If you’ve dreamed of becoming a successful entrepreneur and also thought of working from the comfort of your home, maybe you’ve decided to open a home-based business. While there are several types, one of the most popular ones is a food business. This includes any business that handles food for sale – catering, food preparation for markets, online food sales, etc.
It is really a great idea to start a home-based business in the country as the people are known to support local businesses. However, a home-based food business can be a lot of work. Besides the requirements and knowledge you need to run your business properly, you should also always comply with standards, including safety and sanitation. Still, there are some things that you can do to help you manage your business, at least in meeting that standard. Here are some tips to make your house an ideal place to manage your food business.
Find a house cleaning service
Even if you’re just starting your food business, it would be beneficial to hire house cleaners. Depending on your house location, you can look for professional cleaners in Melbourne, Sydney,Gold Coast, or others to help keep your home clean.
Having house cleaners for your living space already benefits you and improves your lifestyle. It takes a massive load off your shoulders and keeps you living in a clean and healthy environment. These advantages are boosted when you have a food business at home. As you must comply with Australian food safety standards, ensuring your home is clean and sanitary is vital, and having professionals come in can significantly help you.
Not only are they more knowledgeable and have more equipment for sanitation, but having house cleaners that come regularly means that you won’t have to think about this aspect anymore. Instead, you can just focus on the food that you’re making and ensuring that everything about your business is in order.
Segregate and organise everything
Another helpful tip is for you to keep everything organised and separated. You have to ensure that nothing contaminates your ingredients and food products. This includes keeping the food from dirt and ensuring that cooked and raw food do not mix.
To do this, it’s best to separate your food into different containers in your kitchen. You should also consider using various kitchen utensils when handling different types of food. For example, you’d want to use a separate chopping board for raw food from the ready-to-eat ones. As a guide, you can put labels on these utensils or use different colours for the types of food that you’re handling.
Have the appropriate space when working
If you’re living in the same place where you’re cooking, as much as possible, you should create a separate space where you handle food for selling. This space should be away from other family members and especially household pets.
You should also consider a layout where you and others you’re working with (if any) can quickly move around without contaminating the food. For example, if you’re working in your house’s kitchen, create a layout where you’d find enough room at the counters to keep ingredients away from each other.
It also helps to ensure that the plumbing at your work area works well and that you have soaps and towels ready. You should also note that, according to Food Standards Australia New Zealand, if the sink you’re using to wash your hands is also used for other things like washing the dishes, you first need written approval from your local council.
If that’s not possible, come up with a schedule
If there’s not enough space at home to completely separate your work area when you’re cooking or baking, it’s best to devise a plan to have the slightest contact with others when you’re working. Especially if you live with other people, you should coordinate with them and come up with a timeframe when you’d need the kitchen all to yourself.
Ideally, you won’t need to spend long hours to keep them away. It helps when you prepare your food and ingredients beforehand so that the actual cooking process becomes shorter. You can also advise your family members or housemates about your “business hours” ahead so that they can make adjustments on their own.
Ensure you have the necessary storage spaces
It’s also essential to have the appropriate storage available at home. Think about what ingredients you’re keeping and where you can easily organise and store them. For example, if you have dry ingredients, which cupboards can you keep them in? How would you ensure they’re separated from the ones you’re using to cook your own meals at home?
The refrigerator is another thing that you should pay close attention to. You should have enough space inside to store all your ingredients easily. The fridge should also be big and powerful enough to keep the food under the right temperature and conditions. Additionally, it should be cleaned regularly to avoid unwanted microorganisms harming your food. Again, this goes back to the cleaning service that you’re hiring. If it’s within their terms, you can ask them also to clean the fridge as part of their general cleaning.
Have a proper waste disposal system
Lastly, having an efficient waste disposal system can help keep your house clean. For example, as you’re cooking or baking, you should have a space to place any peelings or food waste to keep them away from other ingredients and your finished product. To make things convenient, you can have a separate trashcan or bag from the ones you use for your household trash first.
After working, think of where and how you will dispose of this waste. Follow any segregation laws that your community has, or start your own. For example, keep the food waste away from recyclable containers.
Following these tips can help you maintain a house that’s clean and safe for you to live in and manage your business. Safety and cleanliness are one of the most important things you should consider (besides your menu and the food flavour, of course), so these can significantly help you adhere to safety standards.
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