For anyone who is preparing to host a church potluck or picnic, food safety is always the paramount concern. While many people concern themselves with trying to figure out the best way to keep dishes warm, what they really need to worry about is how to keep the cold dishes cold. Beyond ensuring the proper food temperature, there are a few food safety tips that any organizer would do well to keep in mind.
Basic tips
Make sure that everyone handling food observes basic cleanliness protocols. Washing hands and wearing gloves and hairnets are great starts. Food handlers should also politely decline assistance from anyone who appears to be sick or who might be sneezing in the case of picnics. There is no need to unduly risk exposing people to germs.
High-risk foods
If possible, ask people to not bring dishes that contain mayonnaise or other items that can turn bad quickly if not consistently refrigerated at the proper temperature. What often happens at both potlucks and picnics is that people fail to coordinate properly. As a result, there are more dishes requiring refrigeration than there is available refrigerator space. Also be careful about dishes stored in coolers due to the difficulty in maintaining a sufficiently low temperature to keep the food from spoiling. Remember that the more you go into and out of a cooler, the harder it is to maintain a low temperature.
Food allergies
Ask everyone who brings a dish to the church potluck or picnic to attach a small index card or sticker to the dish they prepared listing the ingredients used. This is a food safety tip that is often overlooked. However, it's an absolute necessity, considering the wide variety of food allergies that people have. Pay particular attention to labeling anything containing peanuts or peanut byproducts, dairy, shellfish and soy -- and anything else that might pose a potential health risk to an unwitting diner.
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