Share Tables for Child Nutrition Programs in Alaska

In an effort to reduce the amount of food waste and encourage the consumption of food served, many food service operations have established share tables. Children can place unconsumed food and beverage items that they choose not to eat or drink on the table, providing other children the opportunity to take additional helpings of food or beverages at no extra cost.

Reducing Waste

Offer vs. Serve (OvS) is the best way for a food service operation to combat excess waste on trays. Under OvS students are given the ability to decline certain meal components.
Offer multiple choices within components. Students are more likely to find something that they will want to eat.
Prepare food in ways that enhance their appeal - season for ultimate flavor, scratch cook more often, batch cook so food is fresh and appetizing, and ensure food is served at proper temperatures.
Allow appropriate time to eat and space meals so they are not too close to one another.
Implement recess before lunch, so children can work up an even larger appetite.

Share Tables

Review production records to help plan amounts to prepare and document leftovers to reduce overproduction.
Before implementing a share table, make sure to discuss these plans with the Food Safety and Sanitation Program.
Figure out the location of the share table - ideally the table should be close to the cashier or wherever students exit the food service line.
The share table must be monitored by any employee other than the cashier.
If time is used as a public health control, food service operations have a 4 hour period where students can share and the food service operation can resell unopened milk, cheese sticks, and other temperature controlled food or beverages. Programs cannot donate these foods and beverages if using time as a public health control.
Only food or beverages that do not require temperature control or have been maintained in temperature control, may be collected for resale or recovery. Collected food and beverages should be clearly labeled in a container or box marked for resale or recovered food for donation and not mixed with unsold foods.

Food Safety

Students are allowed to drop off their unwanted food on the share table or in the designated fridge/coolers at any point during the lunch service. However, only temperature controlled food dropped off immediately after leaving the serving line can be donated to food recovery groups.
The monitor should identify any food, beverage or condiment to make sure it has not been contaminated (e.g. opened, partially consumed, etc.) and the original packaging is in sound condition.
Discard share table items that require temperature control and have been in possession of the consumer at the end of the last meal service or within 4 hours of service.
Students may not be allowed to donate items brought from home.
Develop a Standard Operating Plan (SOP) in the Food Safety HACCP Plan.

Allowable Donations

Non-temperature controlled pre-packaged products like food bars, drinks, crackers, and cereal packs.
Wrapped fruit and vegetables or fruit with an inedible skin, like bananas and oranges.
Temperature controlled pre-packaged products like cheese and milk as long as they are placed in a cooler, refrigerator, or ice bath, or are consumed within the same lunch period (no more than 4 hours).

Resources

Partner Agencies

Alaska Department of Education and Early Development
Child Nutrition Program
907-465-8712

Municipality of Anchorage
Food Safety and Sanitation Program
907-343-4200