By: Richard L. Smith
As the back-to-school season approaches, shopping aisles are filled with school supplies, but it’s equally important to remember the essentials for your child's lunchbox.
Ensuring homemade lunches are safe to eat involves a few key items: insulated soft-sided lunch bags, two cold sources, and insulated containers for hot foods.
USDA: How to Pack a Safe Lunch
According to the USDA recommendations, a soft-sided lunch bag, along with at least two cold sources, is recommended for cold lunches.
These can be two frozen gel packs (each no smaller than 5x3 inches) or a combination of a frozen gel pack with a frozen juice box or water bottle.
Place these cold sources on top and bottom of perishable food items to maintain their temperature.
If the school provides refrigerator access, store perishable items there upon arrival and keep the lunch bag open to allow cold air circulation.
The USDA said for hot lunches, use a clean, insulated container to keep foods like soup, chili, and stew hot.
Preheat the container with boiling water for a few minutes, then fill it with piping hot food.
Keep the container sealed until lunchtime to ensure the food stays at 140°F or above.
After lunch, discard any leftover food, used disposable packaging, and paper bags.
Reusing disposable packaging can contaminate other food and potentially cause foodborne illness.
Additionally, some food items are safe without refrigeration, including whole fruits and vegetables, hard cheese, canned meat and fish, chips, breads, crackers, jerky, jelly, mustard, and pickles.
For more detailed guidelines on packing safe school lunches, visit the USDA's resource on Keeping Bag Lunches Safe by clicking HERE.
For further information about food safety, contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854).
IMAGE/INFORMATION CREDIT: USDA