Keep it safe

Keeping your lunch safe is just as important as keeping it healthy and fun. That means keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Here are some additional guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture:

• Wash your hands before making lunch. Make sure all food preparation surfaces and utensils are clean.
• If you prepare lunch ahead, be sure to refrigerate or freeze it immediately. Freezing sandwiches will help keep them cold longer. However, don’t freeze sandwiches with mayonnaise, tomatoes, or lettuce. Pack these items separately and let your child add them on later.
• Freeze a juice box and add it to the lunch box. It will keep other foods cold and be just the right temperature by lunchtime. Or use a small freezer gel pack instead. Pack perishables such as deli meats, poultry, or egg sandwiches between these cold items.
• Pack hot soup, chili, or stew in an insulated bottled, preferably stainless steel rather than plastic-lined. Preheat the bottle by filling it with hot water and letting it stand for a few minutes. Empty the water and add the hot food. Make sure the food is above 140° first.
• The best idea is to use an insulated lunch box. If that’s not an option, be sure to use a double-bagged paper bag. Double bagging will provide more insulation and will prevent the bag from becoming soggy.
• Keep lunch foods chilled until it’s time to leave the house.
• Remind your child not to store his or her lunch near heat sources like sunny windows or radiators. Also remind him or her about the importance of washing hands before eating.
• Throw out any lunch leftovers.

For more information, visit the Partnership for Food Safety Education, www.befoodsafe.org