Don’t flunk out on kids’ lunches this school year

A healthy meal is more than selecting nutritious foods; it also includes safe food handling from the moment it’s prepared and up until lunchtime.

“While there have been huge strides in food safety, at least 48 million people in the U.S., are still affected by foodborne illness, every year,” said Dr. Emilio Esteban, USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety. “Our children’s health and safety depend on the safe food handling practices we teach, and practice at home.”

A recent USDA observational study on food preparation showed that only 44 percent of participants attempted to wash their hands before meal preparation, a failing grade no matter how it’s looked at. Even fewer participants (3 percent) washed their hands properly by rubbing hands for at least 20 seconds. Proper handwashing practices can help prevent cross-contamination when preparing school lunches.

To earn an A+ in handwashing, use the following steps:

• Wet hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap and apply soap.

• Lather hands by rubbing them together with the soap.

• Scrub hands for at least 20 seconds.

• Rinse hands well, under clean, running water.

• Dry hands using a clean towel. The kitchen can become a playground for bacteria when food is mishandled during preparation. To avoid cross-contamination, separate raw foods from those that are ready to eat during preparation. Don’t use the same cutting board for raw foods and ready-to-eat foods, like fruits and vegetables.

Having multiple cutting boards can help, but if only using one, make sure to wash it in hot soapy water, sanitize, rinse, and air or pat dry with a clean paper towel between uses.

Cooking enough meat and poultry to use later in school lunches is a great time saver. But never rely on the color or texture of meat/poultry to know if it is safe to consume. The only safe way to tell if it has been cooked to a safe minimum internal temperature, is by using a food thermometer. Let the thermometer do all the hard work to help pass the “Is it done yet?” test.

Passing the final food safety exam is by never leaving food out of refrigeration for over two hours. Leaving food out too long at room temperature, can cause bacteria to grow to dangerous levels that can cause illness. Bacteria tend to grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40ºF and 140ºF, doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes.

This range of temperatures is often called the “Danger Zone.” If cooking more than packing, make sure to store leftovers safely in sealed containers or airtight packaging. To do this, cut food into smaller pieces or divide large amounts of food into shallow containers, to allow food to cool rapidly. Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for three to four days, or can remain safe indefinitely, when frozen.

When packing the school lunch, ditch the brown paper bag. Always pack school lunches in insulated lunch boxes or insulated containers, to keep perishable foods safe until lunchtime.

For cold foods, include at least two cold sources in the insulated lunch box to keep perishable foods under 40ºF. These can be frozen gel packs, frozen juice boxes or frozen bottled water. By lunchtime, juice boxes or bottled water should be thawed, and ready to drink.

For hot foods, use an insulated container to keep food like soup, chili and stew hot. Fill the container with boiling water, let stand for a few minutes, empty, then pour in the piping hot food. Keep the insulated container closed until lunchtime to keep the food hot – 140ºF or above.

Non-perishable foods are also a great option when it comes to food safety. Items that do not require refrigeration will be safe past lunchtime and are the perfect addition to school lunch boxes, such as pre-packaged, shelf-stable meals; whole or dried fruits, like apples and bananas; whole vegetables, like baby carrots and cherry tomatoes; hard cheeses, like cheddar, gouda and parmesan; grains, like bread and crackers; and jerky, like beef, chicken or other meats.

Food safety questions can be answered by calling the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, at 888-674-6854.