Purchasing Small Equipment for Child Care - NFSMI - ICN Small Equipment for Child Care ... Kitchen measuring cups are made ... Print the posters located at the websites below to post

Food Purchasing/Procurement Grab and Go Lesson

Purchasing Small Equipmentfor Child Care

1National Food Service Management Institute

Choosing the correct kitchen tools is essential for meal preparation. Kitchen tools include both large and small equipment. Small equipment is also known as smallware. Smallware is essential for cooks to produce a quality product by mixing, measuring, cooking, and storing food. There are various types of smallware, such as knives, pots, pans, and storage containers. In this lesson, you will learn basic information for purchasing small equipment.

What are the benefits of using small equipment?When child care employees use proper measuring utensils for preparation and serving, this helps to control food costs and ensure that the required portion sizes are served during mealtime. Using the wrong tools may affect food quality (how food tastes), employee efficiency (job performance), and food costs (serving too much food increases costs). Purchasing the proper small equipment pairs the right tool with the right task.

How do you determine the demand for small equipment? To determine the demand for small equipment, you must first review the needs of the facility. Start with the menus. Examine the frequency of the items on the menus. Then review the meal preparation styles. Do the menus list more meals for scratch cooking, using a recipe or convenience cooking, or using heat and serve items. Consider the ages of the children served, the portion sizes, the equipment cost, and the safety and durability of the equipment. Consider the total counter

Food Purchasing/Procurement Grab and Go LessonPurchasing Small Equipment for Child Care

National Food Service Management Institute 2

and storage space for storing small equipment. After reviewing each factor, then determine if purchasing small equipment will assist your facility with providing higher quality meals for young children.

What are the basic small equipment facts? In this section, we will group smallware into categories by their potential use in child care kitchens.

Hand tools should be safe and easy to handle. This category of tools includes serving spoons, wire whips, food turners, spatulas, tongs, strainers, and colanders. • Spoons are used for cooking and serving. The standard spoon sizes are 11”,

13”, 15”, 18”, and 21”. Spoons should have plastic handles that are heat resistant. Spoons can be solid or perforated (have small holes). Remember, a spoon is not a portion control tool.

• Wire whips are used for hand stirring to introduce air into ingredients. Commonly used whips are piano whips, French whips (stiff wires), and balloons (finer wires).

• Food turners and spatulas are commonly used for lifting and turning food. Although food turners are heat resistant, cooks should check the manufacturer’s recommendations before using spatulas on hot surfaces. Both are available in a variety of shapes and may be perforated or solid. Spatulas are available in metal, plastic, and silicone.

• Tongs are primarily used to serve food, but are often used to lift food out of containers during meal preparation. Tongs are available in plastic and metal. Metal is used more often when preparing meals and plastic is used more often when serving meals.

• Strainers are made of fine mesh and are used to separate solid foods from liquid, while colanders are perforated containers used to wash and rinse food.

• Knives are used for chopping, trimming, paring, and various other cutting techniques. Knife selection should be based on the task performed. The most common knives are chef’s paring, slicers, and cleavers knives. Chef’s knives



are used for chopping and slicing. Paring knives are used for trimming fruits and vegetables. Slicers are generally used for slicing cooked meats, but often used for slicing other foods purchased in bulk, such as cheese. Cleavers are used for heavy duty chopping. Blades can be made of stainless steel, carbon, or high carbon stainless steel.

• Cutting boards are used as hard surfaces for cutting foods. Cutting boards are made of wood and nonporous surfaces (plastic, pyroceramic, glass, or marble). Cutting surfaces should be easily sanitized. Selecting multi-color cutting boards can help prevent cross contamination by grouping like types of food to a certain color board (i.e. poultry foods only use the red cutting board). Plastic cutting boards tend to be less absorbent than wood or other materials; however, the quality will diminish over time, be sure to replace them whenever necessary.

Measuring requires different types of tools, including scales to weigh, cups, spoons, scoops, and ladles to measure. • Scales measure weight and come in a variety of types. The most common

kitchen scales are digital, balance, and mechanical and weigh ounces and pounds. When selecting scales examine the cost, design, accuracy and readability, and the ease of cleaning and calibrating.

• Ladles and portion servers measure volume and are labeled in ounces. Generally, ladles are used for liquids, such as soups and gravies. Portion servers are used for portioning solid and semi solid foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

• Scoops are commonly used to serve soft foods, such as mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese. In addition, scoops are portion control tools, meaning they can be used to measure exact portion sizes.

• Measuring cups and spoons are commonly used when preparing recipes. Liquid measuring cups resemble pitchers with a raised lip for pouring ingredients and are generally used to measure liquids, such as water or milk. Dry measuring cups have a solid rim around the top for filling and leveling ingredients for accuracy, and are generally used to measure flour or sugar. Kitchen measuring cups are made from seamless, heavy-duty aluminum or a strong plastic (polycarbonate material). Measuring cups are available in a



variety of sizes, from sets of measuring cups found in home kitchens (1/4 cup to 1 cup), to quart-sized sets with containers that measure from 1/2 quart to 4 quarts (1 gallon).

Thermometers are used to check temperatures of food and equipment. There are varieties of thermometer types that perform different functions. • Refrigerator/Cooler thermometers provide internal temperatures of

refrigerators. • Freezer thermometers provide the internal temperature of the freezer. • Bimetallic Stemmed thermometers are used to check the internal temperatures

in meats, such as roasts cooked in the oven. • Digital Stemmed (Thermistor) thermometers are used to check the internal

temperature of foods. • Thermocouple thermometers are used with probes and have multiple functions:

measures temperature of liquids, internal temperatures of food, and surface temperatures, such as griddle tops.

• Infrared thermometers are used to check surface temperatures from up to four feet away. In addition, it provides a quick check of temperatures of food at the receiving, storing, and holding stages.

Calibrate your thermometer weekly, when it is dropped, or more often when specified by your local health and safety regulations. Pots and Pans are used for oven and range-top cooking. Together, they represent the highest-priced and vary the most in types of small equipment. It is important to always evaluate and implement the manufacturer’s recommendations for safely maintaining pots and pans.• Pans have either single long handles or two short handles, while most pots have

two handles for easy lifting. These items should be made of metal (aluminum, stainless steel, or iron).

• Aluminum pots and pans are lightweight, good heat conductors, but they are not as durable due to the metal softness.



• Stainless steel pots and pans are very durable, but not good heat conductors. • Iron pots and pans are inexpensive, good heat conductors, but crack and rust

easily.

Sheet pans and roasting pans are used for oven cooking. Purchase pans based on the size of your oven and stove. A quick tip to remember is the thicker the bottom of the pan, the better it holds and distributes heat.

Serving and holding containers are available in a variety of sizes and depths. They are commonly referred to as steam table pans, counter pans, or service pans. Purchase pans with lids and corners that prevent them from sticking together when they are nested together. Stainless steel is the most commonly purchased material for steam table pans; however, plastic pans are available. Stainless steel pans are more costly, but durable. Make selections based on the size of your large equipment and your facility needs.

Where do you purchase small equipment (types of supplies)? Sources to purchase small equipment will vary by the geographic location of the facility. The Internet is an invaluable source for information; however, it is important to purchase from a reputable dealer. Often equipment can be purchased from the following locations:• E-dealers are companies that sell equipment through the Internet. Online

shopping is a quick way to compare prices and types of equipment. • Local equipment vendors and dealers sell both small and large equipment. • Equipment showroom dealers have equipment on site to view and test. • Wholesale stores sell some commercial grade equipment. • Hotel/restaurant suppliers generally have a variety of small equipment. Directors should determine small equipment needs and compare prices prior to making purchases. Only purchase equipment that meets state and local health and safety codes. As a participant in CACFP, contact your state agency or sponsoring



organization for additional guidance. They provide technical assistance through visits, phone calls, or email to assist with all purchasing needs.

Purchasing Small Equipment for Child CarePrint the posters located at the websites below to post in your child care kitchen as a training or reference tool.

Basics at a Glance: http://www.nfsmi.org/documentlibraryfiles/PDF/20081006054447.pdf

Choosing the Right Knife: http://www.nfsmi.org/documentlibraryfiles/PDF/20090327104532.pdf

Recipe Abbreviationsapprox. = approximate

tsp or t = teaspoon

Tbsp or T = tablespoon

c = cup

pt = pint

qt = quart

gal = gallon

wt = weight

oz = ounce

lb or # = pound (e.g., 3#)

g = gram

kg = kilogram

vol = volume

mL = milliliter

L = liter

fl oz = fluid ounce

No. or # = number (e.g., #3)

in. or " = inches (e.g., 12")

°F = degree Fahrenheit

°C = degree Celsius orcentigrade

Volume Equivalents for Liquids

60 drops = 1 tsp

1 Tbsp = 3 tsp = 0.5 fl oz

1/8 cup = 2 Tbsp = 1 fl oz


1/3 cup = 5 Tbsp + 1 tsp = 2.65 fl oz




2/3 cup = 10 Tbsp + 2 tsp = 5.3 fl oz



1 cup = 16 Tbsp = 8 fl oz

1/2 pint = 1 cup = 8 fl oz

1 pint = 2 cups = 16 fl oz

1 quart = 2 pt = 32 fl oz

1 gallon = 4 qt = 128 fl oz

Equivalent Weights16 oz = 1 lb = 1.000 lb

12 oz = 3/4 lb = 0.750 lb

8 oz = 1/2 lb = 0.500 lb

4 oz = 1/4 lb = 0.250 lb

1 oz = 1/16 lb = 0.063 lb

Scoops (Dishers)Size/No.1 Level Measure Color Code2

6 2/3 cup8 1/2 cup

10 3/8 cup12 1/3 cup16 1/4 cup20 3-1/3 Tbsp24 2-2/3 Tbsp30 2 Tbsp40 1-2/3 Tbsp50 3-3/4 tsp60 3-1/4 tsp70 2-3/4 tsp

100 2 tsp

1 Scoops are left or right hand or squeeze type that can be used forboth hands. Number on the scoop indicates how many level scoop-fuls make one quart. For example, eight No. 8 scoops = 1 quart.

=2 Use colored dots matching the brand-specific color coding of scoop sizes.

LadlesPortion Servers

Ladle Approx. Measure Portion Server fl oz fl oz1 oz 1/8 cup 1 oz2 oz 1/4 cup 2 oz3 oz 3/8 cup 3 oz4 oz 1/2 cup 4 oz6 oz 3/4 cup 6 oz8 oz 1 cup 8 oz

12 oz 1-1/2 cups —

Ladles and portion servers (measuring-serving spoons that arevolume-standardized) are labeled “oz.” “Fl oz” would be moreaccurate since they measure volume, not weight.

Use ladles for serving soups, stews, creamed dishes, sauces,gravies, and other liquid products.

Use portion servers (solid or perforated) for portioning solids and semi-solids such as fruits and vegetables, and condiments.

Cooking or Serving Spoons

Solid Spoons

Perforated Spoons

Slotted Spoons

Spoons vary in length (11", 13", 15", 18", 21") for ease ofuse in cooking or serving. Spoons can have plastic handlesthat are heat-resistant. Level scoops, ladles, and portionservers provide more accurate portion control than servingspoons that are not volume-standardized measure.

Specialty Spoons

A thumb notch on a server or spoon handle prevents thespoon from slipping into the pan and prevents hands fromsliding into the food. Triple-edge (solid or perforated)spoons have a flat edge that increases the area where thespoon touches the bottom of the pan when stirring.

Metric Equivalents by WeightCustomary Unit Metric Unit(avoirdupois)

Ounces (oz) Grams (g)

1 oz = 28.35 g

4 oz = 113.4 g

8 oz = 226.8 g

16 oz = 453.6 g

Pounds (lb) Grams (g)

1 lb = 453.6 g

2 lb = 907.2 g

Pounds (lb) Kilograms (kg)

2.2 lb = 1 kg (1000 g)

Metric Equivalents by VolumeCustomary Unit (fl oz) Metric Unit

1 cup (8 fl oz) = 236.59 mL

1 quart (32 fl oz) = 946.36 mL

1.5 quarts (48 fl oz) = 1.42 L

33.818 fl oz = 1.0 L

©National Food Service Management InstituteThe University of Mississippi

800-321-3054 www.nfsmi.orgEX60-02A

Revised 2002, Reprinted 2004

This project has been funded by the USDA, Food and Nutrition Service through a grant to The University of Mississippi.The University of Mississippi is an EEO/AA/ADA/ADEA/TITLES VI & IX/SECTION 504 Employer. 04/04

Steamtable Pan CapacityPan Size Approx. Serving Ladle Scoop Approx. #

Capacity Size (fl oz) # Servings

12" x 20" x 2-1/2" 2 gal 1/2 cup 4 oz 8 643/8 cup 3 oz 10 801/3 cup 2.65 oz 12 961/4 cup 2 oz 16 128

12" x 20" x 4" 3-1/2 gal 1/2 cup 4 oz 8 1123/8 cup 3 oz 10 1351/3 cup 2.65 oz 12 1681/4 cup 2 oz 16 224

12" x 20" x 6" 5 gal 1/2 cup 4 oz 8 1603/8 cup 3 oz 10 2001/3 cup 2.65 oz 12 2401/4 cup 2 oz 16 320

1/1

2/3

1/2

2/4

1/3

1/4

1/6

1/9

Other Pan Sizes

Steamtable or counterpans are available in various sizes. Smallersize pans may require theuse of an adapter bar.

Approximate Dimensions of Serving Sizes from Different Pan SizesPan Approx. Size No. and Approx. Size Servings per Pan

25 50 100Baking or steamtable 12" x 20" x 2-1/2" 2" x 3-3/4" 2" x 2" - - - - -Sheet or bun 18" x 26" x 1" 3-1/4" x 5" 3-1/4" x 2-1/2" 1-3/4" x 2-1/2"

Basics at a GlanceBasics at a Glance

For 50 servings cut 5 x 10 For 100 servings cut 10 x 10

5

10

10

10

3

8

Fraction to Decimal Equivalents

1/8 = 0.125

1/4 = 0.250

1/3 = 0.333

3/8 = 0.375

1/2 = 0.500

5/8 = 0.625

2/3 = 0.666

3/4 = 0.750

7/8 = 0.875

20-3/4" x 12-3/4"

13-7/8" x 12-3/4"

10-3/8" x 12-3/4"

20-3/4" x 6-7/16"

6-7/8" x 12-3/4"

6-3/8" x 10-3/8"

6-7/8" x 6-1/4"

6-7/8" x 4-1/4"

Cutting Diagrams for Portioning

5

5

For 25 servings cut 5 x 5 For 48 servings cut 3 x 8 then diagonally

Choosing the Right KnifeIt is important to choose the right knife for the cutting task. On this page are pictures of three different knives that are commonly used and a short explanation on how they are used.

Chef’s knife: The chef’s knife is used for chopping, dicing, mincing, and slicing. The rigid blade is 8–14 inches in length and is wide at the handle and tapers off to the tip.

Paring knife: The paring knife is short with a 2–4 inch blade. This knife is used for cutting fruits and vegetables, peeling, and trimming.

Slicer: The slicing knife has a long, thin blade. It is serrated and used for slicing bread, and cooked meats, and poultry. National Food Service Management Institute

The University of Mississippi2009



References:Katsigris, C. & Thomas, C. (2009). Design and equipment for restaurants and foodservice: A management view, (3rd ed.) “Chapter 18 - Smallware for kitchens”. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.

National Food Service Management Institute. (2011). Basics at a glance poster. University, MS: Author. Retrieved from http://www.nfsmi.org/d ocumentlibraryfiles/PD F/20081006 054447.pdf

National Food Service Management Institute. (2009). Equipment purchasing and facility design for school nutrition programs. University, MS: Author. Retrieved from http://nfsmi.org/documentlibraryfiles/PDF/20090312115009.pdf

National Food Service Management Institute. (2011). Equipment purchasing and facility design for school nutrition programs. Checklist for assessing small equipment needs. University, MS: Author. Retrieved from http://www.nfsmi.org/documentlibraryfiles/PDF/20111 128121626.pdf

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Purchasing Small Equipment for Child Care - NFSMI - ICN Small Equipment for Child Care ... Kitchen measuring cups are made ... Print the posters located at the websites below to post