Back to school with a lunch box full of food safety

  • Published
  • By Kay Blakley
  • DeCA Home Economist
FORT LEE, Va. --  With the budding Einsteins at your house settling into their daily school routine, take a few minutes to refresh yourself on the rules of keeping food safe, especially as they apply to bag lunches. 

Start by keeping it clean: This applies to the countertop where the lunch items are prepared, as well as to the hands that do the preparation. Wash both well with hot soapy water, and dry completely before preparation begins. Use clean cutting boards, dishes and utensils, and keep family pets away from kitchen counters. We love them dearly, but pets can carry some nasty germs on their feet and fur that you don't want included in your bag lunch menu! 

Encourage kids to wash their hands before eating their bagged lunch at school, but be aware those words may fall on deaf ears. Make it easy for them by slipping an individually wrapped hand-sanitizing wipe into the top of the bag. 

Don't cross-contaminate: At lunchtime, discard any leftover food, and all used food packaging including plastic sandwich bags, aluminum foil and paper bags. While it might seem frugal to reuse them, it's actually one of those "penny-wise and pound-foolish" ideas. Even tiny specks of leftover food from the first use can contaminate and cause foodborne illness the second time around. Use washable or dishwasher-safe, hard- plastic containers instead, but discard these, too, when they show signs of wear such as scratches or cracks. 

Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold: Temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees are referred to as the "Danger Zone" for perishable foods. Harmful bacteria can multiply rapidly within this temperature range, so take precautionary steps to avoid it. Prepare cooked foods far enough in advance to allow for thorough chilling in the refrigerator before packing in the lunchbox. Meat and cheese sandwiches can be frozen overnight to keep them cold until lunchtime, but not those containing mayonnaise, lettuce, or tomato. Pack these items separately and add them to the sandwich at mealtime. 

Insulated, soft-sided lunch boxes or bags do the best job of keeping foods cold, but metal or plastic lunch boxes and paper bags can also be used. Paper bags will insulate better if you create layers by double bagging. 

Whatever your choice, use an ice source like a frozen gel pack, frozen juice box, even a frozen bottle of water (leave at least an inch of expansion room in the bottle before freezing). Pack your bag or box with the ice source on top - remember, warm air rises and cold air falls. 

Use an insulated thermos to keep lunch box items like soup, chili and stew hot. Fill the thermos with boiling water, let it stand a few minutes, then empty and fill with piping hot food. Keep the container tightly closed until mealtime. 

Other handy tips and tricks: Rely often on sturdy, healthy foods that require no refrigeration. These include whole fruits and vegetables like, apples, oranges, red and green grapes, cherry or grape tomatoes, baby carrots and sugar snap peas. Canned meats and fish, as well as small cans of baked beans or spaghetti, are all appropriate lunch box fare, and all keep well at room temperature. So do hard cheeses, breads (try to make it whole grain now and then), crackers, peanut butter, jelly, mustard and pickles.
Try to pack just the right amount of perishable food that will be eaten at lunch. That way you avoid any problems with throwing out what seem to be perfectly good leftovers. Kids eat different amounts of food according to their growth patterns - for smaller appetites make smaller portions and vice versa.
Remember, the food safety factor for bag lunches begins at home - and remember, the place to find healthy food at healthy savings is your very own commissary.
I wish you a school year's worth of safe and healthy lunch box lunches, and I'll see you at the commissary!