Food Receipts - IMPORTANT

[deeb66]

As you all know it became a requirement in January 2006 for childminders to register as a food operating business......even if they were only providing snacks and drinks.

As a food business operator we are required to keep ALL invoices and receipts for ANY and ALL food purchases relating to our business regardless of how much it cost!

So although the Inland Revenue states that we don't have to keep receipts for anything under £10 The Food Standards Agency are now telling us that we do if the purchase relates to food!

It is a LEGAL REQUIREMENT so that food can be traced back to where it came from.

This is laid out in the new NCMA Members Handbook which has just been issued (2008/2009)

[Blaze]

Well tough...up until now! Will do in future...thanks Dee!

[crazybones]

Oh no! I understand the thinking behind it but what a palava that will be. I think I will have to ask the parents to provide everything and we will be back to junk food lunch boxes

[ajs]

thanks dee
i will have to move to a bigger house soon just to keep all of the paperwork that we're expected to have

[tomthumb]

This is going to make things difficult. I do my shopping for my family and mindees together. This is going to be so hard to work out what's what! Especially as I cook the same for everyone (family and mindees, luckily they like everything!)

Elodie

[nell57]

Thanks Dee

Where would we be without you

Helen

[deeb66]

I have always kept my receipts anyway as I buy the mindee's food at the same time as I buy mine and just highlight from the shopping bill and add that to my accounts.

It is also easier for me to do this as I don't necessarily cook different foods for the mindees.....they eat the same as we do and I often freeze portions for lunchtimes etc.

As I do use my shopping receipts for my accounts then they are filed each month with that months accounts so this side of things won't change for me.

What it will cause a problem with is that I now need to make sure that I get a receipt for every little thing that goes into the childs mouth when we are out and about and on outings etc.

Have you ever tried to get a receipt from MacDonalds or even worse an ice cream van

How the hell are we supposed to deal with that!!!!!!

[Pauline]

Thanks Dee - well I will stuff all mine in a big box and they can sort through them to find what they want

[katickles]

OMG thats just crazy!!!!

[ma7ie]

Thanks Dee - well I will stuff all mine in a big box and they can sort through them to find what they want

Me too.

[angeldelight]

Thanks for that Dee

Who will be coming to check that we have done this though ?

It is crazy it really is

Yeah Dee imagine asking the ice cream man for a receipt haha thats funny

Angel xx

[miffy]

I can not believe we need to do this - it's crazy

How long do we have to keep them for?

Thanks Dee anyway

miffy xx

[deeb66]

I can not believe we need to do this - it's crazy

How long do we have to keep them for?

Thanks Dee anyway

miffy xx

There is no specific time given.....you have to use your common sense!

But if you got a receipt anyway then you might just as well file it with your accounts and keep it there until you are able to destroy!

[angeldelight]

Yes but who is going to be checking them

Will anyone know if you dont do this ?

Angel xx

[jmoff]

thanks for that Dee.

We do not need to register with FSA in Kingston...I suppose they are the ones who would check this?


Jx

[deeb66]

Thanks for that Dee

Who will be coming to check that we have done this though ?


Angel xx

I get the impression that you will need them if a child comes down with food poisoning or something like that.

If you can prove that you stored and cooked the food properly then they might want to track where it came from and investigate etc.

Or

If you went to restaurant/cafe you would be able to prove that the child consumed the food there!

[miffy]

There is no specific time given.....you have to use your common sense!

But if you got a receipt anyway then you might just as well file it with your accounts and keep it there until you are able to destroy!

My common sense tells me not to collect the bloomin things in the first place!

Thanks Dee

miffy xx

[angeldelight]

Well I am sure that if anyone had an ill child we would say we cooked the food correct anyway because that is what we do - we are hardly going to say we gave it them raw or half cooked are we

Having a receipt proves nothing

I think the world is going crazy

I agree with you Miffy I feel inclined not to bother ha

Angel xx

[mjw]

Dee I have never had to register with FSA I only provide snacks as parents do meals but I was told we did not need to register.

Mary

[ma7ie]

My common sense tells me not to collect the bloomin things in the first place!

Thanks Dee

miffy xx

Here Here

Here in Lancashire we have been told that we do NOT have to register as food businesses as yet so until then I'm not adding to my workload.