THE SAFETY ZONE : Sound Lunches

When packing a meal for school, think of interesting things to pack. Also think of keeping it safe to prevent the risk of food borne illness.

* Prepare foods with clean hands, clean equipment and in a clean work area. Wash lunch boxes with warm water and soap after every use. Whenever possible, use clean forks and spoons to mix foods.

* If meals are packed hours in advance keep perishable foods refrigerated. After cooking, thoroughly cool and refrigerate any meat or poultry foods. Add cookies, chips or other foods that lose crispness to the lunch in the morning.

* Anything taken out of the refrigerator and put into your meal must be kept cold. Foods that must be kept cold in a packed lunch include: meat sandwiches tuna or egg salad sandwiches, milk, cheese and yogurt, canned fruit that has been opened, fresh vegetables.

* If the meal contains pre-cooked foods or sandwiches to be warmed in a microwave oven, these foods also need to be kept cool until reheated.

* Foods that need not be kept cold in a packed lunch are: peanut butter sandwiches, cookies,crackers, chips, fresh fruit in the peel, unopened cans of fruit or pudding.

* Sandwiches can be frozen to keep them safe. They will thaw by lunchtime.

* Lettuce and other greens do not freeze well. Pack these separately and add to your sandwich before eating your lunch.

* Be sure cold foods are thoroughly chilled before packing them. When refrigeration isn’t possible, put something cold in the lunch box.

* There are several types and sizes of gel packs available. The freezer pack will keep cold food cold until lunch.

* Freeze water in leakproof plastic freezer containers. Put ice cubes in a container for use in keeping a lunch cold. Pack cold and frozen foods together. This keeps food cold longer. For example, freeze a juice box. This keeps surrounding food cold and will be thawed at mealtime.

* Use thermos containers to keep liquids or semi-fluid foods cold or hot until lunch.

Source: University of Minnesota