Full Text
Packing A Safe School Lunch Keep Foods Clean y Keep everything clean when packing the lunch. That not only goes for the food, but also food preparation surfaces, hands and utensils. Use hot, soapy water. Keep family pets away from kitchen counters. Wash your hands before you prepare or eat food. Keep Cold Foods Cold: y Use an insulated lunch box to help keep foods cold. You can use a thermos to keep milk or juice cold until lunchtime. y Use freezer gel packs that are widely available in stores. If you cannot get freezer gel packs, a fun trick is to freeze a juice box overnight and put that into the lunch box next to the sandwich. That way, the sandwich will not get too warm and your child will have a cold drink at lunch. y Freeze the sandwiches. This works better with coarse-texture breads that won’t get soggy when they thaw. The sandwich will be thawed by the time your child is ready to eat lunch and it keeps everything else in the lunch box cold. (If your child likes lettuces, tomatoes and mayo, on their sandwich, pack those separately. They do not freeze well and your child may not like the taste of them. y Have your child put their lunchbox in the coolest place possible. If they can not put their lunch box in the refrigerator, have them keep it out of the sun and away from heat. y Pack shelf-stable foods, if you have to send a brown paper bag lunch with your child. These food items include fresh fruits and vegetables, crackers, peanut better sandwich stable cheese, packed pudding, and canned fruits and juice. Keep Hot Foods Hot: y Use a thermos to keep soup, chili and stew hot. Use an insulated bottle stored in an insulated lunch box. Fill the bottle with boiling water; let it stand for a few minutes, empty, and then put in the piping hot food. Keep the insulated bottle closed until lunch to keep the food hot. Other Things To Think About: y Make sure to talk to your child about washing their hands before they eat lunch. y Make sure that the lunch box is washed every night and is ready to be used the next day. Source: USDA Hamilton County Health Department Health Education Division www.hamilotoncounty.in.gov