Susan M. Morgan, CFCS, M.Ed.
County Extension Agent
Family and Consumer Education
Bolivia, NC 28422
August 2004
Now that school has started, many parents may be packing lunches each morning for children to take with them; and too often, when children come home from school with a “bug” the cause may well be food poisoning from a bag lunch.
Food safety is particularly important in packing a bag lunch because food kept at room temperature provides a perfect place for bacteria to grow.
The key to packing a safe bag lunch is careful and sanitary food preparation and sound food care. Following a few easy precautions now will save your family a lot of grief later.
Be sure to cook food thoroughly. It's also important to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Bacteria thrive at temperatures between 41° and 140°F. The familiar vacuum bottle is a good way to keep certain kinds of food hot or cold. If soups, stews, or chili are boiling hot when poured into a sterile vacuum bottle, you should not have any problem with them.
Besides the vacuum bottle, there are several other ways to keep food cold until you're ready to eat. Ideally, the lunch should be kept in a refrigerator. If that is not possible, put a cold device into the lunch bag . . . a commercial gel, a plastic margarine tub filled with water and frozen, a plastic bag filled with ice cubes, or a can of cold beverage. You might try freezing certain types of sandwiches, though you may experience some loss in quality. Some sandwiches freeze well – those that contain roast beef, ham, lamb, turkey, luncheon meats or processed cheeses. These can be made and put in the freezer the night before. Coarse-textured breads freeze best. Frozen sandwiches thaw in time for lunch and also help keep the rest of the lunch cool until then. It's also a good idea to use a lunch box instead of a paper bag. Lunch boxes, especially insulated ones, hold the cold much better than paper bags. Plus, a box is easy to keep clean and sanitary.
There are some old favorite stand-bys: peanut butter and jelly, shelf-stable cheeses, fresh and dried fruits, raw vegetables, crackers, breads, nuts, pretzels, chips, cookies, and canned meats and fish that do not need refrigeration. However, remember that it is important to pack a little variety as well as good nutrition in your lunch.
Cleanliness is another very important factor in food safety. Keep utensils and countertops used in preparing lunches clean by washing them thoroughly with soap and hot water. The same goes for your hands. Also, wash vacuum bottles and rinse them in hot water after each use.
In short, keep hot foods hot, cold foods cold, and everything clean.
Susan Morgan is Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Education for the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in Brunswick County. For more information or questions, contact Susan at (910) 253-2610 or P. O. Box 109, Bolivia, NC 28422.
Please e-mail Susan Morgan,
CFCS, M.Ed., County Extension Agent, Family and Consumer Education for
further information or assistance.
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Date Created 6/1/2004