Kitchen Compliance Worksheet

Run your kitchen like an inspector is walking in tomorrow.

This Kitchen Compliance Audit Worksheet is a practical, easy-to-use self-audit tool designed specifically for bakers, food vendors, and cottage food businesses who want to stay compliant, inspection-ready, and confident in their food safety practices.

Built around ServSafe principles and aligned with Tennessee cottage food and commercial food regulations, this worksheet helps you identify gaps before they become violations—saving you time, stress, and costly mistakes.

What’s Included:

This downloadable worksheet walks you through every critical area inspectors look for, including:

• Personal Hygiene & Handwashing
  Ensure proper handwashing access, signage, and employee hygiene standards.

• Food Contact Surfaces & Equipment
  Verify cleaning, sanitizing, storage, and cross-contamination prevention.

• Refrigeration & Temperature Control
  Track safe fridge/freezer temperatures, labeling, dating, and TCS foods.

• Sanitizing & Cleaning Procedures
  Confirm correct sanitizer use, test strips, cleaning logs, and workflows.

• Dry Goods & Ingredient Storage
  Audit labeling, FIFO practices, allergen separation, and storage height.

• Pest Prevention & Facility Conditions
  Catch common red flags like entry points, trash handling, and maintenance issues.

• Documentation & Compliance
  Review certificates, required signage, labels, logs, and emergency procedures.

Built-In Scoring System

At the end of the worksheet, score your kitchen with a Green / Yellow / Red rating so you know instantly whether you’re:

• Inspection-ready

• Mostly compliant but needing minor fixes

• At risk for noncompliance

Who This Is For:

• Cottage food operators

• Home bakers selling legally under cottage law

• Farmers market vendors

• Pop-up food businesses

• Small commercial bakeries

• Food entrepreneurs preparing for inspections

Why You’ll Love It:

• Clear, plain-language prompts (no confusing legal jargon)

• Inspector-focused checklist based on real-world standards

• Perfect for monthly self-audits, pre-inspection prep, or onboarding helpers

• Printable and digital-friendly

If you want peace of mind, fewer surprises, and a kitchen that meets food safety expectations every single day, this worksheet belongs in your food safety binder.

If you want, I can also:

• Tighten this for Etsy SEO

• Rewrite it for Gumroad / Stan Store

• Create a short Instagram caption + CTA

• Turn it into a bundle description with your other food safety resources