Delia Online

By Country Girl at Heart: Re: Providing food for public meetings...
21 Jul 2008 23:03
Hopefully someone out their can solve this dilemma. I am involved with a small local charity and am planning a BBQ for members and their friends later in the summer. Now I had thought to ask people to provide their own meat but for us to provide some salads. However somebody (whether for Health and Safety or Food Hygiene reasons I'm not sure) has said we should not provide food that hasn't come out of a packet - ie shop bought. I thought this was a bit far fetched but obviously dont want to be sued should someone fall ill afterwards. Does anybody know the legality of this? Thanks
Country Girl at Heart

Replies

By The Dinner Service: Re: Providing food for public meetings...
21 Jul 2008 23:10
Hi CG - are people paying you? If not, surely it's just like having a private dinner party isn't it? You certainly are not allowed to sell food you have prepared at home. You could be sued by anyone for anything at all so I don't think that's the issue. The issue is getting "into trouble" by the environmental health department of your local authority. Even if it's come out of a packet, you may still poison them all at the end of the day.

By Biggles: Re: Providing food for public meetings...
21 Jul 2008 23:54
Cripes CG, what a minefield. Agree with TDS though, money not changing hands, private party. Hope you get a definitive answer. Biggs

Re: Providing food for public meetings...
22 Jul 2008 00:25

I have a similar story to tell. For quite a few years I volunteered at a hospital at a day-patient drop-in support group.

Every Christmas they held a party & asked for food donations to eke out the modest food supplied by the hospital. My first year there & being a more than adequate baker, I had a list of things I planned to make until I was told the same as you. It is a H&S issue, only boxed/packeted & branded goods would be accepted.

I don't know if you remember, but there was a similar hoo-hah in the press a couple of years ago when someone wanted to take cakes etc in to a residential home for their Mother' birthday tea & for all thr reidents to share - again it wasn't allowed!

It's not really far-fetched, it's just the people in charge covering their backs. Not everyone has the same high standards of home hygiene, whereas it's generally accepted that food made & packed in a controlled factory environment is.

By sandrak

Re: Providing food for public meetings...
22 Jul 2008 01:18

Know I'm a newbie but come on, this is a case of oneupmanship. Some idiot , undoubtedly jealous, has sown seeds of doubt. Joy, you are quite right citing that case but the issue was resolved and parties resumed as normal. CG, if it were me I would carry on regardless, I assume meat being brought will be properly cooked on arrival and we all can identify the smell of meat past
it's best. If you are really concerned call your local council and explain your proposals - having said that have hosted many charity BBQ's ,tea parties, dinners etc. Don't recall anybody dying yet or even complaining of a gippy tummy. Worse case scenario contact your house insurers and ask for 1 day public liability insurance.

By Essex Girl: Re: Providing food for public meetings...
22 Jul 2008 07:35
What about all the cake stalls at school fetes, etc? Will they have to put a stop to these?

By Apple Crumble: Re: Providing food for public meetings...
22 Jul 2008 09:14
Hello
I hope you don't mind me butting in - Health and Safety is a very divisive issue with all sorts of silly stories about job worth’s with boxes to tick. I see from your profile that you are based in Cambridgeshire; therefore i suggest you send an e-mail to your local Environmental officer (i not sure if he is still there but the website gave the name of Richard Coey)
Good luck

By Wrinkle: Re: Providing food for public meetings...
22 Jul 2008 11:13
http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/asksam/keepingfoodsafe/asksamevents/

By Chutney Queen, Somerset: Re: Providing food for public meetings...
22 Jul 2008 12:42
We won't be allowed to breathe soon in this country ! Who says you cannot sell food you have made at home ? We have a quarterly village market, where there are several stalls (including mine) where home0-made food is sold to the general public. And we provide cakes to go with the refreshments - I am sure this is done up and down the country.
What about WI markets too ?

By The Dinner Service: Re: Providing food for public meetings...
22 Jul 2008 14:18
You can sell food you have prepared at home but like any cafe/restaurant, a commercial kitchen (and if you are selling your home-cooked stuff, that is what it is) has to be approved by the Environmental Health. Recently somebody asked me to make soup for them regularly and they would pay me to deliver it to their house but I declined as I knew that if I was reported I woud be in trouble. I would never get approval in any case as I have a dog who walks through/eats in the kitchen.

By relaxed cook: Re: Providing food for public meetings...
22 Jul 2008 16:50
i think this is probably correct. i have been involved in the organisation of a village show in Devon for the past few years and know that the catering committee had to make the transition to selling the sandwiches that are part of the teas in those triangular plastic packs rather than loose so you could make a selection. They can still sell cake by the slice though, unwrapped, so it is all very confusing. Unless your event is very small and you know everyone involved, probably best to talk to the council....

By Nixxx: Re: Providing food for public meetings...
22 Jul 2008 18:05
fwiw, my mother is a teacher and they had exactly the same thing at her school - instead of parents bringing in home-made goodies for school parties etc (not paid for), they are now only allowed to bring in prepackaged food. Such a shame. Having said that, I know of several other situations where people just go ahead and do it (paid for in some cases), so I guess it's a case of how concerned you are about the nanny state and its jobsworths.

By Nixxx: Re: Providing food for public meetings...
22 Jul 2008 18:19
A bit more helpfully, I found this:
http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/asksam/keepingfoodsafe/asksamevents/?lang=en

By cupcakes: Re: Providing food for public meetings...
23 Jul 2008 14:10
Is there a difference between selling for profit and selling for 'some kind of charity' ie at a Church fair or School fair, funds would be raised for the Church/School. If someone is making a profit for their own business then obviously they would and should have all the necessary environmental health checks. I have often sold cakes to school, friends and family for charity. I agree much nicer than rubbish cakes out of a packet! People would much rather buy/eat something they can't get in the shops!