National Food Safety Education Month - “It Starts With You”

National Food Safety Education Month (NFSEM) is observed every September across the United States. Since 1994, it has helped raise awareness of safe food handling practices and reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

Each year, NFSEM highlights weekly themes designed to give food workers and businesses practical steps they can apply in real workplaces.

For Userve, NFSEM is more than just an awareness event, it’s an opportunity to deliver actionable food safety education. Throughout September, we will unpack each weekly theme, starting with Week 1’s focus on It Starts With You. 

By sharing insights, tips, and training resources, we aim to make NFSEM both informative and practical for food professionals across the country.

Theme for NFSEM Week 1: It Starts With You

The first week of NFSEM sets the tone for the entire month. It Starts With You emphasizes the individual role that every food worker plays in protecting customers and preventing illness.

This theme highlights two food safety essentials:

• Hand hygiene: Washing hands properly and often - before handling food, after touching raw meat, after restroom use, and after breaks
• Personal responsibility: Knowing when you’re too sick to work and being honest about symptoms that could put others at risk

Why Is Hand Washing Important?

Hand washing is the single most effective way to stop germs from spreading in a kitchen. Harmful bacteria and viruses can transfer from raw meat, phones, or dirty surfaces to ready-to-eat food in seconds. 

A proper 20-second hand wash with soap and warm water removes these threats and protects customers.

Here are practical steps you need to follow:

• Wash hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm running water
• Clean under fingernails and between fingers
• Dry hands with a clean paper towel, not a shared cloth, apron or clothing
• Wash after using the restroom, handling raw proteins, touching phones, or taking out garbage
• Never substitute sanitizer for soap and water when hands are visibly dirty

Why is Personal Responsibility Important?

Knowing when to step back from food service is critical to maintaining the safety of customers and coworkers alike. 

Personal responsibility means recognizing that showing up sick doesn’t make you dedicated, it puts those around you at risk. Many foodborne illness outbreaks are traced back to employees who worked while experiencing symptoms.

Illnesses like norovirus, hepatitis A, or even the common cold can spread rapidly in food environments. Even mild symptoms, like an upset stomach or low-grade fever, can lead to contamination.

Here are key personal responsibility practices to follow:

• Stay home if you experience vomiting, diarrhea or fever
• Inform your manager immediately if you begin feeling ill during a shift
• Follow your workplace’s illness reporting and return-to-work policies
• Never handle food for others if you’re recovering from a contagious illness, even if symptoms seem mild
• Encourage a culture where staff feel safe reporting illness without fear of losing hours

By practicing personal responsibility, food workers demonstrate leadership in food safety. Choosing to stay home sick may feel inconvenient, but it protects both the business and the people it serves.

Common Food Safety Mistakes You Should Avoid

Even after training, small mistakes can weaken food safety practices within a business. Week 1 of National Food Safety Education Month is a reminder to avoid these common mistakes:

• Skipping key hand wash times such as after handling cash or cell phones
• Relying only on hand sanitizer, which doesn’t remove grease, allergens or certain pathogens
• Rushing the hand washing process by rinsing quickly instead of scrubbing for 20 seconds
• Working while sick, especially with vomiting, diarrhea, fever, or sore throat with fever

Correcting these habits early in the month makes it easier to build a strong safety culture that lasts all year.

How Can Food Businesses Participate in Week 1 of National Food Safety Education Month?

Employers and managers can use Week 1 as a launchpad for staff engagement. Examples include:

• Restaurants and cafés: Hold a quick pre-shift hand washing demo and remind staff when to wash
• Schools and childcare centers: Teach students proper hand washing alongside cafeteria staff and encourage students to wash their hands before eating
• Healthcare facilities: Reinforce links between food safety and infection control practices
• Food trucks or catering teams: Post laminated hand washing guides near portable sinks

Some businesses run “hand washing challenges” during Week 1 of National Food Safety Education Month, rewarding consistent compliance. Others share their participation on social media using NFSEM hashtags to inspire community awareness.

What Is Happening for the Remainder of National Food Safety Education Month 2025?

Week 1 sets the foundation for the rest of the month. After focusing on personal hygiene habits, NFSEM 2025 continues with the following weekly themes:

• Week 2: Stop the Spread - Avoiding cross-contamination
• Week 3: The Heat Is On - Cooking and holding food at safe temperatures
• Week 4: Safe Spaces, Safe Food - Safe storage and cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting

By following these weekly themes, teams can turn September into a focused training period to establish consistent routines, rather than just a reminder. 

Userve will be publishing weekly blogs filled with actionable tips to help bring each theme to life. Make sure to check back regularly for the latest updates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is National Food Safety Education Month?

National Food Safety Education Month is a U.S. campaign that runs every September to promote safe food handling to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

What is the Week 1 theme for National Food Safety Education Month?

The theme for Week 1 is It Starts With You, focusing on hand hygiene and personal accountability.

How long should food workers wash their hands?

At least 20 seconds with soap and warm water, scrubbing nails, palms and between fingers.

What symptoms mean I shouldn’t work with food?

Vomiting, diarrhea, fever, jaundice or sore throat with fever are all signs you should stay home.

How can businesses promote NFSEM Week 1?

By offering quick training refreshers, posting hand washing reminders, and encouraging illness reporting. Share this blog with your team to get them engaged in National Food Safety Education Month this year.

Start Strong From Week 1

Week 1 of National Food Safety Education Month reminds us that food safety doesn’t start with rules or equipment - it starts with you. Every food worker’s commitment to clean hands and personal responsibility protects customers, coworkers and communities.

Looking for tools to support food safety training year-round? Visit Userve’s homepage to explore certification programs and resources designed for U.S. food businesses.