Cooking for Crowds

Food Safety Training for Volunteers

Extension expert demonstrates cooking for crowds; photo by Edwin RemsbergMany organizations and community groups rely on volunteers like you for a variety of food events for fundraising, fellowship, food pantries or other services to the community. But cooking for a crowd is tricky! How do you store all that food? When is the food completely cooked? How long can you leave food on the buffet table? Now there is a workshop on safe food handling designed specifically for volunteers.

Cooking for Crowds Workshops

Date: Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Time: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Location: UMaine Extension, 63 Boggy Brook Rd, Ellsworth, ME
Cost: $15, deadline to register is March 25, 2024
Register for March 27th Cooking for Crowds course

Date: Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Location: UMaine Extension, 63 Boggy Brook Rd, Ellsworth, ME
Cost: $15, deadline to register is April 15, 2024
Register for April 17th Cooking for Crowds course

Date: Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Time: 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Location: UMaine Extension, 307 Main Street, Bangor, ME
Cost: $15, deadline to register is April 10, 2024
Register for April 24th Cooking for Crowds course

Would you like to host a workshop for your group? Request a Cooking for Crowds training.

Why attend?

There’s a lot to learn about safe food preparation and handling. If you don’t do it for a living, you may not be aware of all the special techniques involved in cooking for a large group of people.

It is scary to think about people getting sick from your meal, but it can happen. More than three-quarters of the outbreaks are blamed on food eaten outside the home.

While food-borne illness can be as mild as stomachache, it can be much more serious and sometimes fatal.

Unsafe food can “spoil” your group’s reputation — and its finances. Don’t take a chance. Sign up for the “Cooking for Crowds” workshop. Learn to protect yourself and the people you feed.

What you will learn

Learn up-to-date methods for safely preparing, handling, and serving food for large group functions such as soup kitchens, church functions, food pantries, and community fundraisers.

Workshops cover the following food safety guidelines:

  • Planning and Purchasing
  • Storing Food Supplies
  • Preparing Food
  • Transporting, Storing and Serving Cooked Foods
  • Handling Leftovers

Materials fee: $15 per person.

Participants receive:

  • Cooking for Crowds – A manual specifically designed for volunteer cooks;
  • Certificate of Attendance;
  • Posters; and
  • Instant Read Thermometer.

Resources for Cooking for Crowds