Safe Food Training MN Archives

August 8, 2022August 9, 2022

Our Astonishing MN Food Community At The State Fair

Minnesota Food Community At The Astonishing 2022 State Fair

The end of Summer Break is nearly here, and that means it’s time for our annual trip to the Minnesota State Fair. Whether it’s surveying prize-winning livestock, taking in a show at the Grandstands or simply wandering and sightseeing, there’s something for everyone; making it one of the most looked forward to events of the summer. One thing Safe Food Training is really excited about is what the Minnesota food community comes up with. Each year talented chefs seem to push the envelope further and further.

A Preview of the Minnesota Food Community at this Year’s State Fair

Judging from a preview of Minnesota food community vendors, we’ll have quite the challenge of deciding which new foods from the mn food community to sample. With everything from Venezuelan pulled pork to breakfast gnocchi, we may actually need to take several days off of teaching food safety training classes to get our fill. Some highlights we’ve seen include:

Pickle Pizza
Tandoori Rolls
French Vegan Sliders
Sweet Potato Poutine

And that’s just a brief drive-by. We’re definitely going to have to loosen our belts this year. We’re also looking forward to all of the standard fair desserts from the Minnesota food Community. Deep fried ice cream, cotton candy floats and many more selections will tempt fair goers even further.

JUST RELEASED – “The Minnesota State Fair announces 47 brand-new beverages premiering or found only at the 2022 fair. In addition, there will be 43 returning beverages found only at the Great Minnesota Get-Together. In all, the fair features 300+ brews and beverages”. We’re sure that Minnesotan craft brewers will be bringing their best to compliment all of the great foods as we wander from vendor to vendor.

Are you planning on taking in the sights, sound and cuisine of this year’s Minnesota State Fair? We hope we see you there either in front or behind the counter!

March 29, 2022March 22, 2022

How To Create A Culture Of Food Safety

Certified ServSafe food managers have the duty to ensure that the food they serve is safe and that their operation adheres to the Minnesota food code, but can they do more to make food safety a habit rather than simple compliance? Creating a culture in your establishment that promotes food safety rather than code compliance greatly reduces the risk of spreading foodborne illness.

Five Tips for Creating a Food Safety Culture

Keeping your entire staff focused on food safety improves awareness concerning foodborne illness risks and keeps food safety on everyone’s mind. Here are five ways ServeSafe food managers can build a food safety culture in their businesses:

Management Modeling
Explain the Science
Ease Access to Food Safety Tools
Keep Logs
Bring in and Expert for Training

A food safety culture starts at the top, and ServSafe food managers need to lead by example. If you model a pro-food safety attitude, your staff is sure to follow. If your staff sees that food safety is serious, and they know why, then they’ll be more diligent in keeping food safe. Beyond modeling food safety, explaining the science behind food safety regulations helps show the consequences of lax attention to food code rules. Make sure you not only demonstrate how, but explain why your food safety procedures have been implemented.

If you are trying to promote food safety values, it’s also important that your staff has easy access to the tools and record keeping logs that aid in keeping food safe. Make sure every station is stocked with the equipment to prevent bare-hand contact, test temperature of hot and cold product and sanitation. If there’s no readily available equipment to follow food safety procedures, the chances for taking shortcuts increase. You should also consider making record keeping logs available. Temperature logs for held food, product dating notebooks and inventory control logs will paint a visual picture of important procedures that keep food illness risk low.

Finally, an outside view of your establishment can open your staffs eyes to food safety risks they may not have been previously aware of. Bringing in a third-party expert for on-site training tailored to your unique facility gives you a focused look at how food safety can work in your food business.

How do you foster a culture of food safety in your establishment?

March 28, 2022March 28, 2022

A Tribute To Doug Nick Founder Of Safe Food Training

On January 16^th of this year our friend and founder of Safe Food Training, Doug Nick passed away unexpectedly. Doug founded the company in 1998 and built it from the ground up. He retired from the business operations in 2011 but stayed active as an instructor for several years after that.

Doug founded Safe Food Training with the intent of providing an informative and productive learning environment that also was fun and interactive. He would often say people do not learn well when they are bored to tears. We adhere to those principals to this day.

Doug was a business partner, friend and mentor for me and I truly appreciate all that he did for myself and the business to assure it would continue to thrive.

There are a few people in your life who really make a huge and positive lasting impact. Doug Nick was one of those people in my life and I am forever grateful.

You are missed.

Tim Niles

December 20, 2021December 16, 2021

Deck The Halls With Protocols

By Tim Niles, Safe Food Training Lead Trainer and Poet Laureate

It’s late in December
Santa is loading his slay
But he is still concerned
COVID will ruin the day

This crazy year
Has come with a twist
Santa had to create
A much different list

Daily COVID testing
For both Santa and elves
Has disrupted the supply chain
For stocking the shelves

The reindeer are practicing
Takeoffs and landings
But they are all wearing masks
And it has proved quite demanding

If we run into fog
While pulling the sleigh
A mask covered Rudolph
Will not save the day

And entering countries
Is getting quite hard
Some want a negative test
And a vaccination card

All of the rituals
Are getting too weird
You try to eat cookies
Through a mask covered beard

How about the mistletoe
A cherished tradition…
It’s just not quite the same
With a plastic partition

Being dressed up in a mall
With a child in my lap
Has been replaced with a Zoom call
Where I look like crap

With the polar ice cap
That is currently cracking
I should skip the whole thing
And get started packing

But just when you think
That Santa might quit
Mrs. Claus rescues the day
By throwing a fit

Think of the kids
And all they’ve been through
They all had to adapt
And be flexible too

So eat a big dinner
And get on the suit
Or else your behind
Will find my foot with a boot

Santa came to his senses
Put a smile on his face
And let his kindness make the world
A much better place

The presents are coming
So no need to fret
But with backorders everywhere
You’ll get what you get

So enjoy all you can
With no more complaining
Happy Holiday to you all
From Safe Food Training