If a student takes food and has no money to pay for it, can they put it back?

Yes, if the food meets three conditions, it can be re-served to a student.  The three conditions are:  (1) non-potentially hazardous, (2) commercially packaged food, and (3) unopened.

Once a student puts food on his or her tray, it has been SERVED.  Once served, most foods cannot be re-served to any person.  The only foods that can be re-served are unopened, commercially packaged foods, such as:

• cookies
• bags of chips or pretzels
• juice boxes.

Foods that are not commercially packaged, such as the entree of the day, cartons of milke, or commercially packaged foods that have been opened, cannot be recovered by Child Nutrition personnel and re-served to another student.  These foods are more likely to cause foodborne illness so cannot be re-served.

Revised:  June 25, 2008; Originally prepared:  May 21, 2007

If you have questions, contact Dr. Angela Fraser, Associate Professor/Food Safety Education Specialist, Clemson University, Clemson, SC.

Clemson University is an AA/EEO employer and does not discriminate against any person or group on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

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