After the recent report about how dangerously bacteria laden homemade lunches are, parents may be left wondering just what to put in to a lunchbox. Despite the fact that most of us have eaten a sack lunch that was older than 5 minutes and probably not cold from the refrigerator, there are foods that are less likely to harbor harmful bacteria at classroom temperatures.
Here is a list of foods that are kid friendly, tasty, and best of all, not teeming with danger.
Peanut or other nut butters - Used as a filling or dip, buy a large container and divide into individual portions.
Bread/crackers/pita/tortilla - You get the point. Cut into cool shapes for dipping and making tiny sandwiches with. My kids love to assemble this sort of thing.
Whole fruit- They have the perfect wrapper already. If you do slice, a quick dip in lemon water (1/4 cup per quart of water) will keep apples from turning brown.
Raw vegetables - carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, sweet peppers..the list goes on. Don't assume your kids wont eat them. Something about a dip and a carrot stick, makes most kids happy.
Rice or noodles - All the other things were pretty standard, but how about packing a snack cup packed with noodles or rice? These are both tasty at any temperature. Include a little bottle of tamari or soy sauce and some diced/blanched veggies.
Soup - Make a big pot of soup and use it by the thermos full for lunch. Buy a widemouth thermos for easy filling. Remember to fill your thermos with hot water for a minute, before filling with hot soup.
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