Back to School Food Safety Reminder

So my son began fourth grade yesterday and as kids around the region resume school, we all want to be sure that the lunch we send with our child each day is safe as well as satisfying. Simply put, the lunch you send with your child needs to be packed with care and consideration. Kids are more susceptible to food borne illnesses than most adults. Oregon Department of Agriculture food safety specialist Susan Kendrick says proper temperatures are very important.
Kendrick:  “Well, if you are going to pack something that needs to be refrigerated, it’s a good idea to put a gel pack or a frozen juice box or something in the lunch to keep that cold lunch cold until your child eats at midday.”
Also important is the lunch preparation– using clean surfaces and clean hands in putting the food together. Choosing safe foods can help:
Kendrick:  “If you want to go with nonperishable foods, then you don’t have to worry about the refrigeration. So perhaps a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or crackers or dried fruit or something along those lines.”  
Kendrick says it’s not just what types of food are being packed into the school lunch that is important, but how it is being prepared. She says it is important as the prepare of the lunches to wash your hands thoroughly so you don’t contaminate the food. Avoid cross contamination by using separate surfaces for raw food like meats verus ready-to-eat foods.
Two other important tips– make sure your child eats the lunch when they are supposed to as leftovers are probably not a good idea. Also, tell them to wash their hands properly before eating. That’s a good policy at school and at home.