FOOD SERVICE REQUIREMENTS.
Fort Worth City Code § 16-433
in effect§ 16-433 FOOD SERVICE REQUIREMENTS.
(a) General requirements.
(1) All child-care centers in which food is prepared for human consumption shall comply with the pertinent food service regulations set forth in Chapter 16 “Health and Sanitation”, Article IV “Food Establishments” of the city code and the Texas food establishment rules. While child-care centers in which food is prepared on site must comply with all applicable food service regulations, such child-care centers need not obtain food service establishment permits, nor temporary food service establishment permits. Further, employees of such child care centers need not obtain food handler’s certificates, nor must the child-care manager obtain a food manager’s certificate.
(2) Food service establishment permits or temporary food service establishment permits shall not be required in child-care centers which do not prepare food on site, which have children bring their own lunches, which serve only prepackaged single-service snacks, or which prepare no food other than infant formula.
(3) All off-site food services used by a child-care center must be permitted as a food service facility by the environmental services department or the appropriate regulatory authority in the jurisdiction wherein the food is prepared. Furthermore, facilities receiving food from such food service entities must have adequate and appropriate provisions for the holding and serving of food and for the washing of utensils in accordance with the requirements of the city code.
(4) At all child-care centers where food is prepared for human consumption, residential type refrigerators, freezers and ranges shall not be used for food preparation or storage in the food preparation area. Only equipment that meets or exceeds the standards established by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) will be approved for use, except that, in areas other than food preparation areas, residential type refrigerators may be used for storage of infant formula, juices and medications requiring refrigeration. Child-care centers in operation upon adoption of this ordinance which were equipped with residential type equipment may continue to use such equipment until such time as replacement of such equipment becomes necessary due to obsolescence or malfunction, but shall be replaced no later than October 1, 2024. All replacement equipment must meet or exceed the standards established by the NSF.
(5) Child-care centers which do not prepare food on site, which serve only prepackaged single-service snacks, or which prepare no food other than infant formula may use a residential type refrigerator for the purpose of storing infant formula, prepackaged snacks or medications requiring refrigeration.
(Ord. 11209, § 3, passed 11-24-1992; Ord. 27524-03-2025, § 12, passed 3-11-2025)
Source: City of Fort Worth, Code of Ordinances, City Charter and Zoning Ordinance (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/ftworth/latest/ftworth_tx/0-0-0-19843Fetched: 10/26/2026