Wedding venues usually do not allow outside catering for a variety of reasons. One of the reasons is that they cannot guarantee the safety and quality of the food. For those few that do allow outside caterers most require the caterer to be licensed and the food handlers certified or licensed (depending upon the state they are in.
Because of the economy many couples are attempting to save money by catering their own wedding. Given that the food cost is one of the largest single line items in a wedding budget, I can understand the rationale. Depending on where the wedding is being held, this may be an option and occasionally venues will allow this. This article is not about whether to cater your own wedding or how much you will save. This article is about how to do it safely! Food safety is not something most couples think about when planning their wedding but if food is not prepared and handled in a safe manner, your wedding may be the most publicized wedding of the year!
Food borne illnesses are common. And they are preventable!
There are several types of organisms that can cause food borne illness. They include numerous bacteria; some of which you have probably heard about in the news like salmonella, campylobacter, E.coli, Listeria and Staph. There are also viruses and parasites that can cause illness. All of these illnesses have one thing in common; they can be killed by proper cooking and prevented by proper food handling.
Some key tips:
Hands:
Do not handle or prepare food if you are ill or have open wounds. Hand washing is the first and most important method of preventing disease. Use soap and running water and wash them for at least a minute. Clean your nails at the same time and rinse them completely. Dry them with a clean paper towel or air dryer, not on a used cloth towel. Re-wash after touching any raw meat, fish or poultry.
Wear gloves and change them frequently. Nothing bothers me more than seeing a person working with food, scratch his head and then put his hands back on the food! Pretend you are a surgeon and if your hands touch anything except for the food or the utensils, change your gloves!
Clean cutting boards and food preparation surfaces and dishes properly. A dilute chlorine bleach solution of one teaspoon of bleach with a quart of water works well on most surfaces. Dish washers work well on dishes, especially when the "sterilize" or heat dry cycle is used.
Do not mix foods. Raw meat, poultry, seafood and eggs are most certainly contaminated with bacteria. Once completely cooked they are safe. But their raw juices, surfaces (i.e. cutting boards) and utensils used to cut or prepare these foods should be considered contaminated and must be washed in hot soapy water and rinsed thoroughly prior to using them on any other food. In addition, prior to cooking these foods should be stored in the refrigerator on the bottom shelf so the juices do not drip on other food.
Also, the liquids used to marinate meats are also contaminated and should be discarded! Sure you can baste the meat while being cooked but do not place the cooked meat back in the left over basting liquid.
Cook foods adequately. Large pieces of meat used for groups are different than small individual or family size cuts. They must be cooked longer and the internal temperature tested. Most require the center to be 1650. Cook eggs until the yokes and white are both firm. Fish should be cooked until flaky and flesh is opaque.
Fresh vegetables and fruits need to be washed under running water. Raw eggs should never be used! If you need "raw" eggs, use pasteurized eggs or egg products. Keep foods at a safe temperature!
Remember the "40" rule! Food should be kept at either below 400 or above 1400. Once food is prepared, it must be stored properly. If you wish to reheat food, you must cool it down quickly and then reheat it to above 1650. If you have fresh mixed foods such as potato salad or coleslaw it must be kept cold while set out for guests. Use ice under the bowls. This rule also applies to melons, peeled carrots and other fruits and vegetables. Same goes for shrimp cocktail and other perishable foods.
Obviously baked goods like breads and cakes do not need to be kept cold unless they have perishable icings. Soft cheeses such as the blue-veined, Brie, Camembert are safe if clearly marked that they are made from pasteurized milk. In summary, self catering is possible and may be an attractive idea... if done safely! Follow a few rules and your wedding will be memorable... for the right reasons!