Healthy stomach, healthy mind

  • Published
  • 60th Medical Group Public Health

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Parents, guardians, teachers and children can attest that the school year is back and in full swing.  With the start of a new school year, parents and teachers are searching Pinterest, the internet, Facebook and many other avenues for the secret to ensure their children will have a successful school year. 

One topic many might not consider searching is how to keep home-packed meals from spoiling before lunch time.

Many schools do not offer refrigerators to keep foods cold nor microwaves to heat them up.  Harmful bacteria multiply rapidly in the "danger zone" — temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.  Keeping this in mind will help parents know what to pack in their child’s lunch box.

Foods can generally be split into two categories: non-perishable and perishable.  Non-perishable foods do not require refrigeration to be safe for consumption.  This includes uncut fruits, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, crackers, chips and unopened cans or packs of meat or fish.

Perishable foods must be kept cold – held at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below.  This includes lunch meats, cheeses, yogurt, eggs and premade salads such as chicken, tuna or egg. 

Below are a few tips to ensure a healthy day at school:

Preparing lunch:

  • Wash your hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils and countertops with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next item. Keep family pets away from kitchen counters.
  • Harmful bacteria can spread throughout the kitchen.  Wash cutting boards, utensils and countertops after cutting raw foods and raw meat/poultry.

Packing lunch:

  • Pack perishable foods in an insulated lunchbox or soft-sided lunch bag. Pack perishable items with at least two cold sources, such as frozen juice boxes or water and a freezer pack.  By lunchtime, the liquids should be thawed and ready to drink.
  • Pack hot lunch, such as soup, chili or stew in an insulated container to keep it hot. Fill the container with boiling water, let stand for a few minutes, empty and pour in piping hot food. Tell children to keep the insulated container closed until lunchtime to keep the food hot – 140 degrees Fahrenheit or above.
  • If packing lunches the night before, leave the lunchbox lid or bag in the fridge so the food will stay cold longer because everything will be refrigerator temperature when placed in the lunchbox.

Eating lunch:

  • Remind children to wash their hands before lunch or encourage them to use the disposable wipes of hand sanitizer before and after eating.
  • Discard all leftover food, used food packaging and proper bags to avoid contaminating other food that could cause foodborne illness.

Remembering these simple tips is a great way to ensure a healthy stomach and healthy mind for your child and success in school. For more information on food safety, contact the David Grand USAF Medical Center’s Public Health Flight at 707-423-5470.