Food temperature log template for restaurants and cafes
What to record, the limits to check against, and a free template you can start using today.
A food temperature log records cold storage at 5°C or colder, hot holding at 60°C or hotter, chilled deliveries on arrival, and cooling of cooked food: 60°C to 21°C within two hours, then to 5°C within four more. Write down every reading, who took it, the time, and what you did if it was out. For Category 1 businesses under Standard 3.2.2A, this is the main way to show your temperatures are under control.
The limits to check against
| What you check | Limit | When |
|---|---|---|
| Fridges and coolrooms | 5°C or colder | At opening and before evening service |
| Freezers | Frozen hard | Once a day |
| Hot holding (bain-marie, pass, buffet) | 60°C or hotter | At set-up, then during service |
| Chilled deliveries | 5°C or colder on arrival | Every delivery |
| Cooling cooked food | 60°C → 21°C in 2 hrs, then → 5°C in 4 hrs | At start, 2 hours, and end |
| Reheating for hot holding | 60°C or hotter, quickly (ideally within 2 hrs) | Every batch |
Limits from FSANZ. Check times are our suggested minimum for a typical kitchen; the Code doesn’t set a frequency.
The template
Copy this layout into a notebook or spreadsheet, or print this page. One row per check.
| Date | Time | Unit or food | Reading | In limit? | Action if not | Initials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Nov | 7:45am | Fridge 1 (dairy) | 3.8°C | Yes | MT | |
| 12 Nov | 11:30am | Bain-marie | 57°C | No | Reheated to 75°C, checked again: 66°C | MT |
| 12 Nov | 2:10pm | Seafood delivery | 3.2°C | Yes | JK | |
| 12 Nov | 3:00pm | Beef stock (cooling) | 61°C → 19°C at 4:50pm | Yes | JK | |
Example entries are illustrative.
When a reading is out of limit
Check the food
Probe the food itself, not just the unit, and work out how long it may have been out of range.
Decide
Use it, chill or reheat it, or throw it out. If in doubt, throw it out, especially for high-risk food.
Fix the cause
Door left open, overloaded fridge, failed seal, bain-marie switched off. Fix it, or call for repair.
Write it down
What you found, what you did with the food, what you fixed, and your initials. Then check again.
What makes a log hold up
- Fill it in at the time. A column of identical readings in the same pen, written at the end of the week, is the first thing an officer notices.
- Record the fix, not just the number. A reading out of range with no action written next to it looks worse than one that was dealt with.
- Use a calibrated probe. Check it in iced water (about 0°C) and keep a note when you do.
- Keep logs for at least three months, where you can find them on the day.
Or skip the clipboard
In EthicalHub, staff log each check on a phone or tablet in a few seconds. A reading out of limit opens a corrective action straight away, and checks that are due show up on the day’s list. Every record has a name and time, and you can search a full year in seconds.
Log temperatures on your phone instead
See it in a free 20-minute walkthrough. Plans from $69 a month per site.
Temperature logs: common questions
What temperatures should a food temperature log record?
How often should I check fridge temperatures?
How long should I keep temperature logs?
What should I do if a temperature is out of range?
Every reading, on record.
Fridge, hot holding, delivery and cooling checks, logged in seconds.