Skip to main content

Food Safety for Schools

School camps and extra curricular activities run by schools often mean food may be provided and taken off site.

Food safety is just as important in these settings as those at the school. 

Food that is served day-to-day in the canteen is kept under suitable food storage conditions with the assistance of fridges, freezers and hot units. However, when you are off site, you will need to review how that food is going to be kept when these facilities are not available, or distances are being travelled, and if your Food Act Registration covers you for preparing and providing food offsite.

Schools may provide food for the first day of camp or longer, with the extracurricular activities and sporting events food may be provided.

School communities should ask these questions before the activities begin:

  • Does my food act registration permit me to prepare, store and serve food away from the school campus?
  • Are the staff or community members assisting with the camp/food preparation suitably trained?
  • Where is the food being prepared?
  • Does the facility have what I need to prepare food, or do I need to take equipment, storage facilities, thermometers and sanitiser with me?
  • If there is no facility onsite, how are we preparing/storing the food/washing hands and equipment?
  • Refer to our guidelines for temporary food premises this will cover requirements for preparing and serving food off site
  • How am I going to transport the food to the venue – will it fit in Eskies or for larger events/distance to venue do I need to hire a coldroom?
  • How far do I have to travel with the food to get to the venue?
  • What am I going to travel in – if using private vehicles – are they clean and free from pet hair?
  • What storage facilities are there at the venue – do they work at the correct temperature, are there enough?
  • How am I going to clean up?
  •  Remember the special diets/allergens/intolerances of all the students – these still apply
  • If it is a daytrip out for the students, and they are taking their own snacks/lunches – how are they being stored – do they have access to Eskies/places to keep them cool – maybe a reminder to parents to ensure they provide lunches/snacks that do not require refrigeration, or that they provide a cool block or insulated bag
  • How do I dispose of rubbish?

If you have any questions in relation to this, please contact the Environmental Health Unit.  

Common Questions

All Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) programs that prepare and serve food as part of the service will be required to register under the Food Act. 

Last year during routine inspections of school canteens our officers noticed that several schools used an external provider for their OSHC programs.

These operators need to register separately from the school’s registration, this will ensure they are compliant under the Food Act 1984, and have routine inspections conducted whilst operating.

Please ensure that you sight or obtain a copy of the providers Food Act Registration Certificate, if you have an external provider for OSHC and they are unable to provide the Certificate contact us on 5272 5272 or by email [email protected].

 

Page last updated: