{"id":15023,"date":"2019-10-17T08:20:47","date_gmt":"2019-10-17T13:20:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/foodsafetytrainingcertification.com\/?p=15023"},"modified":"2020-03-06T17:25:24","modified_gmt":"2020-03-06T23:25:24","slug":"back-to-school-food-safety-the-dangers-of-brown-bag-lunches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/foodsafetytrainingcertification.com\/food-safety-news\/back-to-school-food-safety-the-dangers-of-brown-bag-lunches\/","title":{"rendered":"Food Safety for Packing School Lunches"},"content":{"rendered":"

School lunches are is critical to students health and well-being and ensures that students have nutrition they need throughout the day to learn.
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If parents decide to pack a child’s lunch. they need to also be aware of food safety and to keep in mind that bacteria grow rapidly in the temperature danger zone of 40\u00b0F – 140\u00b0F.<\/span><\/p>\n

If perishable foods are not prepared, packed, and stored properly \u2013 bacteria growth can occur and cause food illness. And during warmer months, bacteria multiply faster \u2013 so preparing food for outdoor travel is more challenging.<\/p>\n

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National School Lunch Week (NSLW)<\/h3>\n

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a joint proclamation by Congress designating the second full week of October to be National School Lunch Week.<\/p>\n

National School Lunch Week (NSLW) promotes the importance of a healthy school lunch in a child’s life and the impact it has inside and outside of the classroom.<\/p>\n

For children who eat their lunch through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), it\u2019s important to teach them ways they can help prevent foodborne illness at lunchtime too.<\/p>\n

Are you packing your child’s lunches? This week is the perfect week to brush up on your packing skills. Send your kids to school with healthy and safe lunches.<\/p>\n

Learn more about National School Lunch Week (#NSLW) from the School Nutrition Association<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Bacteria, The Danger Zone, and The 2 Hour Rule<\/h3>\n

Why is it important to keep food cold? Bacteria multiply rapidly in the temperature danger zone range of temperatures between 40\u00b0F and 140\u00b0F, doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. This range of temperatures is often called the “Danger Zone.” Never leave food out in this temperature zone for over 2 hours.<\/p>\n

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Perishable lunch foods, such as cold cut sandwiches and yogurt, can be left out at room temperature for only 2 hours<\/em> before they may become unsafe to eat.<\/p>\n

The maximum time for leaving prepared foods at room temperature is 2 hours\u2014including time for preparation, serving and eating. Discard any perishable foods left at room temperature longer than 2 hours. If the temperatures are over 90\u00b0F, discard foods after 1 hour.<\/p>\n

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USDA Video: Packing Lunches<\/h3>\n
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