, and label it with the day, the time, and the allergens.
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Leftovers: label them with the day they were cooked. That day is day 1. Use them by day 7 if they stay at 41°F or below, and reheat them to 165°F.
Quiz
Practice only. Nothing here is saved. Crews take the quiz on the kitchen phone.