Extension Specialist on Safe Healthy Sack Lunches

August 14, 1997

Greensboro, NC: In the morning rush, it's tempting to toss a soft drink and a handful of cookies into a child's sack lunch, but with a little planning and little to no extra cost, parents can assure that their child's lunch is safe, and nutritious and agreeable to the child.

According to Dr. Wilda Wade, a food and nutrition specialist with the North Carolina A&T State University Cooperative Extension Program, lunch is an important part of a child's nutritional intake and should be treated as more than a snack.

"A child's lunch should provide approximately one-third of the recommended daily allowances of protein, carbohydrates (starches and sugar), fat, vitamins and minerals," said Wade. "When choosing between two foods, try to favor the most nutritious, such as including a juice packet, which contains nutrients for energy, instead of a soda consisting primarily of sugar."

To make a nutritious lunch more appealing to a child, Wade recommends packing a variety of foods.

"Vary the colors, flavors and textures of a child's lunch," says Wade. "The same lunch will become monotonous to the child, and increase the likelihood that they won't eat it."

Wade's recommendations for simple lunch variety include:

• changing sandwich bread among white, whole grain, wheat, raisin and rye
  
• use a variety of raw vegetables and fruits, and change the shapes in which the food is cut (strips, quarters and diagonals, for example)
  
• use different types of condiments
  
• add special treats around holidays or as a reward to the child
  
• plan lunches around themes such as Mexican or Italian cuisine

Selecting the right foods is an important part of packing a safe lunch, says Wade. Foods high in acid or low in moisture are resistant to bacteria growth, and are thus more appropriate for inclusion in lunches. Such foods include:

• raw, cooked or dried fruit
  
• raw vegetables
  
• dry cereals
  
• yogurt
  
• dried meats, such as jerky, salami and pepperoni
  
• unopened canned foods
  
• breads, cookies, crackers and cake
  
• peanut butter and nuts
  
• dry or hard cheeses
  
• pickles, relishes, mustard and ketchup
  
• butter and margarine
  
• jams, jellies and honey

According to Wade, types of food to avoid packing in lunches include foods high in salt or fat, and foods which pose health risks if not properly stored.

Foods that shouldn't be packed in lunches unless they are cooled properly and won't be without refrigeration for more than two hours include:

• custards and puddings
  
• raw or cooked meat, fish, shellfish and poultry
  
• dressings and gravies
  
• milk and milk products, except hard cheeses and yogurt
  
• cooked vegetables and cereals, such as rice

"Because food packed in lunches often spends time in a number of environments, it's important to take precautions to ensure that the food remains at the desired temperature," said Wade.

Food storage precautions recommended by Wade include:

• use insulated thermal lunch bags or other containers designed to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold
  
• use cold packs inside the lunch container to keep cold foods cold
  
• wash the lunch container with hot soapy water to prevent bacteria growth and cross-contamination
  
• pack foods that are already cold to avoid extended periods during which the food is at a temperature conducive to bacteria growth

"An eating environment devoid of bacteria is also important," cautions Wade. "Everyone should always wash their hands immediately before eating or preparing food, use only utensils which have recently been washed, and eat and prepare food in a sanitary environment."

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For more information, please contact Dr. Wilda Wade, NC A&T Cooperative Extension Program, (336) 334-7850.