• Always check for allergies (use this handy form). If someone in the group has an allergy, avoid preparing food with the allergen. Make sure students with allergies have their EpiPen on them at all times.

  • Always wash hands before and after handling food (Instructional poster from: https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/cdc/docs/ipc/hand.pdf:

  • Rinse hands with warm running water, add soap to palms and rub hands together to create a lather

  • Thoroughly cover all the surfaces of your hands and fingers (including nails) for 25 to 20 seconds

  • Rinse under warm running water

  • Dry hands thoroughly with paper towel, a towel or a hand dryer

• Always sanitize surfaces before and after food preparation. Use a kitchen sanitizer as directed, or a bleach solution in a spray bottle (5 mL bleach to 750 mL water). Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/general-food-safety-tips/food-safety-you.html

• Wash all dirty dishes in hot, soapy water. Rinse with hot water and let air dry.

• Wash all fresh fruits and vegetables under cool water before preparing them.

• It is important to keep cold food refrigerated at 4C or lower.

• When working with younger children, cut large fruits and vegetables into smaller pieces so they are easier to handle. For example, quarter an apple.

• Dull knives are more dangerous than sharp knives, ensure you are working with sharp knives. For smaller children, use butter knives to cut soft fruit and vegetables.Be sure the food has a flat edge on the cutting board and use the bear claw grip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVJUD8SSQRA

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