Managing a school kitchen can be quite a demanding task, especially if you don’t know where to begin. Today we are going to cover a few important supplies that are needed to properly run a school kitchen.

Kitchen Scales

Just like every commercial kitchen, a scale is just as important to have on hand within a school kitchen. This allows you ensure that your portions are accurate each time. Using a scale also prevents you from making too much or too little of food, therefor reducing overall product waste.

Knives

Not every task that requires slicing and dicing can be completed with a food processor; some tasks still require manual labor. As a result, you'll need to buy enough knives for the kitchen staff at your school to operate effectively.

Cutting Boards

Another essential kitchen utensil needed to properly operate a school kitchen is a cutting board. When purchasing new cutting boards for your school kitchen you will want to make sure that you choose plastic ones. By doing this, you can prevent cross-contamination because fewer bacteria will enter the substance. Also, plastic is a dishwasher safe material, making it easier to clean.

Food Storage Containers

Food Storage Containers are another important part of the school kitchen. Food storage containers allow you to keep food fresh until you need it again, which is essential if you want to minimize expenses. You will also want to make sure you have plenty of food pans, ingredient bins and condiment dispensers on hand. These kitchen supplies provide excellent solutions for food storage.

Tongs, ladles & Spoodles

You'll need serving materials for your school kitchen whether your cafeteria has a standard line setup or has a self-serve buffet salad bar. You will want to make sure to pick up plenty of tongs, ladles and spoodles to serve students for the year.

Measuring Cups

Liquid and dry measuring cups are important to keep on hand in your school kitchen. These tools make it easy to measure out needed ingredients for everyday menu items.

Spatulas

Every kitchen needs a spatula for one thing or another. Having the right spatula handy in your school kitchen will go a long way and make the cooking process much easier.

Sheet Pans

You will need something to place your foods on before it goes into the oven. This is where a durable sheet pan comes in handy. Another great thing to go with sheet pans is the investment of a sheet pan rack. A quality sheet pan rack allows you to safely store your baked goods fresh out of the oven.

Thermometers

Keep in mind you are serving thousands of students a day, it is crucial that the foods you are serving are cooked to temperature. The only way to make sure this is done is by using a kitchen thermometer to test your foods. The last thing you want is to serve your staff and students under cooked foods. This can result in huge issues like foodborne illnesses.

These are only a few of the many things that are needed to properly operate a school kitchen. The list of needed equipment and supplies for schools goes on and on. However, this is a great starting point and will help with the beginning shopping process. If you have any questions regarding the purchase of new foodservice equipment, Cook’s is happy to help!