Serving K-12 Lunches with Carter-Hoffmann Hot Food Holding Cabinets

School lunches are an important meal to help students get through the day. According to the USDA, school cafeterias around the country serve almost 5 billion lunches each year. So cafeteria staff needs equipment that will help them prepare nutritious meals to serve students and staff quickly.

Having equipment that allows for preparing and cooking in advance can help make the jobs of K12 cafeteria workers a little easier. Carter-Hoffmann hotLOGIX and VaporPro Heated Holding Cabinets allow for you to cook food in advance, then hold it safely, so that every student and staff member is fed during the school lunch periods.

Prepare Food in Advance 

One way to help serve food quicker is to prepare menu items in advance. Having the food  ready-to-go only works if the food is still hot once it’s time for lunch. Being served a lukewarm lunch can be a big disappointment. With a holding cabinet, food can be cooked in advance, stored in pans and kept hot until it’s time for lunch. VaporPro holding cabinets have digital settings, so it’s easy for kitchen staff to use and make sure foods are held at the right temperature and humidity. VaporPro cabinets are also heated and humidified and can act as proofers, saving counter or oven space when baking. Food can also be held uncovered for longer periods of time, letting schools keep food hot without excess moisture, which can negatively affect food quality and texture.

Cooking in Batches

There are many benefits to batch cooking, including saving money, less time cooking and minimizing waste. Batch cooking can also help K12 cafeteria staff prepare enough food in advance to serve thousands of students a day. As batches of food cook, VaporPro and hotLOGIX holding cabinets can have pans slid into them, freeing up space in ovens and steamers to cook more food. Universal pan slides accept 12/20 steam pans and large sheet pans, allowing for large quantities of different types of food to be kept warm at the same time.

Storing Food Safely

Ensuring food is stored safely and out of the danger zone is critical for school  foodservice operations to make sure no one gets a foodborne illness. Schools need to be careful about how the food is stored while keeping warm, so the food on top shelves doesn’t contaminate anything below it. VaporPro and hotLOGIX both have models available with water pans at the top of the unit, away from contamination hazards. And with air circulating up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, food can be stored safely, freeing staff to concentrate on other tasks.

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