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Email a FriendPosted by Kate on Wednesday, Aug 31, 2011 10:04 AM (EDT):
For the sake of discussion:
http://freerangekids.wordpress.com/2011/08/29/whats-the-difference-between-a-sack-lunch-a-recently-beating-heart/
Pack a Perfect Lunch
6 ways to keep kids healthy
by Cheryl Luptowski in Health on Wednesday, August 31, 2011 6:00 AM
Preparing healthy snacks and lunches can be tricky. Aside from packing healthy items for our kids to eat, it’s also important to know how to properly pack and prepare these items to help avoid food-borne illness. Many of the items we send our children to school with sit unrefrigerated for hours before being consumed.
As a home safety expert at NSF International (a non for profit, public health and Safety Company), helping parents keep back-to-school safe and healthy is part of my job.
Here are some tips to help parents make sure the lunches they pack are healthy!
Pack Nonperishable Foods
The USDA now recommends that half of a meal be fruits and vegetables, which is convenient because most produce does not spoil at room temperature. Consider packing more foods that are nonperishable and don’t require refrigeration like whole apples, cherry tomatoes, grapes or carrot sticks.
Keep Cold Foods Cold and Hot Foods Hot
If you do pack perishable foods such as luncheon meats or prepackaged cheese & crackers, include a frozen gel pack or a frozen juice carton with the food in an insulated lunch bag or box.
If you’re packing hot foods such as soups or stews, re-heat the hot food on the stove to at least 165 F. To help keep it hot until lunch, pre-heat a thermos with hot water, let it stand for a minute or two, empty the thermos, then fill it with the hot food and close it quickly.
Throw Out the Leftovers
Pack only the amount of perishable food that your child can eat at lunch and advise them to throw out any leftovers.
Additionally, don’t reuse packaging materials such as paper or plastic bags, aluminum foil, etc. as bacteria can grow on these wrappings, contaminate other foods and cause foodborne illness. Have your child discard all used food packaging and paper bags after lunch. Wash lunchboxes, thermoses and reusable food storage containers daily with soap and hot water.
Minimize Time Food Spends At Room Temperature
Prepare lunches the night before and store them in the refrigerator overnight to help keep food cold longer the next day.
Keep it Clean
According to a NSF International germ study, the kitchen contains more germs than any other place in the home - including staph and coliform bacteria. Avoid introducing bacteria into a lunch when packing it by regularly cleaning and sanitizing your kitchen counter, dish sponge and kitchen sink.
Perform a lunchbox safety test
If you plan to send a hot or cold lunch to school with your child, perform a lunchbox safety test to make sure the food will stay safe. Pack and store a lunch exactly the way you would if your child was off to school. At the designated lunchtime, check the temperature of the foods with a food thermometer. Cold foods should be less than 40 F, while hot foods need to be above 140 F.
Don’t forget to always wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before preparing any meal and remind your child to do the same before he/she sits down for lunch. Handwashing is one of the best ways kids and parents can protect health and stop the spread of germs.
Happy Back-to-School!
—Cheryl Luptowski is a home safety expert at NSF International.
Comments
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Posted by Beth on Tuesday, Sep 6, 2011 9:41 PM (EDT):
The article you linked to did give some good food for thought about over protecting our kids. I thought some of the comments there got a bit snarky. I would not eat some of the food that was mentioned—like pizza that was out all day or a cheese sandwich so hot the cheese melted or warm tunafish. It is pretty gross when my kid’s lunch boxes have old food all over them. Why would I not clean out their lunch box when I eat off of clean plates for my meals? I love to put TLC in the lunch box and for me that means cold foods cold, hot foods hot. That said I don’t check temperatures!!
Once you have had a food borne illness you will do everything in your power to never have one again. I had one while I was pregnant and it was very frightening because some types of bacteria can cause a miscarriage. My parents still thaw their hamburger on the counter. So does my BIL. As with all things in life there is a balance and we can’t find that balance by thinking their are no food borne illnesses or by thinking we need to check the temp of our kids lunch everyday.
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