Using Education & Training to Keep Meals Safe
5 Ways to Get Your Local Foodservice Establishments GREAT-Trained
Foodservice establishments are in the hospitality business; they wantto keep their customers happy! Don’t be afraid to ask your local establishments to take the comprehensive online gluten-free training courses, GREAT Kitchens or GREAT Schools, Colleges and Camps. They won’t know there is a demand for safe gluten-free food if no one asks for it.
As we always say at Beyond Celiac, foodservice establishments don’t know what they don’t know. Some might need training and not even realize it. Other places are doing an amazing job at keeping our community safe and can benefit from proving their gluten-free knowledge by achieving GREAT Accreditation.
No matter which category your local establishments fall into, here are 5 easy ways to get the conversation about GREAT training started.
Share a link to the GREAT training program on their social media channels.
This is a great way to raise awareness of the training program, especially if the establishment is locally-owned or very active on social media. Plus, it won’t take very much time on your part! Follow-up with the restaurant at least once if you don’t receive a response. They’re busy, too, and sometimes need a friendly reminder.
Talk to the kitchen/foodservice manager.
In order for this to be effective, you should pick a time outside of their rush hours (so, not during the dinner or lunch rush). Ask to speak to the manager in charge and briefly explain what GREAT Kitchens is and why the training and safe gluten-free options are important to you and other gluten-free folks in the community. You don’t have to be a training expert! Download these informational sheets and take it with you to help you do the talking.
Leave a note.
Not everyone will be comfortable talking to a manager of a restaurant about taking training. That’s ok! Leave a note with one of the downloadable sheets above informing the establishment about the GREAT online training courses.
Team up with other gluten-free parents or students.
There’s strength in numbers! If you think your (or your child’s) school or college could benefit from GREAT training, let them know. Start asking around to see if there are other people who need safe gluten-free options. Look into gluten-free clubs or ask the school nurse if other students require a gluten-free diet. By demonstrating the need and demand, you’ll be more likely to make progress. Take the downloadable information sheets (above) with you to help guide the conversation with the foodservice team. If you’re more comfortable starting the conversation through email, simply attach the document or point them to www.greatGFkitchens.org to learn more.
Show restaurants, schools and other foodservice establishments that they’ll be in good company.
Many foodservice establishments have committed to serving safe gluten-free options by taking GREAT training. Print or share the link to this list of places that have either taken the training or taken their commitment to the next level to achieve GREAT Kitchens Accreditation.
