A clear, one-page reminder of the everyday basics every UK kitchen relies on: safe defrosting, separating raw and cooked food, keeping sick staff away from food, the right temperatures, sanitising prep areas and washing hands.
At a glance
What it is
A free, printable one-page poster with six core food safety tips, each shown with a simple icon and a short instruction.
Who it's for
Food handlers, kitchen and front-of-house staff, supervisors and managers in catering, hospitality, retail, care, schools and early years.
Why it helps
Keeps the daily non-negotiables visible at the point of work, supporting good habits and staff induction.
Where to use it
By the hand wash basin, prep bench, fridge, freezer and staff area in any commercial kitchen or food premises.
This is a single-page awareness poster that puts six everyday food safety basics in front of staff where the work happens. Each tip has a clean line icon and a one-line instruction, so it reads at a glance from across a busy kitchen. The six tips are:
Food defrost - defrosted food should not be refrozen.
Contamination - keep raw and cooked food separate to avoid cross-contamination.
Sick staff - don't allow sick staff to handle food.
Temperatures - hot hold at or above 63°C, keep chilled food at 0–4°C, keep frozen food at -18°C or lower, and cook food thoroughly to at least 75°C at the core.
Sanitisation - clean and sanitise preparation areas to reduce food safety hazards.
Hand washing - wash your hands regularly with soap and water to prevent contamination.
Why it matters
Most food poisoning traces back to a handful of avoidable mistakes: food left in the temperature danger zone, raw meat touching ready-to-eat food, hands not washed, or someone working while unwell. A poster won't fix any of that on its own, but a visible daily prompt keeps the basics front of mind when a kitchen gets busy.
The temperatures on the poster line up with UK guidance. Hot food should be held at 63°C or above. Cook or reheat food to at least 75°C in the centre. Freezers should sit at around -18°C. For chilled food, the Food Standards Agency recommends a fridge between 0°C and 5°C - the poster's 0–4°C is a sensible target - and the legal maximum for chilled storage is 8°C. The zone between 8°C and 63°C is where bacteria multiply fastest, so the aim is to move food through it quickly and keep it out of it the rest of the time.
One honest nuance on defrosting: "don't refreeze" is the right safe default for raw food, and it's what the poster shows. The FSA's position is that you can freeze food again once it has been cooked - but you can then only reheat it once after that. If you're ever unsure, don't refreeze.
Displaying this poster supports good practice. It is not, by itself, proof of compliance - that comes from trained staff, a working food safety management system based on HACCP, and your records.
Photo to add
Shot: The poster laminated and mounted on a stainless-steel wall in a real commercial kitchen, next to the prep bench, with kitchen activity slightly blurred behind.
Why: Shows the resource in genuine use and helps a manager picture exactly where it goes.
Ready alt text: "The 6 Tips for Food Safety poster laminated and mounted on a stainless-steel wall beside a prep bench in a commercial kitchen."
Where to display it
Put each reminder where the action it describes actually happens, rather than tucked away in an office:
By the hand wash basin - reinforces regular hand washing at the point of use.
At the prep bench - keeps cross-contamination and sanitising front of mind during prep.
On or beside the fridge and freezer - supports the chill, freeze and defrost temperatures.
At the cooking and hot-holding line - a quick check for 75°C core and 63°C hot holding.
In the staff or changing area - useful for the "don't work while sick" reminder and for induction.
How to get the most from it
Print in colour at A4, or scale up to A3 where you need it readable across a larger space.
Laminate it or use a wipe-clean frame so it survives splashes and daily cleaning.
Place it at the point of work, not in a back office, so each tip sits next to the task it describes.
Use it in induction - walk new starters through all six tips on day one and revisit them in shift briefings.
Pair it with training so staff understand the "why" behind each tip, not just the rule.
Keep it current - check it still matches the latest FSA guidance and replace it if anything changes.
Photo to add
Shot: A chef or kitchen assistant washing their hands at the sink, with the poster visible on the wall nearby.
Why: Connects the poster to a real person doing one of the six tips - relatable and reinforces use.
Ready alt text: "A kitchen assistant washing their hands at a sink with the 6 Tips for Food Safety poster displayed on the wall behind them."
Frequently asked questions
What are the 6 tips for food safety on the poster?
The poster covers six basics: do not refreeze food that has been defrosted; keep raw and cooked food separate to avoid cross-contamination; do not let sick staff handle food; hold hot food at or above 63°C, keep chilled food at 0–4°C, keep frozen food at -18°C or lower and cook food to at least 75°C at the core; clean and sanitise preparation areas; and wash your hands regularly with soap and water.
What temperatures should food be kept at in a UK kitchen?
Hot food should be held at 63°C or above. Chilled food should be kept cold — the FSA recommends a fridge between 0°C and 5°C, and the poster's 0–4°C is a sensible target. By law, chilled food must be kept at or below 8°C. Freezers should run at around -18°C. Cook or reheat food to at least 75°C in the centre (equivalent combinations such as 70°C for two minutes are also acceptable). The bacterial "danger zone" sits between 8°C and 63°C.
Can you refreeze food once it has been defrosted?
As a rule, do not refreeze raw food that has been defrosted — that is the safe default the poster reflects. The FSA's guidance is that you can freeze food again once it has been cooked, but you can then only reheat it once after that. If in doubt, do not refreeze.
Does displaying this poster make my business compliant?
No. The poster is an awareness and training aid, not proof of compliance on its own. UK food businesses must have a documented food safety management system based on HACCP (for example Safer Food, Better Business), trained staff, and records. The poster supports good daily habits but does not replace training, your food safety management system or your legal duties.
Ready to go further than a poster?
A poster keeps the basics visible; training is what gives staff the understanding behind them. These two accredited, EHO-approved courses pair well - Level 2 for everyone handling food, Level 3 for the person supervising them.
Level 2 · Food handlers
Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate
The standard grounding for anyone handling food - contamination, temperature control, personal hygiene, cleaning and the law. Available in catering, early years, manufacturing, retail and schools versions.
For head chefs, supervisors and managers responsible for standards - HACCP, hazard control, temperature management, staff training and food safety law.
Free 6 Tips for Food Safety poster for UK kitchens — print it and put it where your team works. No sign-up: https://www.thesaferfoodgroup.com/6-tips-food-safety-poster.php
About the author
PG
Paul Grantham
Food Safety Trainer, Educator & Consultant
Paul is a food safety trainer, educator and consultant with over 15 years' experience helping food businesses work safely. He lectures at university level and spent decades working across the hospitality and retail sectors before moving into training, giving him a practical, floor-level understanding of the pressures real kitchens and food businesses face. Much of his consultancy work centres on food safety auditing and management system design, and he has worked with everyone from independent operators to large-scale, multi-site organisations across a wide range of sectors. That blend of hands-on industry experience, academic teaching and system-level expertise shapes resources and training that make sense to food handlers and business owners alike.
