i’m making food for an event held at church, what do i need to know?

Firstly, thank you for helping! We are a NUT FREE church, so please don’t provide any food with nuts or nut products, e.g. ground almonds in marzipan. An excellent resource on tree nuts and peanuts can be found here.

What do you mean by no nuts?

Almond, Brazil Nut, Cashew, Hazelnuts, Macadamia Nut, Peanut, Pecan, Pistachio nuts are all known allergens and so must not be consumed in our churches. This includes food that contains nut products such as marzipan. Here is a flyer showing what the nuts look like.

DO I NEED TO FILL IN ANY PAPERWORK?

We have a sheet for our chefs to fill in, detailing the ingredients and allergens in the dishes provided for church events. Please use the link to download the Allergy Sheet and Ingredients Sheet or ask the Church Office for a paper copy.
Factsheets about the 14 food allergens are available here.

where can i donate food?

There are collection points at both churches for Cheltenham Foodbank. Or contact the office about how to donate food for our Saturday Kitchen outreach.

HOw can i make food safely?

Ensure hands and surfaces are clean:

• before you start

• between tasks

• after you cough or sneeze

• whenever you leave the kitchen and return

Cook foods until piping hot all the way through (75ºC)

Keep cold food (below 5ºC) or hot (above 63ºC) for safety

Cool food quickly and then package tightly to avoid contamination

If you need to freeze before bringing food in, do it quickly after cooking and keep frozen until ready to drop it in.

How can i make food sustainably with the LOAF Principles?

LOAF stands for Local, Organic, Animal-friendly, Fairtrade. We ask that you consider purchasing/using ingredients using the LOAF Principles when you cater for church or your own use.

A Rocha has produced some information to help explain the concepts of LOAF and for sustainable food choices.