Requirement 1: Health and Safety (updated 2016)

ONE STEP AT A TIME . . .

GET READY . . .

Download and Print: REQUIREMENT 1 WORKSHEETS

GET SET . . .

KEEP IN MIND:  There's a lot of information in this requirement.  You are supposed to complete your meal planning and cooking requirements using the information in the 1st 3 requirements.  You need to retain this.  Use the resources listed to help you remember it, not just for this merit badge but hopefully for LIFE.  

GO!

1a. HAZARDS: 

i	Explain to your counselor : --The most likely hazards you may encounter while participating in cooking activities and
ii	--what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards.

1b.  INJURY PREVENTION AND FIRST AID

Show that you know first aid for and how to prevent injuries or illnesses that could occur while preparing meals and eating, including:  burns and scalds, cuts, choking, and allergic reactions

• TIPS for 1a & 1b:
• Use the worksheets.  It gives you a place to write everything down so you are sure you have it all covered and don't waste your time or your counselor's.  REQUIREMENT 1 WORKSHEETS
• Think about hazards in the kitchen AND on a campout (including wild animals).  
• Think of things NOT listed in 1b since you will cover those when you get to 1b..  
• Mitigate means "to lessen the effect of".  Sometimes this falls into the category of prevention and sometimes how to respond if something happens and sometimes in a category all its own. Use the columns on the worksheet loosely to fit your response.
• RESOURCES for 1a & 1b:
• 10 Kitchen Hazards from Chowhound 
• Kitchen Hazards & Kitchen Safety (Webpage)
• Kitchen Safety Checklist (PDF--You might want to print this to refer back to when you are about to cook)
• Fire Videos:

1c. FOUR STEPS OF FOOD SAFETY

i	Describe how meat, fish, chicken, eggs, dairy products, and fresh vegetables should be stored, transported, and properly prepared for cooking.
ii	Explain how to prevent cross-contamination.

• TIPS:
• As stated above, these are a life skill.  Please take them seriously and do your best to remember them for life. 
• RESOURCES:
• The USDA has a lot of resources about these for steps and so I have a separate blog post just for them with visuals and videos to help you learn about and remember the four steps of Food Safety.  
• They also have a webpage Charts:  Food Safety At a Glance with a lot of helpful charts!  For example, a chart that shows what temperature different meats need to be cooked to to be considered safe.  How long different foods can be kept in the refrigerator, etc.  
• Be Food Safe:  10 Tips to Reduce the Risk of Foodborne Illness a handout from the USDA
• Kitchen Safety Checklist (PDF--same as above but applies to this too)
• For a link to my post about packing a cooler go HERE.

1d. AWARENESS OF FOOD ALLERGIES, INTOLERANCE & DISEASES

Discuss with your counselor food allergies, food intolerance, and food-related illnesses and diseases.  Explain why someone who handles or prepares food needs to be aware of these concerns.

• TIPS:
• Awareness of these conditions will help you when you are planning meals so that you can make appropriate things for those you are cooking for.  When meal planning it's also good to keep in mind food restrictions of choice like vegetarianism or religious restrictions.  
• RESOURCES:
• See 1e for allergy information.
• American Diabetes Association (The link below the create a plate feature might be most helpful.
• Chron's Disease Pamphlet PDF (They discuss diet on page 8)
• Celiac's Disease (see also the information below about Wheat allergies and Gluten Free since celiac's needs to be treated with similar caution)
• The Plant Plate:  Meeting Nutritional needs on a vegan diet.

1e READING FOOD LABELS

Discuss with your counselor why reading food labels is important. Explain how to identify common allergens such as peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, and shellfish.

• TIPS:  
• Find out who you are likely to be cooking for and what special considerations they need and pay extra close attention to those resources related to the condition.  
• RESOURCES: You don't need all this information for this requirement, but if you need to cook for someone with allergies or intolerances these links should help.  The ones for this requirement are in bold.

Even if you don't have allergies
or food-related diseases to consider
 it is important to know how
 to read a nutrition label and this
 picture makes the basics pretty simple.  

From FARE ((Food Allergy Research & Education) or KFA (Kids With Food Allergies).  Noted after link.

• Allergens  FARE
• Most Common Food Allergies KFA
• Peanuts:
• About KFA
• About (includes list of foods/ingredients to avoid) FARE
• Reading Labels KFA
• Substitutions KFA
• Tree Nut Allergy
• About (includes list of foods/ingredients to avoid) FARE
• Reading Labels KFA
• Substitutions KFA
• Milk Allergy
• About (includes list of foods/ingredients to avoid) FARE
• Reading Labels KFA
• Substitutions KFA
• Egg Allergy
• About (includes list of foods/ingredients to avoid) FARE
• Reading Labels KFA
• Substitutions KFA
• Soy Allergy
• About (includes list of foods/ingredients to avoid) FARE
• Reading Labels KFA
• Substitutions KFA
• Wheat Allergy/Gluten Intolerance
• About (includes list of foods/ingredients to avoid) FARE
• Reading Labels KFA
• Substitutions KFA
• Sesame Allergy
• About (includes list of foods/ingredients to avoid) FARE
• About KFA
• Shellfish
• About (includes list of foods/ingredients to avoid) FARE
• Reading Labels
• Substitutions
• Other Allergens
• About (includes list of foods/ingredients to avoid) FARE
• Corn
• Corn Substitutions  KFA
• Fish
• About (includes list of foods/ingredients to avoid) FARE
• Other Related Conditions FARE 

REQUIREMENT 1 STRAIGHT FROM THE BSA for reference:
1. Health and safety. Do the following:

• a. Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you may encounter while participating in cooking activities and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards.
• b. Show that you know first aid for and how to prevent injuries or illnesses that could occur while preparing meals and eating, including burns and scalds, cuts, choking, and allergic reactions.
• c. Describe how meat, fish, chicken, eggs, dairy products, and fresh vegetables should be stored, transported, and properly prepared for cooking. Explain how to prevent cross-contamination.
• d. Discuss with your counselor food allergies, food intolerance, and food-related illnesses and diseases. Explain why someone who handles or prepares food needs to be aware of these concerns.
• e. Discuss with your counselor why reading food labels is important. Explain how to identify common allergens such as peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, and shellfish.