If you’ve ever visited an outdoor winter market, you might think they’re just about cozy scarves and sweet treats. However, if you’ve been a vendor at one of these markets, you’ve probably noticed all the challenges the cold weather brings.
Unpredictable electricity, limited equipment, frigid air, and uneven, muddy ground can all pose major challenges to vendors trying to keep things organized while also hustling to prevent pathogens or a bad cold from disrupting operations.
Most people associate foodborne illness with summer and heat waves, but the data tell a different story.
In fact, norovirus outbreaks peak from November to April.1 So while everyone’s worried about warm potato salad in July, the real risk could be that batch of cheese left “chilling” in a snowbank. Add questionable handwashing practices due to cold weather to the equation, and you’ve got plenty to keep you busy.
In this blog, we’ll cover some key ways you can keep food safe while working at a winter market pop-up. Read on to learn:
Can I leave food outside of a cooler if it is cold enough outside?
How do I keep hot foods hot when it is cold and windy?
What’s the best way to keep your hands clean in the cold?
How do I set up my space to protect the food I’m serving?
What can I do to stop norovirus before it starts?
Can I leave food outside of a cooler if it is cold enough outside?
In short, no. You may think: “If it’s cold outside, I don’t need a cooler for my TCS foods.”
However, even when it feels freezing (or is freezing), a sunny spot can raise temperatures, and just one blast from a propane heater can push your food into the temperature danger zone.
As a vendor, you really cannot trust the ambient winter chill to keep food safe. Use insulated coolers filled with ice or gel packs to store your uncooked TCS foods. It is also important to keep calibrated thermometers in your equipment kit and set reminders to check the temperatures of your food and storage coolers at least every hour or two.
How do I keep hot foods hot when it is cold and windy?
Protecting cold foods may be more straightforward in the winter, but how are you supposed to hold hot foods above 135°F when you’re up against a windy cold front that can cause open trays to rapidly lose heat and burners getting snuffed out by wind gusts without you noticing?
Strategies for keeping hot foods hot when working at an outdoor winter market include:
- Using wind guards: Build three-sided wind shields with sheet pans or plywood around chafing dishes to protect against cold drafts.
- Relying on lids: Always keep food covered when you aren’t actively preparing or serving it. Invest in hinged or heavy-duty lids that trap heat and reduce fluctuations.
- Bringing food prepared in your kitchen: If you prep in your kitchen first, you’ll have piping-hot food when you arrive. It is easier to maintain a high temperature than try reach it on-site!
- Installing barriers under hot pans: Place towels, wood boards, or cardboard under food pans to reduce heat loss to metal tables.
Your job isn’t just checking box temperature; it also involves troubleshooting on the fly to ensure safe holding temperatures are maintained, no matter what the weather throws at you.
What’s the best way to keep your hands clean in the cold?
Hand hygiene is hard enough in summer, but when it’s nearly freezing, it's understandable that vendors may be tempted to skip steps.
Make sure your portable handwashing station is well insulated and, if possible, powered. Even a cheap plug-in heater can keep water warm enough for proper washing.
The FDA Food Code requires water to be kept at a running temperature of at least 85°F for retail food workers.2 If access to warm water is tough, you can improvise with thermoses of hot water or insulated tanks wrapped in blankets, refilled as needed.
Keep your station out of the wind and stock up on paper towels, since air-drying isn’t practical and can cause dry, cracked hands.
Gloves help, but be smart: standard winter gloves should not come into contact with food. Consider wearing a thin glove layer topped with disposable gloves. And remember, outer gloves get replaced after every cash or trash interaction.
Snow isn’t clean, so protect your food
We all know winter isn’t just about the cold. It’s also about the snow, ice, and all the dirt and chemicals they carry. Snow that falls on exposed food can carry dirt, road salt, and air pollution.
Set up pop-up tents or tarps at your stall every time you serve outdoors. It’s not optional. These covers will keep out snow squalls and prevent last-minute scrambling. Solid table barriers and waterproof bins protect your backstock and make cleanup easier, too.
Also, keep all serving tables at least 12 inches off the ground to avoid contamination from muddy puddles or slush. Remember: one customer stomp and your stock could be at risk.
Finally, never leave food to “cool” in snow or let it sit on icy pavement. Opt for insulated coolers, and always keep food storage safely elevated, especially during February’s unpredictable conditions.
Stop norovirus before it starts
As a vendor, you’re responsible for the health of your customers AND staff. Norovirus thrives in cold weather and is the leading cause of foodborne outbreaks in winter.3 Anyone with even mild symptoms, like a cough or sore throat, should sit out of work—no exceptions.
Don’t be afraid to ask your team the tough questions about their symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat with fever, or yellowing eyes/skin all mean someone should stay home.
It might not be fun to enforce, but it’s non-negotiable for your business and market safety. Letting someone tough it out really isn’t an option when reputations and public health are at stake.
Stay warm, stay safe, and protect your business
Winter markets aren’t for the faint of heart, but you’re already thinking a step ahead, or you wouldn’t be here. Stay on top of your temperature controls, monitor your hygiene practices, and work with your team to address exposure risks as they arise.
Stay proactive: the quickest way to lose customer trust is a preventable food safety incident, especially in the depths of winter. But with the right approach, you’ll keep the treats safe, the produce crisp, and the cocoa flowing all season long.
For more expert tips, practical tools, and ongoing support tailored to the realities of winter markets, explore Trust20’s food safety courses. We’ll make sure your stall stays safe (and successful) no matter how cold it gets.
FAQ
Can I store food in the snow?
No, you can never store food in the snow. Snow isn’t sanitary, and you can’t check its temperature. Use ice packs and clean coolers.
If there’s steam, is the food hot and safe? to eat
Not always; steam can rise from food at temperatures as low as 100°F (nowhere near the 135°F you need). You can even see your own breath steam at 98°F, which means eyes alone can't do the job. Get that thermometer out, and trust the numbers.
How can I prevent produce from freezing?
Lettuce, spinach, and soft fruits turn to mush when they freeze, then thaw. You can protect this produce by wrapping leafy greens in towels, keeping them in an insulated box with room-temperature air packs, and setting them away from the open sides of tents. Cover the display with towels or blankets wduring lulls
How can you prevent frozen handwashing stations?
Pack a thermos with hot water, tuck it in an insulated sleeve, and keep refilling the supply. If a station ices over and water stops running, vendors can’t serve open food until it’s thawed.
Sources:
1. Today: Norovirus Cases Driven by Ultra-Contagious Variant Are Surging. And Hand Sanitizer Won't Kill It
2. Food and Drug Administration: Summary of Changes in the 2022 FDA Food Code
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Norovirus Facts and Stats
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