School Lunch | How Big Is Your BUT? Blog

August 25, 2011

Are Germs Lurking in Your Lunch?

Did you hear that a study from the University of Texas published in the journal Pediatrics tested over 700 lunches belonging to preschoolers and found that 98% of the perishable products such as meats, vegetables and dairy products were in the unsafe temperature zone or rather the zone for growing bacteria? This danger zone is from 40-140 degrees so room temperature falls in this range.

What does this mean? If you’re packing lunches and they remain at room temperature for over two hours the food may become a breeding ground for bacteria. It’s a must-do to include a couple of cold packs and freeze items such as grapes, juice packs or bottles of water that will thaw as the day wears on. All of these tricks matter when it comes to keeping food safe.

Let’s scrub up on food safety:

1. If your children or you take a packed lunch, first find out if there is an option to put the lunch in a refrigerator. If not, the best lunch box choice is one that’s insulated plus will hold several cold packs. Cold packs tucked around the perishable items sounds like overkill but it’s the safe way to go. Freezing items such as grapes and juice boxes also helps keep perishable items cold. What items do you freeze?

2. What about preventing food poisoning at home with produce you purchase for lunches? Wash fruit and veggies when you bring them home BEFORE they go in the refrigerator or fruit bowl. Why? Salmonella and other bacteria can be on the outside of your cantaloupe or kiwi and will contaminate the fruit when you bite or cut into it.

3. When you walk in your kitchen to make lunch for the kids or yourself or when you eat lunch at work for that matter, the first thing to do is wash your hands. You would think washing hands is a no-brainer but you’d be surprised how many people use their computer keyboard, cell phone, TV remote or other items known to be covered with bacteria and then touch food. This is a very easy way to cross contaminate or spread germs from one item to something else. Use a hand sanitizer if a sink isn’t available. No need to become germ phobic just be smart about what you do and you lower the risk that anyone gets sick.

As we’re getting ready for fall schedules, last weekend I made a batch of Banana, Date & Walnut Muffins and put them in the freezer. Some of my college roommates are coming for a visit and I want to have some breakfast and snack muffins on hand. The muffins are naturally sweet from the dates and bananas and make a nice lunch box treat.

Want more? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

Listen to this week’s podcast

Comments (0)

August 10, 2011

Got Lunch? It’s Back to School Time

It’s back to school time, which means daily lunch duty. My girlfriend Petra is taking her two young girls to choose lunch boxes and buying small sizes in bulk of items such as energy bars, raisins, yogurt, cheese sticks…foods she includes in their lunch almost daily. This saves her time, money and lowers her stress level.

This week on my podcast, Regina Ragone, registered dietitian and Food Director at Family Circle magazine brainstorms with me on ideas for lunch duty. And… don’t forget you can now find our podcasts at familycircle.com, keyword ‘podcast’.

Regina’s first piece of advice: getting the kids involved significantly ups the odds that they’ll eat what you send. Brainstorm some options together before school starts.

I agree…starting with input on the lunchbox, whether you shop online or in a store, let your children have a say. But remember Mom and Dad select a lunch box with room for food plus a drink container and cold packs.

Some lunch boxes have a built in option for the cold pack. You can find cool lunch boxes everywhere from big box stores to your grocery, Office Depot, Sports Authority, Target and endless places online.

Regina suggests PlanetBox for an eco-friendly way to pack a variety of healthy bites and says that older kids will like the Go Green Bento Lunchbox or Easy Lunchboxes.

For quick prep, sandwiches are a given. Choose a whole-grain bread, which helps keep blood sugar remain stable throughout the afternoon. Try whole-wheat wraps or bagels to mix things up. Multigrain or whole-corn tortillas are also fun options (we like LaTortilla Factory) as are the popular whole-wheat sandwich rounds/thins. Have you seen the Pepperidge Farm whole-wheat sandwich bread shaped like goldfish? Kids love these. Watch for a sale, buy a couple of packs and freeze them. They will keep in the freezer up to about 3 months.

Also on Regina’s list is Aladdin’s Collapsible Salad Set which comes with individual containers, so it’s like a salad bar to go. Build a health salad with a base of greens and add toppings like nuts, tofu, beans and cheese. Leftovers plus salads prepped ahead on the weekend come in handy…especially pasta, tuna, chicken or egg salads, all of which are good salad toppers. I like to include fresh or dried fruit too.

Be sure to include a lean protein source, which will help keep your child feeling full and focused. Look for processed deli meats that are lower in sodium and have no nitrites added from companies like Applegate, Wellshire Farms, Dietz & Watson, and Boar’s Heads.

I keep baskets in my pantry filled with healthy selections including whole-grain cereal bars or nut bars, dried fruit such as cherries or blueberries, nuts, whole-grain crackers, peanut or almond butter, and pop-top cans or pouches of tuna. Every week I refill the fridge with cups of Greek yogurt, string-cheese, cut up fresh fruit and small pieces of whole fruit such as plums, pears, and apples….I buy what’s in season…says me time during the week and money on my grocery bill.

For a new spin on whole grains, try this month’s recipe for Wheat Berry Salad.