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A brief guide to setting up a school-based cooking club

Introduction ‘The children love to cook and the feedback has been so positive with parents saying they now cook our recipes at home, both with and without the children’s help. Children come in and brag about what they made for their family meal the night before! The club leaders get so much out of it too – as Julie loves to say, “It’s top banana!”

Bridget L – Club Coordinator

Running a cooking club brings huge rewards. Club members learn a life skill which will bring years of enjoying preparing and eating great food; they learn to eat more healthily and often more cheaply; the club brings people together and creates a sense of teamwork. Cooking gives purpose to many aspects of the curriculum such as reading and number work and is intrinsically linked to design and technology, geography and science. At an individual level, cooking with others develops responsibility, encourages social interaction and builds self esteem. After all, who doesn’t feel better when someone says, ‘This is delicious - did you really make it?’ That said, we all know that the greatest rewards usually come from the most work. Anyone considering setting up a cooking club needs to realise that it’s hard work. This brief guide is designed to help you plan and set up your club. Careful planning and organisation will make the club run more smoothly – especially if you delegate to other keen cooks and organisers! The following pages give an overview of things you need to consider before you start and provide some information about how you might run the club, who you might involve and how to manage them, as well as an introduction to health and safety issues. There are also links to other organisations which you will find helpful. Once your club is up and running, you may be able to apply to join the national network of school-based Let's Get Cooking clubs as an associate club. By doing this, you could receive funding, termly activity packs and support of the Let's Get Cooking staff. Visit http://www.letsgetcooking.org.uk/Howtheprogrammeworks/Associateclubs for more information.

Different ways to run your club Here are a few ideas about how your club might run:

1. Run an after-school club that allows parents and children to cook together. Bear in mind that this may mean childcare is needed for younger siblings.

2. Make the after-school club one that’s just for children; they can prepare food there, then take the recipes home with them. You could invite parents/carers to join them for special events, such as a picnic or tea party, where everyone can cook and eat together or take home food that they have prepared. The club could also serve food at school events such as parents’ meetings and sports’ days.

3. The club could become part of the school’s breakfast, after-school or holiday club. 4. The club can build on skills learnt in school time. Parents often help out with cooking activities during

school time, so ask them if they’d be willing to organise special events out of school hours at which they will teach the children to prepare food and follow recipes.

5. Secondary schools could link with local primary schools allowing them to use their cooking facilities.

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A step-by-step guide to setting up and running your Let's Get Cooking club

Step 1: Who, when and where? The club leader, head teacher and/or senior management team should make these decisions, and it may be appropriate to invite pupils and parents to join in the decision-making process.

Who? How many members can you have at each session? This will depend on how many adult helpers you have and the space available. Which young people/families will become members? How will you make sure that everyone has the opportunity to take part in the club? Will you offer places on a first-come-first-served basis and have a waiting list for places, or will you invite specific families that you feel will benefit most? How many sessions will each group of members attend? You could have a different group of club members each term so that everyone gets to join. Recruit more adults to spread the workload. There is a lot of work running a cooking club and it will be much easier if you can spread the load. (See page 5 which shows all the different jobs). Send out a letter requesting help. Remember to send it to people like governors and catering staff. You could also ask other local education centres such as secondary schools and colleges who may have students wanting work experience.

When? How many club sessions will you run each term? You could hold blocks of sessions, with club members learning four recipes over four weeks. Or you could run the club only during certain terms, or every fortnight. Decide what will work best for you and the school. Bear in mind that running a club is hard work and if you want to keep going it is sometimes best to run blocks of sessions (e.g. 4-6 weeks) and then have a break before running the next block. What is the best day of the week to hold sessions? What other clubs or activities happen after school? What time will the club meet? If possible allow a minimum of one hour 15 minutes for each session. Check what time children need to go home and allow time for children to arrive at the club venue, especially if the club is not held on school premises. Will you hold activities after school, at lunchtime, at breakfast clubs, or in the school holidays? When will you start and on what dates will sessions be held? Check the school calendar so you can fit in with other events and clubs: for example, the club could cook at a parent’s evening, sports event or an end-of-term production or party.

Where? Where will you hold club sessions? Do you need to talk to anyone about using their room, kitchen facilities or make any special arrangements? Can you link up with catering colleges, secondary schools, community centres or local restaurants to use their facilities for special events? Can you use a classroom or corner of the school hall?

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Step 2: Recruiting club members Once you have decided who, where and when, invite children, young people and families to join the club. Make sure you give people enough information to be able to decide if they want to attend. You will need to give some information about the club and get permission from parents and carers. Make an announcement in assembly, put the information on your school intranet or put up notices or posters – you could ask pupils to design posters. Cooking is always popular, so you might be inundated with people wanting to join. You need to decide how to select club members for each group. Possible criteria for selection are: a) Ask teachers who know the children and families to choose. b) Pick names out of a hat. c) First-come-first-served, choosing whoever returns consent forms first. (Make sure people know this when you hand out invitation letters.) d) One age group only. e) A cross section of different age groups. Confirming arrangements with club members Once people have returned their consent forms and you have a list of members, send letters to these people telling them about the arrangements. Ask about allergies and any special requirements. Keep copies of returned forms where they can be found by adult helpers in case you are absent. Remind them that they must respect the confidentiality of the information these provide and keep the forms safe. You will also need to tell those who haven’t been accepted if they are on a waiting list and when they might get the chance to attend.

Step 3: Planning the club sessions, activities and events Hold a planning session with your helpers and maybe your club members. You will need to discuss:

• Who is going to do which tasks each week? Allocate jobs and make a rota.

• What cooking skills do you think people should learn and what will you cook? Think about teaching skills which they can apply to lots of recipes such as chopping, peeling, rubbing in, measuring and weighing. You could use some of the recipes available on the Let’s Get Cooking website. Perhaps start with a tasting session or a non-cook recipe such as smoothies, before moving onto a more complicated dish. When running the first few sessions make sure that you cover basic skills such as how to peel and chop safely - see the Food a fact of life website http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/ for video clips showing the correct techniques for chopping and peeling fruit and vegetables.

• Are there any events that have already been planned at which you could do some cooking activities? Invite guest speakers to talk to the club, link up with local businesses, such as restaurants and food suppliers, or hold food tasting sessions at parents evenings, concerts etc

• Think about who will buy equipment and where you will store it.

• Check with the headteacher about arrangements for insuring everyone running and helping with the club, completing criminal records checks and arrangements in case first aid is needed.

• Make sure you cover important aspects of food safety and hygiene at the start of your club. It is recommended that at least one adult completes a Level 2 Award in Food Hygiene and Safety. See the section on pages 8-10 for more information.

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Step 4: Running the club sessions You may find it useful to meet with your club members to go through how the club will run and to set out some guidelines. At the planning session, ask club members what they would like to learn, what they would like to cook and ask for volunteers to take on roles such as publicising the club, taking the attendance register, or helping to organise special events. Involve club members as much as possible in running the club. They can help plan what to cook and also take on some responsibility for planning and organising events and activities, such as promoting a special event by designing posters, sending out invitations to guests and creating thank you cards and gifts afterwards. It is a good idea to discuss and agree club rules with everyone. Write them down, pin them up and, if necessary, remind members about them at the start of each session. At the end of the session you can ask members whether they thought the club rules work or need revising. Tell members if they need to bring things to sessions, such as aprons and plastic boxes (in which to carry food home). Start a collection of spare plastic boxes and spare cooking equipment. Talk to club members about why safety during the sessions is so important. Use the ‘Before You Start Cooking’ wall chart and the health and safety checklist for club leaders on page xxx. Complete risk assessments as appropriate; ask your Health and Safety Officer to advise you. When you are running your club you should know where the location of the first aid kit and know how to contact a first aider in an emergency, or ideally have a first aider in your club. Talk through any risks with club members at the start of each session and discuss how you can reduce these risks. These might relate to new pieces of equipment such as graters. Remember that peelers and graters are as sharp as knives and needed to be treated with the same care. Give each club member a job for which they are responsible each week or change jobs weekly. You could make a rota together and put it up on the wall. It is sometimes easier to allocate clearing up jobs at the start of a session, so that when you say that it’s ’clear-up time’, everyone knows what their job is!

Step 5: Cooking Remember to allow enough time to set up before club members arrive. Ideally an adult should arrive and set up half an hour before the club starts, even if they can’t stay to help at the session. They could lay out equipment, prepare ingredients, move tables or wipe down surfaces. Make sure you give clear instructions about exactly what should be done and how. Photocopy or print off plenty of copies of recipes for all members to take home along with their cooking so they can make the recipe at home. Allow plenty of time for clearing up at the end of the session and encourage everyone to help. If appropriate, your club could have a weekly competition for the best ‘tidy-upper’. At the end of the session gather together all the club members and talk about what you have being doing, either while food is cooking or when you are tasting it. You could discuss:

• The flavour, texture and look of what you have cooked.

• What cooking skills have people learned? Have these skills improved? Did they find something difficult? Would they like to practice something again?

• How could you adapt the recipe to create a different flavour, or improve it? How could you make it healthier?

• On what sort of occasions could you eat the dish? Is there a forthcoming event at which you could cook it? Who else do you know who would like it?

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Roles for adults Make sure that you recruit plenty of adult helpers. They could be:

• Parents/ carers and other family members (grandparents, older siblings, aunts and uncles, etc.)

• Governors

• Catering staff

• Volunteers from the community such as a local business or restaurant

• Sixth-formers

• Students from a local catering college

• Teaching assistants and teachers The headteacher should have overall responsibility for:

• ensuring the school’s heath and safety policy is followed

• ensuring that Criminal Records Bureau checks are completed for adult volunteers as required

• the club is covered by the school’s insurance policy

• supporting the club, celebrating and sharing its achievements The club leader/s:

• oversee the running of the club

• take responsibility for safety at club sessions and events

• recruit club members

• organise club sessions and events. (Some schools prefer to have several adults who share this role, or you can involve club members)

• understand and demonstrate good food hygiene and safety procedures

• show children and adults in the club how to use correct food preparation skills, and how to prepare food and follow recipes

• consider the social and cultural needs of club members when planning activities Other helpers may be recruited to do the following tasks, and they could do this either weekly, fortnightly, or on a rota:

• practical help

• shop for ingredients and equipment

• prepare the room before the club meets, collecting equipment, etc

• ensure the cooking area is left as found

• general help during club sessions: assist members to do more difficult tasks, clear up, etc

• help at one-off events, such as open days and coffee mornings, at which the club prepare and serve food

• give cooking demonstrations

• wash tea towels, cloths and aprons

• prepare shopping lists and doing the shopping

• walk children to where the club meets, if necessary

• photocopy and laminate recipes or place them in plastic wallets

• keep financial records for the club

• write letters to parents informing them of events or of any food needed for forthcoming cooking sessions

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Roles for club members Depending on their age and ability, club members can take on the following tasks: At club sessions:

• take a register at the start of each session

• fetch and set out equipment and ingredients

• ensure equipment is properly put away at the end of the session (such as counting items back into boxes or checking them off on a list)

• distribute letters, recipes etc

• write up evaluations and comments on the food they have cooked

• write reminder notes for other club members about bringing equipment, food, etc for forthcoming sessions

• put together a recipe scrapbook of everything you have cooked For events:

• design posters

• design recipe cards to give out at events

• write and design invitations for events

• with sufficient adult training and support they might telephone, email or write to local businesses and shops for support

• take part in discussions about what events their club might hold

• decide what to cook and serve at these events

• meet and greet parents and guests at events

• serve food

• demonstrate cooking skills

• clear and wash up at the end

• collect money at events and count it into bags afterwards

• write thank you letters after events

• write reports for school and local press

• older secondary school pupils may take on further responsibilities: they could set up a committee and decide what the club will cook, or they could plan, organise and promote a range of club activities and events.

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Working with volunteers We strongly recommend that the club leader recruits plenty of voluntary help. Here are a few pointers about how to ensure this is productive and positive for everyone involved. DO

Consider all possible sources of help: parents, carers, school catering staff, governors, teaching and admin staff, staff running extended services, school youth club leaders, and (if you are a primary school) people from local secondary schools, HE, FE and catering colleges.

Get lots of possible helpers: you may find that someone who starts says they want to help occasionally likes it so much that they attend regularly.

Make time to recruit help before the first club session. This will save you many hours later. Start the process of CRB checks early so that they are done by the time the club starts. Consult the

head teacher and follow the school’s policy on this. Give volunteers plenty of notice about when you need them. Be very clear to volunteers about exactly what you want them to do, on which dates, at what times

and where. You may find it useful to write down what is required and how you want it done. Ask volunteers to arrive before the session starts (specify a time) so you can explain what needs

doing before the members arrive. Give them options as to how often they can help. Many people will be put off volunteering if they are

expected to attend weekly; they will be more willing if they just do a six week block, once a fortnight or are on a rota.

Give volunteers a copy of the school’s Behaviour Code of Practice or policy and risk assessments. Make sure they understand your expectations in terms of how the club members should behave and what they are to do during the club session.

Make sure volunteers are aware of any club members with special needs, allergies or special medical requirements. Emphasise the need for confidentiality in such matters.

Make sure volunteers understand what is and isn’t appropriate behaviour and language around children. If the school has a helper’s handbook, give them a copy before they start.

Offer them plenty of options of how they can help. Recruit at least two volunteers to do any of the key tasks like shopping. Explain that if they are

unable to shop one week, they should take responsibility for finding someone else to do it (for example, they shouldn’t ring you at 10pm the night before saying they can’t do it!)

Give volunteers responsibility if you want it. For example, ask them if they’d like to sort out the rota for making smoothies on sports day, or labelling the equipment.

Ask for volunteers’ opinions, involve them in making decisions and ask them for feedback. It will make them feel valued and part of the club.

Thank volunteers often and ensure that their help is recognised at key events, in newsletters, etc. Ask the headteacher and governors to send a letter acknowledging their help at appropriate times (e.g. at the end of term or in a Christmas card).

Make sure the club members understand that the club can’t run without the helpers, so they need to be particularly pleasant and well mannered towards them. Remind children to thank helpers at the end of each session.

Get the children to design and write thank you cards for the helpers. They could make the volunteers a small gift at the end of term or the last club session.

DON’T

Try and run the club on your own. Try to recruit help in a short space of time. Only ask those who usually help. You might find different people want to help because cooking

appeals to them more than the other activities at the school. Expect people to know what to do or how to do it unless you explain! Leave CRB checks until the week before the club starts. Leave it until the last minute to tell volunteers when you need them.

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General food safety and hygiene information Food safety and hygiene is very important to ensure that food is stored, prepared and eaten in a clean, safe environment. We recommend that at least one person (and preferably two) have the Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene certificate. You can get details of local one-day courses from your local authority health and safety department or environmental health. It is also possible to do an online course which normally takes about 3 hours and you can do in your own time. Food safety and hygiene regulations In most places where food is served, food safety and hygiene regulations apply; these cover premises, equipment, storage of food and disposal of waste. The Environmental Health Department (EHD) at your local authority will be able to give you specific advice relevant to your club’s activities. You should also consult them before selling or serving food to the public. To locate your nearest EHD, please visit: http://www.food.gov.uk/enforcement/enforceessential/yourarea/

A few practical tips on food safety Planning Planning ahead will help to ensure safe and successful cooking for the club and its members. You should undertake a risk assessment before you start the club (and at regular intervals) to recognise any potential hazards and to identify the controls that can be put in place to ensure safety. This should involve reviewing which recipes are to be cooked, how the ingredients are to be purchased and stored, how the food will be prepared, cooked and cooled and how members will take their finished dishes home. Adults running the club should seek advice from the school’s Health and Safety Officer on how to complete risk assessments and other matters in this area. On page xxx you will find a Food Hygiene and Safety Checklist which we recommend using at the start of each cooking session. Food poisoning Food poisoning can be easily prevented by following ‘the four Cs’and by taking these simple measures:

• Wash your hands properly and keep them clean

• Cook food properly

• Chill food properly

• Avoid cross-contamination (prevent bacteria transferring to other foods) The kitchen area

• Wash all food utensils after use and place them in storage immediately. Always check they are clean before using them again

• Check that the refrigerator is operating at the recommended temperature (0–5°C)

• Keep the refrigerator clean – inside and out

• Check that all food being used is appropriately stored

• Empty all rubbish containers immediately when full and take the contents to the designated place for collection

• Keep all surfaces clear and clean

• Keep all cleaning fluids, including washing-up liquids, out of reach of young children at all times

• Wipe up any spilt food straight away

• Wash kitchen cloths, sponges and tea towels regularly

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Food preparation

• Avoid laying out perishable foods, such as uncooked meat and poultry or milk, at room temperature too far in advance of using them

• Keep all perishable foods at their recommended safe temperatures and store pre-packed food according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Put all perishable items in the fridge immediately after use

• Use products within their use-by dates

• Keep cold foods at 5°C or below and hot foods at 63°C or above

• When keeping cooked food, cool it as quickly as possible (ideally within one hour), then store it in the fridge

• When reheating cooked food, always heat it until it is piping hot all the way through. Cooked food should not be re-heated more than once

• While preparing food, keep raw ingredients, especially meats and poultry, completely separate from cooked and other ready-to-eat foods

• Clean up as you go – use clean cloths and wipe up spillages immediately. Pay particular attention to floors, in order to prevent slips and trips

• Have separate chopping boards for raw meat and ready-to-eat food

• Wash fruit and vegetables before you eat or cook them

• Cover foods whenever possible when they are not being used Personal hygiene

• Tie back long hair before you start cooking and avoid touching your face or hair while preparing food

• Avoid wearing jewellery when preparing food

• Wear an apron over your clothing

• Wash your hands before starting work and regularly while cooking, especially after handling raw foods, blowing your nose, touching the bin or using the toilet

• Do not cough or sneeze over food

• Avoid directly handling or touching foods – use clean tongs or utensils whenever possible

• Cover cuts and sores with a waterproof dressing

• Never handle food if you are suffering from a stomach upset or skin infection

• Encourage children, parents and carers, and anyone participating in the club to follow appropriate hygiene procedures

Sources of further food safety and hygiene information

Eat well, be well www.eatwell.gov.uk Eatwell is the Food Standards Agency’s consumer advice and information site. It is packed with reliable and practical advice about healthy eating, understanding food labels and how what we eat can affect our health. Food Standards Agency www.food.gov.uk This website describes the legal safety and hygiene requirements necessary for running a food business, and also contains information about domestic hygiene. Food – a fact of life www.foodafactoflife.org.uk Provides a progressive approach to teaching about healthy eating, cooking, food and farming from 3 to 16 years. This site provides a wealth of free resources to stimulate learning, ensuring that consistent and up-to-date messages are delivered Food in Schools www.foodinschools.org/ The Food in Schools site provides additional support, as well as links to sources of further information.

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Chartered Institute of Environmental Health www.cieh.org This independent professional body represents those who work in environmental health and also provides training in food hygiene. Highfield www.highfield.co.uk Highfield Ltd is the leading supplier of Health and Safety and Food Safety training materials and provides training in the United Kingdom. They offer a range of posters, books and training material suitable for schools. The Royal Society for Public Health http://www.rsph.org.uk/ An independent organisation that promotes public health and hygiene, they will provide training in food hygiene. Environmental Health To find out how to get in touch with your local Environmental Health department, visit http://www.food.gov.uk/enforcement/enforceessential/yourarea/ Office of Public Sector Information www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/ For more information about legislation relating to selling food.

Store cupboard ingredients It is always useful to keep some commonly used ingredients handy. Stock up on: Dried herbs Cooking oil (olive, vegetable, or sunflower oil) Flour (plain and self-raising) Dried spices Black pepper Stock cubes Sugar Tomato purée Vinegar (malt and white, red wine or balsamic vinegar) Mustard Butter Margarine Low-fat mayonnaise Worcestershire sauce

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Cooking equipment The following list is a recommendation for equipment needed to run a club. See what is available at your school and what you might need to buy. Do shop around before you purchase equipment. Use the internet to compare prices and look in discount stores and cook shops as well as supermarkets and hardware stores. The equipment listed as necessary for this kit:

– is based on the requirements for 16 people working in pairs – assumes that the club doesn’t have any other equipment – uses plastic items wherever possible – should be kept in a storage box with a lid and label – depends upon the cooking facilities you have available. Adjust accordingly (for instance, the number

of pans and pan stands you will need depends on your access to ovens and hobs.)

• 2 sets of measuring spoons

• 4 measuring jugs

• 4 spatulas or palette knives

• plastic trays (to put ingredients and/or food on)

• 8 wooden spoons or large heat-proof spoons for mixing and stirring

• weighing scales

• aprons

• 4 vegetable peelers

• washing-up bowl, brush and liquid

• 4 graters

• colander

• 4 sieves

• 8 chopping boards

• 2 flour sieves

• 8 large bowls

• garlic press

• 8 small bowls

• can opener

• cutlery (knifes, forks, spoons)

• 4 pastry brushes

• 4 pairs of scissors

• juice squeezers

• 8 plastic plates

• 4 baking trays

• kebab sticks

• 4 medium saucepans with lids

• bread knife

• 4 pan stands

• 8 sharp knives

• kettle

• plastic tablecloth(s)

• dishcloths, tea towels and kitchen towels

• cleaning products

• anti-bacterial spray/wipes

• rubbish bags

• dustpan and brush

• fridge

• freezer

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Food Hygiene and Safety checklist for club leaders We recommend that you use this checklist at the start of each club session as well as regularly updating your risk assessment; these will reduce the risk of accidental injury and help to keep everyone safe. If you identify other hazards specific to your cooking area, add them to this one. Some Education Authorities have their own food safety rules and guidelines, so it is wise to check that this checklist here complies with your own authority’s risk assessment procedure. Name of club leader/s :________________________________________ Date of session : _________________________________ What is the group cooking? : ______________________________________ Number of club members attending: ______________________ Written permission has been obtained from all parents of all participating children? YES/NO? If there is any doubt regarding the safety of an individual during a cooking activity the school reserves the right to decline his/her participation. Tick off each task when you have completed it Explain what you are about to cook and what equipment will be used. Ask club members what they think will be the dangers and what they can do to make the activity safe. By involving members you create an awareness of potential risks and give them ownership of safety. Personal Hygiene Club members should look at the Let’s Get Cooking poster ‘Before You Start Cooking’ at the beginning of each session and:

O Tie back long hair O Remove jewellery and nail varnish O Wear clean aprons that are only used for food preparation (PVC-coated aprons should be wiped

with hot soapy water before and after use) O Roll up sleeves O Wash hands with soap, handwash or a sterilising rub, and repeat if they blow their nose, cough or

sneeze into their hands, touch hair cuts or spots O Remove aprons before going to the toilet, wash hands in the toilet sink and re-wash in the classroom

sink before they return to cooking O Cover any cuts or sores with a blue plaster O Wear flat shoes to cover and protect feet O Store outdoor coats away from the food preparation area O Not attend the club if they feel sick or unwell

Ensure the cooking area is clean and safe

O Make sure that emergency evacuation procedures are in place and are understood by both club members and adult helpers

O Arrange the classroom furniture so that it is safe and practical O Consider the safe positioning of wheelchair users O Wipe work surfaces with an anti-bacterial spray before each session O Make sure that the floor is clear and dry (wipe up any spillages immediately) O Scrub all equipment, especially chopping boards, using detergent and hot water after each session

and put equipment away clean O Wash tea towels after each session

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Safe Food Storage

O Cooked and raw ingredients should be kept covered and separated during both storage and preparation

O Store raw meats below cooked meats in the fridge O Frozen foods should be stored in a freezer -18ºC or below, refrigerated food at 0–5ºC O Food prepared during the club session should be stored at the correct temperature until eaten or

taken home. (All recipes contain advice about reheating dishes, and times and temperatures for cooking or chilling).

Equipment

O Always demonstrate the safe use of all equipment for club members to copy O Cookers O Adults must always closely supervise children using the cooker O Oven shelves must be adjusted before putting items in a hot oven O Oven gloves must always be used to carry hot pans and tins O Pan handles should be kept turned inwards (not hanging over the hob sides)

Knives O Knives must be locked away when not in use O Knives and sharp equipment, such as skewers, should be counted out and in O Appropriate knives must be used according to the job, age and ability of the club members. The

Let’s Get Cooking Skills Chart available on the website will help you to judge this O Chopping boards must always be used with knives O The Bridge and Claw safe-cutting techniques must be taught and supervised O Knives must be washed up separately and not left in the washing-up bowl

Electrical items

O All electrical equipment that is fixed, transportable or portable should be inspected, tested and maintained at least once a year, in accordance with the Electricity at Work regulations, and should be certified for safe use by an authorised person

O The use of electrical equipment by club members must be closely supervised by adult helpers who fully understand how the appliances work

O Suspected malfunctioning equipment should not be used O Equipment must be switched off and unplugged before cleaning O Blades and beaters should be washed up immediately and stored in a safe place after use

Taste testing

O Taste testing should be supervised by adults and club members must always sit down to eat O Food for tasting should be warm, not hot O Club members must only taste or eat food when the adult in charge invites them to

Allergic reactions to food

O Parents should have provided information in writing of any known allergies or intolerances to food or cleaning materials, special dietary requirements, or religious or cultural beliefs that prevent their children from handling or tasting certain foods

O Pupils who may need medication during a club session should have been identified and an authorised school representative must be on hand to administer medication, if required. First aid provision should be available at all times while people are on school premises, in line with the school’s Health and Safety Policy

O Take care when using recipes including ingredients known to commonly cause allergic reactions, such as nuts

O Food donations, e.g. eggs, should only be accepted if you are confident that they are safe to eat

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Disposal of waste

O Waste bins must be lined and separate bins used for food and other waste O Any sharp-edged waste, such as open cans, should be wrapped and safely disposed of O All waste must be disposed of at the end of the club and bins washed and disinfected

DISCLAIMER You may find this information helpful in planning and running your cooking club. All reasonable effort has been made to ensure that the information is accurate and up to date, but no legal responsibility (save for personal injury or death caused by SFT’s negligence) can be accepted by SFT for errors or omissions in relation to running a cooking club. Please consult the Health and Safety Executive and the Environmental Health Department for more specific information. The information may be freely reproduced, but not for advertising, endorsing for commercial purposes. Please acknowledge the source as “Let’s Get Cooking”.

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