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Singing the Lunchbox Blues?
Part Two
By Donna Smith
Now that you have some ideas for what to put in your child's lunchbox, find out proper ways to store the food, clean the lunchbox and other tips for lunchbox success.
Not all food is fit for the lunchbox. Ely says to avoid anything that is difficult to eat or messy, like spaghetti with long, uncut pasta. "And don't put bananas in cold lunches – they turn brown and your children won't eat them."
Many parents worry about putting mayonnaise on sandwiches for fear of food poisoning. Ely says there are risks if the lunch is not stored in a cooler. "You minimize the risk by making sure the child's lunch is always in a cooler," she says. "No cooler, no mayo should be the rule." But if your child won't eat his sandwich without mayonnaise, frozen juice boxes work well. The drink will keep the sandwich cold and thaw out by lunchtime. Simply throw the drink in the freezer the night before.
Should you send the goodies in sandwich bags or plastic storage containers? "The containers don't always make it home or, if they do, it's two weeks later and you have a seriously gross science experiment going on," Ely says. "I would use a combination of both – sandwiches in bags and dips, etc. in containers." Many parents send sandwiches wrapped in aluminum foil, which works, as well. If you do send aluminum foil, ask if the school has a recycling program and a place for your child to deposit the used foil.