Extension >Family > Health and Nutrition > School Foodservice Training and Resources > Great Trays™ Toolkit for School Foodservice > Preparing Food
Great Trays™ Toolkit for School Foodservice
Preparing Food
Has your staff mastered the basics? Food preparation skills are an important part of serving up more vegetables and fruits, whole grains, and beans. Download the entire Great Tips for Great Trays™ booklet (3.6 MB PDF) or explore the tips below.
Using Kitchen Equipment | Improving Workflow | Preparing Fresh Produce | Preparing Legumes | Preparing Whole Grains | Other Resources
Using Kitchen Equipment
- How to Hold a Chef’s Knife (121 K PDF)
- Knife Cutting Techniques (137 K PDF)
- Types of Knives (134 K PDF)
- Using Kitchen Scales (114 K PDF)
- Measuring Liquid and Dry Ingredients Correctly (148 K PDF)
- How to Calibrate a Thermometer (165 K PDF)
- Checking Food Temperatures (146 K PDF)
Improving Workflow
- Mise en Place (222 K PDF)
- Setting Up a Work Station (172 K PDF)
- Preparing Food Just-in-Time (139 K PDF)
- How to Wrap Sandwiches (158 K PDF)
- More Sandwich Wrapping Ideas (96 K PDF)
- Self-Service Bar Tips (177 K PDF)
Preparing Fresh Produce
- Washing Fresh Produce (144 K PDF)
- Dicing a Carrot (159 K PDF)
- Chopping or Dicing Celery (173 K PDF)
- Preparing Jicama (169 K PDF)
- Cutting Head Lettuce (172 K PDF)
- Slicing or Chopping Melons (155 K PDF)
- Chopping, Dicing, or Mincing Onions, Shallots, and Garlic (125 K PDF)
- Slicing, Chopping, Dicing, or Mincing Bell Peppers (149 K PDF)
- Peeling and Slicing Butternut Squash (121 K PDF)
- Cooking Vegetables (142 K PDF)
Preparing Legumes
- Legumes: Beans, Peas, and Lentils (143 K PDF)
- Preparing Dry Beans and Dry Whole Peas (182 K PDF)
Preparing Whole Grains
- Measuring Flour (193 K PDF)
- Basic Principles for Preparing Pasta (120 K PDF)
- Cooking Dry Pasta (135 K PDF)
- Basic Principles for Preparing Rice (162 K PDF)
- Cooking Rice (135 K PDF)
- USDA Commodity Food Fact Sheet: Brown Rice — 25 lb
- USDA Commodity Food Fact Sheet: Brown Rice — 24/2 lb
Other Recommended Resources
Training for School Foodservice Professionals — Workshops on serving fruit and vegetables, increasing whole grains, and lowering sodium in your cafeteria.
2010 Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Galore Video Presentation — Fresh for Florida Kids; Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services — Short videos covering all kinds of fruits and vegetables, as well as related topics, from receiving and storage to classroom activities.
Culinary Techniques for Healthy School Meals — National Food Service Management Institute — A series of print and video-based lessons designed to produce healthy and delicious school meals.
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