Prepare a food safety honor roll this school year

July 24, 2023

Parents and caregivers should take extra care when preparing and preparing school lunches. Fluctuations in food safety are not an option, especially when children are at high risk of foodborne illness.

The USDA has some tips for parents and caregivers to help maintain respect for food safety.

Keep cold foods cold and hot foods

• Cold foodsThe USDA recommends using sealed lunch boxes to keep food safe. Paper bags are dangerous because they do not allow food to cool properly. Always use at least two cold sources such as frozen gel packs, frozen juice boxes, or frozen water bottles to freeze foods. Foods stored at room temperature are at risk of entering the “danger zone” (temperatures between 40F and 140F where bacteria can multiply rapidly and cause illness).
• Fresh foodsWhen packing hot foods like chili, soup, or stew, be sure to use a sealed container to keep the food warm. Keep the container covered until lunch time to keep the food at 140F or higher.

If you pack a lunch the night before school and refrigerate it overnight, pick up the bag or lunch box before you leave the house. Pack perishable foods that can be eaten at lunchtime. This way, there will be no problem with the storage or security of the leftovers.

Remember the four steps to a food safety honor roll

Clean– Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before touching food.

Different– Separate raw meat from ready-to-eat food.

Cooking—Use a food thermometer to determine whether your meat and poultry are fully cooked to a safe internal temperature.

Cool down– Fast cooling of food. Avoid foods that have been kept at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

For more information, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) or email MPHotline@usda.gov to find a food safety expert or chat live at ask.usda.gov from 10am to 6pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.