Food Safety for Lunchtime Supervisors

Lunchtime supervisors aren't cooks, but you're the adult watching what children eat, and the law expects anyone handling food to know enough to keep it safe.

Here's what that means day to day. You'll learn the four ways food gets contaminated and how to tell a best before date from a use-by date. You'll also see why high-risk foods such as cooked rice and dairy shouldn't sit between 5°C and 63°C for long. There's a close look at the 14 allergens that must be shown on labels, the places they hide, and why children shouldn't share food from their lunchboxes.

The habits you'll take away, from a food hygiene trainer with 28 years' experience, are simple ones: washing your hands at the right moments, sanitising tables before and after lunch, and knowing when food has to be thrown away.