Food Related Community Service

[kbtoyssni]

This church group I'm a part of is planning on cooking breakfast at this local nursery. It's a place parents can drop their kids for free if there's a family emergency. I really want to help out, but all of a sudden I'm envisioning pancakes and cereal and messy toddlers and help! Does anyone have any ideas on how to help out and not be freaking out the whole time about gluten???

[Lisa]

What about reading stories or helping at an art table? If helping with meals and clean-up I would wear latex gloves and be careful about air born flour or pancake mix.

[kbtoyssni]

Oooh, good idea with the art and reading. That carries a very low risk of gluten. Thanks for the idea!

[missy'smom]

I often help out in the kitchen at church and handle the food without problem. Cut and serve cakes, clean up and set up potlucks and tea time and cake time after the services. I just work carefully and wash my hands alot. You may want to tie your hair back if you are up close and personal with the kiddos so that you don't end up with crumbs in your hair. Also so that you don't reach up to get that stray hair out of your face with contaminated hands/gloves. Depending on the situation, you may want to wear an apron and change and wash your clothes when you get home. I personally would be comfortable flipping pancakes but would be concerned about mixing the batter. I probably wouldn't eat there in this particular case. Eat before or wash up before eating at home afterwards.

Just my 2 cents.

[Mom23boys]

At one church event I was in charge of kids with allergies. At snack time I took X kid or kids and got them their bag or appropriate snack and made sure there was no sharing or whatever the requirements.