Essential Training

Under the Victorian Food Act (1984) any business that sells food is required to have food safety accreditation (See the Australia and New Zealand Food Standards: www.foodstandards.gov.au). Because no food is sold through the Community Kitchens and participants prepare the food for themselves and / or their families, Community Kitchens are not subject to Food Safety Accreditation Laws.

It is a requirement of all Kitchens that at least one person in each Kitchen has completed food handlers training. This does not need to be accredited training. View the Community Kitchens Food Safety Training module, or alternatively complete the Department of Health’s FREE online course. Consider playing the Community Kitchens Food Safety Module for all group leaders, volunteers and participants. The information is relevant to everyone in the Kitchen.

• Food Safety Training

 

Transporting meals home

Some groups may like to take left overs home for their families. If the meal is taken home it needs to be refrigerated or frozen as quickly as possible. If participants are travelling a long distance home from their Community Kitchen group they should bring an insulated bag or cold pack to transport their meal home.

Community Kitchens meals that have been stored in the fridge should be eaten within 2 days.

If the meal has been left out for…

• Less than 2 hours: it must be refrigerated/frozen (once the steam has subsided) or eaten immediately
• Between 2 and 4 hours: it must be eaten, not placed in the fridge or frozen
• Greater than 4 hours: it must be disposed of!