Food Safety

Back to school

Food safety tips for homemade lunches & snacks

Healthy lunches and snacks are important for children and help with their concentration and learning. School lunches however are particularly susceptible to food poisoning, especially in the summer heat. Parents and care-givers are reminded of a few simple food safety rules to prepare safe and healthy school lunches and avoid the growth and contamination of food poisoning bacteria.

• Before handling food, wash hands with soap and warm running water and dry thoroughly. Lunch boxes and eating utensils should also be washed thoroughly before reuse. Children should also be encouraged to always wash their hands before eating.
• Foods that are prepared the night before, such as sandwiches, should be frozen overnight and then taken out for each day’s school lunch. Suitable foods to freeze are: bread, cooked meat, cheese, baked beans or vegemite.
• Because food is normally stored in a child’s lunch box for several hours, the lunch box needs to be kept cool. This can be done by:
  • Choosing an insulated lunch box or one with a freezer pack, or include a wrapped frozen water bottle to keep the lunch box cool
  • Perishable foods such as dairy products, eggs and sliced meats should be kept cool, and eaten within about four hours of preparation. Don’t pack these foods if just cooked; first cool in the refrigerator overnight.
  • If including leftover meals such as meats, pasta and rice dishes, ensure you pack a frozen iceblock into the lunch box
  • Healthy drinks, such as water and milk can be frozen overnight and then stored in your child’s lunchbox, helping to keep it cold.
• Make sure that while at school children keep their lunches in cool places and away from direct sunlight and other heat sources that facilitate the development of food poisoning bacteria.

Food allergies

Food allergies can also cause serious health problems to your child and their schoolmates. In order to help avoid food allergy issues parents and care givers should:

• Advise their family doctor, the school or early childhood setting, teacher and class of their child’s food allergies and work with them to develop a management plan.
• A management plan may include an agreement to limit common food allergens such as nuts, egg or wheat in the lunch boxes of all children. The school or early childhood setting will notify other parents or carers if certain food or items need to be kept away from children and limited in the lunch box.