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Even though the weather on the East coast and here in the Midwest has yet to fully emerge from winter, the calendar says springtime is here, and that means Easter is just around the corner. While the Easter Bunny is busy renewing his food safety certification online, we thought we’d give you some helpful tips to keep the food at your event safe for all of your guests.
Keeping Your Easter Festivities Safe from Food-Borne Illness
One of the most exciting Easter events for the youngest enjoying the festivities is the annual Easter egg hunt. Just seeing a field full of brightly colored plastic eggs filled with candy and prizes makes every single youngster’s eyes widen with anticipation. With so many different hunts happening all across the world, the Easter Bunny is going to need some help setting them up. Just a tip for those helping out, even though jelly beans are colorful, all candy that is packed into those bright plastic eggs must be individually wrapped to prevent any contaminates spreading food-borne illness to the happy hunters.
During many of these egg hunts and other spring and Easter activities, food will often be served away from your regular kitchen. When coordinating these outdoor buffets and food stands, it’s important to remember that while standard Minnesota food code rules still apply, there may be extra precautions and permits that may need to be acquired. If your restaurant or food preparation facility plans on having a booth at an Easter festival or giving away samples at a spring parade, you may wish to consult with your local health department to see if a special permit is required.
Another popular Easter tradition is attending brunch after morning church services. These brunches and buffets can bring in an incredible amount of guests, so it may be wise to refer back to your food manager training when planning your food production to ensure that every item that you serve will be safe for your guests.
Even though Easter can be a hectic time for food-service professionals, it is also a time to remember family and tradition. Outside of coordinating work events, we’d like to know what your favorite Easter event or tradition is now, or what special event did your family associate with the season?
Happy Easter/Passover!
