1. Share Table 101 November 8, 2017 2-3pm
Good afternoon! Welcome to the Share Tables 101 Webinar. My name is Kristi Rolfsen, Program Specialist for the Colorado Department of Education Office of School Nutrition. I am joined today by Melissa Pflugh Prescott, Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Colorado State University. Today we will be presenting on the basics of starting a share table a.t your school.
November 8, pm
Melissa Pflugh Prescott, Colorado State University
Kristi Rolfsen, Colorado Department of Education

2. Housekeeping
Sign-In! Enter your name and organization into the chat box
Use the chat box to ask questions
File share in the top right corner
USDA Memo SP , CACFP , SFSP
CDE Redistribution of Food/Share Tables SOP Template
Share Table 101 Power Point Presentation
Professional Standards
Key Area: Operations
Learning Code: 2630 – Practice federal, state, and local food safety regulations and guidance
Before we get started, if you signed in as a guest, please enter your name and organization into the chat box. Use the chat box to ask questions throughout the webinar. We will be answering all questions at the end of the presentation.
In the top right corner, you should see a “Files” box. In here, you will find the USDA memo regarding share tables, the CDE Standard Operating Procedure template, this PowerPoint presentation, as well as the resources we’ll be reviewing at the end of the presentation.
If you are a school nutrition professional, you will receive one training hour to count towards professional standards by joining this presentation. You can find the certificate in the “Files” section. Please fill your name in on the certificate and store it with your training records.

3. Presentation Outline Define share tables and give examples
Overview of share table guidance
Top 10 Tips for starting or improving your share table
Question & Answers
Today we will be introducing you to share tables, reviewing the federal and state guidance around implementing share tables, providing tips for starting or improving the share table at your school, and open it up to you to ask questions you may have.

4. What is a Share Table?
Stations where children may return whole food or beverage items that they do not want to eat
Innovative strategy to encourage the consumption of nutritious foods and reduce food waste
National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
School Breakfast Program (SBP)
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
Summer Food Service Program (SBP)
Must be in compliance with local and state health & food safety codes
Share tables are tables or stations where students can return their unwanted, whole or unopened food and beverage items they do not want to eat. Once food is on a share table, it’s available for other children who may want additional servings at no cost to them. These food and beverage items on the share table can be utilized in a number of ways, depending on the nutrition program’s preference and local discretion.
Why might a school want to implement a share table? If we look at food waste, nearly one-third of food is wasted at the retail and consumer levels in the U.S. That’s enough food to overfill Sports Authority Field every day. So this share table concept is really an innovative way to reduce food waste while encouraging students to consume healthy foods. Share tables can be used in the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Summer Food Service Program.
Anytime a share table is implemented, local and state food safety requirements need to be followed. We’ll go into more detail of these requirements throughout this presentation.

5. Share Table Guidance USDA Memorandum
CDE Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
There are two pieces of guidance that instruct Colorado schools on implementing share tables.
The first is a memo the USDA released in June of 2016, The Use of Share Tables in Child Nutrition Programs, providing an overview of share table implementation and the reuse of share table items. The instruction allows served meal components to be reused when it is necessary to prevent food waste. USDA regulations allow food to be returned in appropriate storage on a share table and served to students at another meal, foods can be donated to a charitable institution or facility, or served and claimed for reimbursement during another meal service. The USDA does note that application of share tables should be limited since schools should be taking appropriate measures to encourage kids to select and actually consume their meal. The reuse of these food and beverage items is allowed when local and state health and food safety codes are followed.
After the USDA memo was released, our office, the CDE Office of School Nutrition, created a standard operating procedure on the redistribution of returned food and share tables. This procedure applies to Colorado child nutrition programs that utilize share tables and allow food to be redistributed. The SOP provides guidance on food items approved for redistribution in the cafeteria while maintaining food safety protocols to prevent the risk of a foodborne illness. The requirements and best practices of share table implementation are outlined in the SOP.
You will hear us reference the re-service or redistribution of foods throughout this presentation. The re-service of food refers to the transfer of food that is unused and returned after it has been served or sold to another student.
The SOP also states that a plan needs to be developed outlining how the SFA will maintain the safety of food served to students. This includes getting prior approval from your local health department to ensure all local food codes are being followed. The plan should also be consistent with the food service department’s food safety plan.

6. 1. Equipment Needed Table, counter, cart or space Cafeteria signage
Bowls
Crates
Cafeteria signage
Shallow and transparent containers are recommended
Multiple containers to allow items to be separated
Ice for milk
Most important not to mix share table items with items that have not yet been served
Fortunately, share tables do not require fancy equipment. Any table, cart or counter space can be made into a share table. This photograph shows an example of a bowl being used to collect foods at a school share table. You could also use a crate or even a steam table pan. You will need some signs so that students know that the container is being used for the share table.
Ideally, the container that you use will be shallow and transparent. This isn’t required, but these types of containers make it easy for children to see what is available on the share table and easy for them to put foods in and take foods out.
A separate container should be used to separate the items (such as Whole Fruit and Packaged Items).
Later we will talk more about the specific guidelines for including milk on your share table, but you will need a separate iced or temperature controlled container for milk that is placed after the point of sale.
Most important, the container that you use should ensure that share table items are not mixed together with foods that have not been served yet.

7. 2. Share Table Location USDA does not mandate placement
Ideal place is at end of lunch line
Supervision
Visible/high traffic area
Convenient for students
There is no USDA rule on where exactly your share table must be located.
I’ve seen a lot of share tables located at the end of the lunch line, just past the registers. This allows the nutrition services staff on the line to keep at least a peripheral view of the share table.
You definitely want your share table to be in a high traffic area that is visible to students so that you’re making it is convenient as possible for them to use the share table.
Also try to make sure your share table is at eye level and easy to reach, for even the shortest students.

8. 3. Allowable Share Table Items
Must be school meal or snack components
No food brought from home
Discuss district share table policy with local health department
Allowed:
Packaged, non-temperature controlled items
Fruit with an inedible peel
Fruit with an edible peel (must be washed prior to redistribution)
Packaged PHFs kept at appropriate temperature
Not allowed:
Unpackaged foods
Open foods
Items placed on a share table must be school meal components or snacks. No food brought from home is allowed… And this is to ensure the safety of the food on the table and monitor any potential allergens that could be shared.
Foods from the meal program that are allowed on the share table include packaged items that do not require refrigeration as long as the packaging is in tact.
Whole pieces of fruit may also may also be offered on the share table. Fruit can have an inedible peel, such as citrus fruits, or fruits with an edible peel, such as apples. Fruit must be washed prior to re-service.
As previously mentioned, approval from the local health department is required prior to starting a share table. As long as it is okay with your local health department, packaged, unopened potentially hazardous foods are allowed on the share table if proper storage and temperature controls allow. Potentially hazardous foods refer to foods and beverages that require time and temperature control for the safety of the food. This applies to milk, string cheese and yogurt.
The foods that are not allowed… Any unpackaged foods, open items and potentially hazardous foods that do not have a temperature control mechanism in place cannot be redistributed. These products would become waste.

9. 4. Health & Safety Tips
Share tables must comply with local and state health and food safety codes
Create a plan explaining how your school will support food safety for students
Temperature control for PHFs
Washing fruit prior to redistribution
Record keeping
Storage
Exposure to potential allergens
The theme you’ve been hearing throughout this training has been that share tables must comply with local and state, health and food safety codes. This includes the storage of refused items. It is best practice to get school board approval for accepting the liability of any food borne illness due to the sharing of food. We’ve mentioned that a plan needs to be created to explain how the food will be kept safe for the students, including the incorporation of standard operating procedures into the school or district’s food safety plan.
Some things to think through:
How is the food service department going to keep the potentially hazardous foods, such as milk, safe when it is on the share table? Will it be kept in a cooler, or on ice? Think through how the safety of these foods will be maintained.
What is the district’s policy on redistributing fruit? Make sure all fruit is washed prior to re-service.
How will share table items be accounted for? The school must have a system in place for tracking the daily use of food items that are recycled. Records should be kept to ensure share table items are monitored and discarded at the end of their safe food expiration. One option is to track items on the production records. For example, if nine apples are left on the share table after meal service, this can be written in the notes section on a production record… Temperature logs also need to be maintained for potentially hazardous foods… Another option for recordkeeping is to keep a separate log of share table items that includes food temperatures.
How will share table items be stored? Share table items need to be kept separate from other foods to prevent cross contamination. Reused items cannot be intermixed with items that have not yet been prepared or served. These items should be temped and labeled prior to going into storage.
How will exposure to potential allergens be handled? We’ll go into food allergy considerations in a couple of slides.
All of these things need to have a plan of action prior to starting a share table to ensure the safety of the foods provided to students.

10. 5. What are best practices for having milk on share tables?
Milk must be placed in a separate iced/temperature controlled container past the point of sale
Milk must be kept at 41°F or colder and temperature logs should be taken every 2 hours (or at end of meal service if service is less than 2 hours)
Monitor expiration dates
Keep daily records of purchased and recycled milk
There is a lot of guidance on incorporating milk into share tables in the CDE SOP. Milk must be placed in a separate iced/temperature controlled container past the point of sale
Milk must be kept at 41°F or colder and temperature logs should be taken every 2 hours (or at end of meal service if service is less than 2 hours).
You also have to monitor expiration dates and should keep daily records of purchased and recycled milk.

11. 6. What happens to Share Table items after meal service period?
Items must be inspected
Log and date foods
How to use items:
Re-used in the kitchens
Donate
Re-served at another reimbursable meal
Now that we know how to get started and which items are allowed, what happens to the share table items when meal service is over?
Items must be inspected for proper temperature control. The dates and times of these items need to be logged, and the expiration of the food items should be tracked. Milk and other potentially hazardous foods that are temped above 41 degrees should be discarded and not reused for service.
There are a few allowable options for the redistribution of the foods and beverages left on the share table.
The first is that these items can be reused in the kitchens. When food is reused in this way, the cooking process kills off any bacteria. This is a safe an effective way to reuse the items.
Another option is to donate the food items to a charitable organization or institution. This might be a community food pantry or local homeless shelter.
The final option is to redistribute the food at another reimbursable meal. These foods should never be mixed with items that have not yet been served, and all food safety and recordkeeping protocols should be followed.
Keep in mind… all foods set aside for redistribution need to meet proper food safety guidelines and has been approved by your local health department.

12. 7. Share Table Monitoring
A designated food service staff member should monitor the share table
Provide student education as needed
“When in doubt throw it out”
Monitor must also redistribute items for donation or re-use
Do not redistribute any food items that have been handled improperly
The CDE SOP requires that a designated food service staff member monitor the share table. This person needs to visually observe the share table to ensure that food from the share table is being handled and redistributed correctly. For example, this person needs to remove any food brought from home or opened milk cartons, anything that’s not allowed on the share table must be removed and discarded. It is always good to play it safe- when in doubt, throw it out!
Also, this person should also watch for signs that students are abusing the share table. We know that some students may be a little to enthusiastic about the share table and take extra food from the service line that they do not intend to eat, just so that they can share it. The monitor should watch for this and encourage students to only take what they think they can eat from the line.
In addition, the monitor should not redistribute any food items that are open or not at the right temperature.

13. 8. Share Table Outreach
USDA recommends that students and families receive information on share table guidelines
Encourage parents to talk to their children about how to use them
Request parent feedback on share tables
Cafeteria signage is consistent with parent information
It is important the entire school community knows about the share table and how to use it. Parents can help us explain to their children that foods are put on the share table as a last resort and not to take extra food for the purpose of sharing. We have developed a sample parent letter that can be used to communicate with parents. You also want to make sure that whatever information is sent home to parents is consistent with all cafeteria share table signs.
The USDA also recommends that we get parent feedback on share tables.
Engaging parents also provides an opportunity for them to discuss with their child who has allergies, which we will discuss more on the next slide.

14. 9. Share Table Allergy Considerations
Potential allergen signage
Another important reason for parent outreach
Make sure share table policy doesn’t conflict with any existing food allergy policies or procedures at your school
Food allergies are an important consideration when implementing a share table. Keeping foods on the share table to only foods that are part of the school meal program helps monitor potential allergens. School food service departments need to know ahead of time when potential allergens are in the foods provided. When it is known that an allergy is on or will be on a share table, signage should be posted to warn students.
This is another important reason for notifying parents of the share table at your school. It informs parents of the foods and beverages provided, and the procedures around how a share table operates. This gives parents the opportunity to discuss with their child whether or not they feel comfortable with their student taking foods from the share table.
Also, school board approval ensures that the share table doesn’t conflict with any policies or procedures that are currently in place around food allergies.

15. 10. Collaborate with Teachers
Inform teachers about the share table
Benefits: reduced waste; could potentially reduce food cost and custodian trips to dumpster
In elementary schools, let teachers and lunch monitors know about concerns with students taking more in order to share
Food service staff will be encouraging students to take only what they can eat
Request that teachers reinforce these instructions with their students
We all know that teachers have a tremendous amount of influence on students. So, it is important that we also educate them about share tables. It is helpful to share the potential benefits of share tables with teachers. You should also let teachers and lunch monitors know about concerns with students taking more food in order to share. We can request that teachers echo our instructions to students about taking only what they intend to eat. We have developed a sample template that you can adapt to communicate all of this to the teachers at your school.

16. Resources Available CDE SOP Sample Letter to Parents Share Table Signs
Sample to Teachers
CDE Food Safety Webpage
CSU Webpage
We encourage you to take a look at the resources available to help you implement share tables at your school. These are available on the CDE website and will also be put on the CSU website in the near future.

17. Conclusions
Share Tables provide an opportunity to reduce the amount of food thrown away
Allow us to use tax payer funds more efficiently
May ease some custodial staff burden
Students’ health and safety take priority over reducing food waste
We’ve discussed some important considerations regarding the use of share tables in schools. Share tables provide an excellent opportunity to provide extra nutrition to a child in need and reduce the amount of food waste on a daily basis. With a reduction in waste, this allows food service funds to be used more efficiently. It an also ease the burden of excess trash for the custodial staff. While all of these are important benefits of using a share table, a school should only operate a share table when they are certain they can properly implement all food safety protocols. The health and safety of a child takes priority over reducing food waste.

18. Acknowledgements Alicia Grove Sara Rose Foreman & Jon Padia from CDE
Nutrition services staff from Greeley-Evans, Poudre and Thompson School Districts who allowed us to tour their kitchens and cafeterias
A lot of the information in this presentation came from Alicia Grove’s CSU master’s project. Alicia researched share table policies from states across the country to identify best practices. We also need to thank Sara Rose Foreman, who wrote the CDE SOP, and Jon Padia who also provided a lot of insight for this webinar.
I also want to thank the nutrition services staff from Greeley-Evans, Poudre and Thompson School Districts who allowed us to tour their kitchens and cafeterias and check out their share tables, as well as all the other cool things they are doing in these districts.

19. Questions?
And now we’ll open it up to any questions.

20. Melissa Pflugh Prescott, Colorado State University Melissa
Melissa Pflugh Prescott, Colorado State University Kristi Rolfsen, Colorado Department of Education
Contact us:
Melissa Pflugh Prescott, Colorado State University Kristi Rolfsen, Colorado Department of Education