Food Safety Guidelines

School Gardens serve as exciting living laboratories for learning and are an important component of Farm-to-School Programs. The produce grown will be eaten and shared with students, their families, and the community. Basic Food Safety Guidelines are important to follow for everyone who works in a school garden with students.

The information below is selected to provide guidelines for school learning gardens on Hawai‘i Island.

Best Practices: Handling Fresh Produce in Schools (Kōkua Hawai‘i Foundation)
“Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. Introducing children to them in schools will improve their present and future health. Fresh produce must be handled safely to reduce the risks of foodborne illness. There are a number of steps that foodservice employees can take to minimize the chances for fruits and vegetables they handle to become contaminated. Best practices for handling all types of produce are described in this fact sheet, along with practices specific to leafy greens, tomatoes, melons, and sprouts.”

Mindful Garden Safety Video
The Mindful Garden Safety video was created by the students of Waikīkī Elementary in 2013 to help educate others on the importance of safe practices in school gardens.

Student and Food Safety: Best Practices for Hawai‘i School Gardens
Student and Food Safety: Best Practices for Hawai‘i School Gardens Checklist
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, 2011

School Garden Food Safety Best Practices Poster
Grades K-8
Download the high-quality print version (27.8 MB)
View online

Grades 9-12
Download the high-quality print version (19.4 MB)
View online

USDA School Garden Food Safety Guidelines

USDA Produce Safety PowerPoint for School Gardens

Testing Your Soil Guidelines
UH Mānoa – CTAHR

Testing Your Water Guidelines
UH Mānoa

Serving Food Grown in School Gardens
Oregon Department of Agriculture

Best Practices for Using Produce From School Gardens
National Farm-to-School Network

Serving School Garden Produce in the Cafeteria