Catering, Take-Out, and Personally Prepared Foods Policy

April 2022

In accordance with the requirements of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Amherst Board of Health, Amherst College has implemented the following protocols for all events that will include the consumption of food, including catering, take-out and personally prepared foods. This policy is designed to reduce the risk of food borne illness from meals that are improperly prepared, maintained or served. The requirements identified here-in are applicable to faculty, staff, students and anyone using Amherst College facilities, both indoor and outdoor.

All Amherst College scheduled events where food is to be served, must be approved by the appropriate Event Manager, using the proper request form(s) as indicated below. Event Managers might include, but are not be limited to, Registrar’s Office, Room Reservations Office, Summer Programs, Valentine Dining Services and the offices of both Student Affairs and Student Life.

CATERING and CATERED EVENTS

For events being catered, notice must be given to the Event Manager or the Office of Student Activities at least 14 days prior to the event, permitting sufficient time to secure permits from the Town of Amherst, to perform the appropriate background check(s) on the caterer/restaurant, and to arrange for the site inspection by the local health department.

-        Please note that many restaurants and other food establishments advertise that they are caterer’s, but do not hold the required catering license or permits, mandated by the Board(s) of Health. 

If a student group utilizing an Amherst College facility will be hosting an event which is to be catered by a licensed caterer other than Valentine Catering, the event organiziers shall:

1. Register your event with the Office of Student Activities via your organization's Hub page, if registering as an individual, please reach out to studentactivities@amherst.edu.

2. Complete the necesscary online training via Traincaster. If you need assistance with login contact ehs@amherst.edu

If faculty, staff, or anyone utilizing an Amherst College facility will be hosting an event which is to be catered by a “licensed” caterer other than Valentine Catering, the event organizers shall:

  1. Schedule the event 2 weeks in advance, through the appropriate Event Manager or Room Reservation Coordinator. 
  2. Complete the necessary paperwork, which includes identification of the location, time of the event, and caterer to be used, as well as the types of foods being served.
  • Faculty, staff and other persons utilizing an Amherst College facility, who are hosting an event, shall first contact the Room Reservation Manager of that facility where the event will be located, and make sure the necessary paperwork is completed, including

3. The College, through the Office of Environmental Health & Safety and the Amherst Board of Health, will determine if the requested caterer

  • is licensed and approved by the Town of Amherst Board of Health
  • has / or will obtain the necessary Temporary Food Permit, through the town, at a cost of $50.00
  • has the appropriate level of insurance ($1,000,000.00) to serve food at Amherst College.

4. For catered events where food needs to be kept hot and/or cold, in addition to the above, the licensed caterer shall:

  • remain on site as long as their food is being served,
  • provide a server or on-site manager / designee who is both Food Allergy and Serv-Safe trained
  • maintain appropriate temperatures, both cold (<40 deg F) and hot (>140 deg F), for the duration of the food service,
  • post required signage (8 ½” x 11”) that indicates that the food may contain nuts, dairy, seafood or other potential food related allergens, and
  • be expected to appropriately discard or remove from the site any food that has not been consumed at the end of the event.

5. Complete the necessary online training via Traincaster. If you need assistance with this please contact ehs@amherst.edu

 Exceptions

  • If a caterer is delivering food that is not considered potentially hazardous, such as bagels, donuts and coffee etc., they would not be required to remain on site, or serve this type of food.
    • It is the responsibility of the event requester to discard any remaining food / beverage that is not consumed within 1 ½ hours after arrival at the site
    • If items such as cream and milk are left on site for coffee and tea, these items must remain on ice
    • If cheese and/or meat platters, shrimp or similar food is to be served at an event, they must also be kept on ice or refrigerated

TAKE-OUT FOOD (example: Bakery Items, Grinders, Pizza, Sub’s and other Fast Foods)

If faculty, staff, students or anyone utilizing an Amherst College facility will be providing food from a local area restaurant (take-out), the event organizer shall:   

  1. Schedule the event 1 week in advance through the appropriate Event Manager or Room Reservation Coordinator (for factuly/staff) or the Office of Student Activities (for students only), and
  • Complete the necessary paperwork, including identification of the location, time of the event, restaurants from which the food will be obtained, as well as the types of foods being served.
    • Faculty, staff and other persons utilizing an Amherst College facility who are hosting the event shall first contact the Room Reservation Manager of the facility where the event will be located, and make sure the necessary paperwork is completed including
    • Students shall register the event with the Office of Student Activites via your organization's Hub page. 

2. Obtain the take-out food from a restaurant that is less than 30 minutes from the event site

3. Be responsible for picking up the cold or hot food from the restaurant verifying that the temperature has been appropriately maintained, and

4. Insure that the food (including meats, pizza, salads and dressings) is consumed within 1 ½ hours, from the time of actual pickup

  • any uneaten food must be disposed of at the end of the 1 ½ hour time frame, unless
    • the cold food has been kept at a temperature of <  40 degrees F for the duration of the meal
    • the hot food has been kept at a temperature of > 140 degrees F for the duration of the meal

PERSONALLY PREPARED FOODS (Faculty, Staff and Students)

When students prepare food for events on campus, other than those meals cooked and served specifically to residents in their own residence hall Food Preparation for Small Events, they shall:

  1. Register the event 1 week in advance, through the Office of Student Activities via your organization's Hub page. 
  • The “event” is officially registered after it has been approved for by the Office of Student Activities. 

2. Identify an Amherst College faculty member or staff sponsor for the event, to secure the needed resources for the function

3. Shall not charge or request donations for the food items being served

4. Shall not prepare or serve potentially hazardous food that include, but may not be limited to meat, poultry, fish, uncooked or partially cooked eggs, mayonnaise, custard, or any foods that would be required temperature control.

5. Shall have completed the necessary online training via Traincaster. If you need assitsance with this please contact ehs@amherst.edu

  • hand washing sinks (with soap and hot water) must be located within 20’ of the food preparation and serving area(s)

6. Indicate, using a small sign, that the food may contain nuts, dairy, seafood or other potential food related allergens

POT LUCK MEALS – Massachusetts Regulations

MOBILE FOOD TRUCK PERMITS – Massachusetts Regulations

For additional information on the Amherst College Catering and Take-Out Policy, please contact Environmental Health & Safety or Student Activities Office.