FCS COVID guidance for culinary labs

FCS COVID resources for culinary classrooms

As Minnesota school districts and charter schools plan for the 2020-21 school year, here are some primary resources from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Hospitality Industry to assist you in in guidance for your culinary/foods classroom and laboratories. These resources are intended to provide guidance as you work with your administrative staff as to how instruction will be delivered within the district.  

The guidance from MDE and MDH have resources specific to Career and Technical Education as well as guidance on areas of Food and Nutrition.  

The MDH recommendations to opening schools guide calls out advice for Hybrid and in-person instruction which apply to students in culinary labs (pages 4-8).  Other resources identified within the document: 

• Food Service Worker Safety Information (www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/schools/foodservice.pdf ) 

• List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2 (www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2-covid-19 ) 

All antimicrobial products (sterilizers, disinfectants, and sanitizers) that claim to prevent, destroy, repel or mitigate a pest or the growth of unwanted organisms are pesticides and are required to be registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). See the definition of a pesticide, according to Minnesota Statute 18B.01 (www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/18B.01). 

• Shopping for Food During the COVID-19 Pandemic

• Food Safety and Availability During the Coronavirus Pandemic

FDA advises everyday safe food handling and hygiene practices to avoid foodborne illness.  Resources include: 

• Safe Food Handling

• Food Safety in Your Kitchen

• Everyday Food Safety for Young Adults 

• Handling Flour Safely

• Tips to Reduce Food Waste

The MDE 2020-21 Planning Guidance for Minnesota Public Schools for more information on food and nutrition and career and technical education guidance.   Here are some page references as you click on the link above.

Page 13 – Food service safety

ADDED 07/30/20]: The following resources can provide additional school and parent support: 

• The National School Nutrition Association has produced Back to School Thought Starters, a 25-page resource designed to help food service professionals ask the right questions to prepare for the next “normal." 

• USDA Food and Nutrition Service 

• Institute of Child Nutrition

• CDC Guidance for Schools 

• CDC Face Mask Guidance 

• MDH Guidance for School Food Service Workers 

• Emergency food website 

• food shelf finder 

Page 94 – Career and Technical Education

For Family & Consumer Sciences and Human Services, review COVID guidance from: 

• Hospitality and Culinary 

The Hospitality and Culinary career pathways should be in alignment with industry standards.  Please review the below guidance for the Hospitality industry on the Stay Safe MN Web site.

Reopening guidance for restaurants and Bars has been posted to the Stay Safe MN web site

Finally, Distant Learning Strategies for Family and Consumer Science on the MDE website will address general questions on distant learning strategies.

Maxine M. Peterson, M.Ed – Teaching and Learning

Career and College Success Division – Career and Technical Education                                     

Family and Consumer Science Education Specialist

651-582-8421  |  Maxine.peterson@state.mn.us

Minnesota Department of Education

1500 Highway 36 West, Roseville, MN 55113