Safe Lunch Study Guide
Make sure your child's lunch passes from kitchen
to cafeteria in A+ condition with these helpful home food
safety rules from the American Dietetic Association.
Stay Cool for School
Perishable foods should not be left out of refrigeration
for more than two hours — but according to a new
survey of kids conducted by the American Dietetic Association
, four out of five kids say they don't have access
to a refrigerator at school. Help keep your child's
lunch safe by packing it in an insulated lunch bag or
lunch box and including an ice pack or frozen beverage
container.
Skip the Shortcuts
Most parents (73 percent) prepare their child's lunch in the morning before school
which can make for an early morning time-crunch! Take the time to avoid shortcuts
that can lead to foodborne illness. Make sure counter surfaces are clean and any
remnants of last night's dinner are long gone to prevent cross-contamination.
Start Each Day with a Clean Slate
Half of all kids who carry a lunch box or lunch bag to school say that their container is not
cleaned every day, while a small percentage (8 percent) say it's "hardly ever" cleaned. Start
each day off fresh by making sure your child's lunch box or lunch bag is washed with warm soapy
water after each use — it's just one more way to keep lunchtime bacteria at bay!
Chill out Right at Night
If you're one of the 26 percent of parents who prefers to prepare their child's lunch the night before, make sure
perishable food items — such as yogurt, tuna salad and meat or cheese sandwiches — are properly
stored in a refrigerator set below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Not sure what the temperature is in your fridge?
Invest in a refrigerator thermometer to keep accurate tabs on the temp.
Create a (Shelf) Stable Environment
More than two — thirds of all kids say they want to eat healthy foods for lunch — but healthy
doesn't have to mean perishable. If refrigeration is unavailable, consider substituting perishables with
shelf-stable foods such as trail mix, granola bars, bagels, carrot and celery sticks, whole fruit, single-serve
applesauce, cans of tuna, and peanut butter.
Leave Leftovers Behind
One in four kids say they keep their lunchtime leftovers for an afternoon snack —
but not all foods can go the distance. Encourage your kids to throw away perishable
foods right after lunch, and pack extra non-perishable food items for them to
enjoy as an afternoon pick-me-up.
Mind Your Fruits and Veggies
In addition to washing vegetables and ready-to-eat fruits like apples and grapes,
parents also should rinse peel-and-eat fruits like bananas and oranges to eliminate
harmful bacteria that can spread during peeling or cutting.
Lend a Helping Hand
While nearly 60 percent of kids don't wash their hands before eating lunch, more than nine out of 10
kids say they would wash their hands with a moist towelette or hand sanitizer if one was included in
their lunch container. Also, help teach kids the importance of lathering up before digging in by reinforcing
good habits at home. Encourage them to sing two choruses of "Happy Birthday" (about 20 seconds) while washing
their hands before family meals.
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