A Really Cool Lunchbox

When the back to school bell starts to ring this week, children will pour into classrooms armed with backpacks, workbooks – and stuffed lunchboxes.

But packing a lunch that is safe for your child to eat is just as important as packing healthy foods.

“Parents need to be extra careful about food safety, particularly during the summer months,” says New Zealand Food Safety Authority microbiologist Roger Cook.

“The warmer the day, and the longer food stays warm, the more bacteria multiply. If there are disease-causing bacteria present they will quickly increase in numbers and could make your child sick.”

Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind while preparing your child's favourite lunch:

• freeze drink bottles overnight to give you an instant ice block or use a frozen gel pack

• pack perishable foods, such as cold meats, chicken or egg sandwiches between cold items such as yoghurts and fruit salads

• wrap sandwiches in plastic wrap or aluminium foil

• use an insulated lunch box

• don’t repack any leftovers from the previous day

• encourage your children to store their food out of the sun – in or under their desk, in a cloakroom or in the coolest part of the classroom

• wash containers well and make sure they are dry before you put food inside

• keep lunches in the refrigerator overnight to stop them from spoiling.

Some foods are safe to eat without refrigeration, including fruits, vegetables, hard cheeses, meat and fish in cans, bread, crackers, pickles and spreads. But if in doubt, chill them.

Divide large amounts of food into shallow containers for fast chilling and easier use. You could also freeze small, single-serve quantities of items like sandwiches, muffins and scones so you can defrost them as required. However, for best quality, don’t freeze sandwiches containing mayonnaise, lettuce, or tomatoes. Add these later.

Ensure your kitchen benches, hands, chopping boards and utensils are clean when you’re preparing and packing the food, and wash and dry fruits and vegetables thoroughly.

Avoid cross-contamination by using separate chopping boards for fresh produce and meat and poultry, and remember to wash utensils between uses – for example, do not spread mayonnaise with the same knife that you cut a brownie.

“Young children are among the groups of people who can be more at risk from foodborne illness, so food safety is especially important,” Roger says.

“Following the 4Cs – Clean, Cook, Cover, Chill – and the wash + dry = clean hand wash rule are some of the best ways to ensure the food going into your child’s lunchbox is safe.”

There is more information on food safety on NZFSA’s website www.nzfsa.govt.nz and the Foodsafe Partnership website www.foodsafe.org.nz

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For further comment contact: Roger Cook, Principal Adviser (Microbiology), 029 894 2523

For more information contact: Mandy Smith, Advisor (Media Communications), 029 894 2528