Planning and PurchasingPlanning and Purchasingfor Your Eventfor Your Event

Lesson ObjectivesLesson Objectives

After completion of this lesson, occasional quantity cooks will be able to:

• Manage factors necessary in planning a safe food event

• Keep food safe during purchasing • Keep food safe during transport to

the storage location

Critical Thinking QuestionCritical Thinking Question

What safety factors would you have to consider when buying 50 pounds of ground meat for your next event?

Before beginning plans for Before beginning plans for a food event, consider the a food event, consider the

following:following:

• Health regulations• Sources of food and supplies• Transportation and/or delivery• Cooking and serving equipment• Facilities (storage, preparation, serving,

holding, cleaning, water source)• Leftovers• Time and labor• Purpose of event

Selecting MenusSelecting Menusand Recipesand Recipes

• Equipment and space available• Labor and time• Profit to be made• Season• Occasion and group• Type of service• Meal appeal• Standardized quantity recipes

Keeping RecordsKeeping Records

• Menus• Market and purchase orders• Work schedules• Plan for future reference

Costing and PricingCosting and Pricingthe Mealthe Meal

• Selling price must take into consideration all costs

• Beware that “cutting corners” may compromise food safety

Determining Committee Determining Committee ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

• Facility and/or equipment rental• Decorations, table settings, etc.• Time for serving• Selecting menu• Special requests• List of contact persons

Preparing the Market OrderPreparing the Market Order

• Check “on hand” supplies• Donated items• Items to purchase

Purchasing FoodPurchasing Foodand Suppliesand Supplies

• Compare prices, remembering transportation costs

• Safe storage• Shopping locally

Transporting FoodTransporting Foodand Suppliesand Supplies

• Shoppers understand safe food handling practices

• Take ice chests• Storage until event• Accepting deliveries

Critical PointsCritical Pointsfor Purchasingfor Purchasing

• Keep packages of raw meat and poultry separate from other foods, particularly foods that will be eaten without further cooking

• Use plastic bags for holding fresh fruits and vegetables — be sure plastic bags are food grade

• Use food grade plastic bags to enclose individual packages of raw meat and poultry

Critical PointsCritical Pointsfor Purchasingfor Purchasing

• Avoid placing raw meat or poultry in the cart in a manner that will allow fluids to drip on other foods

• Larger quantities will presentgreater challenges

• Packaging should be sound • Select products that are stored

properly at the store

(continued)

Critical PointsCritical Pointsfor Purchasingfor Purchasing

• Unpackaged meat or poultry from deli-refrigerated cases should not contact other foods

• Shop for meat and poultry last • Report problems to management• Check “sell-by,” “pull-by,” and

“use-by” dates

(continued)

Critical PointsCritical Pointsfor Purchasingfor Purchasing

• Plan ahead for refrigerator andfreezer space

• Reputable sources • Frozen foods should be frozen solid • Ice chest if time from store to

refrigerator is more than 30 minutes

(continued)

What IfWhat If• The food supplier you wish to shop at is

60 miles from the event site?• It is 90F when you are shopping?• You do not have refrigerator storage or

dishwashing facilities at your preparation site?

• You are sharing refrigerator storage with the school cafeteria?

• All of the women on your committee volunteer to bring homemade noodles to your food event?

• Your baked steak dinner for 100 is canceled due to a snow storm, after you have started preparation?