HACCP checklist example: a template for temperature checks

A HACCP checklist example includes at least three sections: temperature checks for fridges and freezers, a cleaning overview, and a delivery check for incoming goods, each with date, time, reading or tick box, and a name.

What does a HACCP checklist actually look like?

The most common format is a table: the left column names what you check, the following columns are the days of the week or individual check moments, and each cell gets a value or a tick plus initials. Simple, but effective as long as everyone fills it in the same way. Most venues run a set of separate HACCP checklists, each covering one part of the process, rather than one document trying to capture everything at once.

Example: temperature checks on a HACCP checklist

For the temperature section, you typically record per fridge or freezer:

• Date and time of the reading.
• Measured temperature, with the standard alongside it as a reference: 7 degrees or below for refrigeration, minus 18 degrees or colder for the freezer.
• Name or initials of who took the reading.
• Action taken in case of a deviation, and this field should not stay blank even if there was none, a dash is enough.

Example: cleaning checks on a HACCP checklist

The cleaning section follows the same structure, but per surface or piece of equipment: work surfaces, cutting boards, the inside of the fridge and the stove. Instead of a temperature value you mostly tick off done, with initials next to it. For a full example focused just on this part, see the HACCP cleaning checklist covering every standard cleaning point in a commercial kitchen.

Example: delivery checks on a HACCP checklist

On receipt you record the supplier, the product, the temperature it arrived at, and whether the delivery was approved. If a chilled product arrives too warm, note that separately, even if you decide to accept it anyway. This part often gets skipped, even though it is exactly the moment a problem in your supplier's cold chain becomes visible before it reaches your own stock.

What happens if your HACCP checklist is incomplete?

A missing or incomplete HACCP checklist is one of the most common reasons for a fine during an inspection. That lines up with the broader HACCP requirements for safe practice in a commercial kitchen set by the Dutch food safety authority, where a demonstrable, unbroken record is required. A fine starts from roughly 525 euros, even if the refrigeration or the cleaning itself was actually fine at the time. The record itself, not just the practice behind it, has to hold up.

Where can you get a free fillable template?

Want to get started without designing a checklist from scratch? Take a look at the Coolwatcher product page for a starting point on the temperature side, and build out your own cleaning and delivery columns from there.

What are the downsides of a paper HACCP checklist?

A paper checklist gets lost, a day gets skipped, and at the end of the month someone has to gather every loose sheet and review it. For the temperature section specifically, there is a fix that removes this problem structurally: automatic measurement. Coolwatcher measures fridges and freezers continuously and turns that into a digital logbook, exactly like the temperature section of the example above, just without anyone having to fill it in by hand. A deviation triggers a WhatsApp alert straight away, and Coolwatcher will also call you if that alert goes unacknowledged or happens during a closed night or weekend.

Frequently asked questions

Does a HACCP checklist need to follow a fixed format?

No, there is no mandatory layout. It does need to be demonstrable, legible and complete, with date, reading, and who carried out the check. As long as that is covered, you can design the checklist however suits your kitchen.

How many HACCP checklists do I need?

Usually at least three: temperature, cleaning and delivery. Larger kitchens often split this further, for example a separate checklist per fridge or per room, so each one stays easy to read.

Can I combine a HACCP checklist with automatic temperature monitoring?

Yes, and that is often the most practical approach: the temperature section runs automatically through a system like Coolwatcher, while cleaning and delivery still get ticked off by hand. That removes exactly the part most prone to error.

Want to automate the temperature section of your HACCP checklist instead of filling it in by hand every day? Coolwatcher offers that from 50 euros a month, including a free demo.