Fact Sheets And Publications

Safe Brown Bag Lunches

Use good sanitation and good personal hygiene when preparing food.

Use special care with high protein, moist, and low-acid foods.

•  Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and fresh milk products.
• Dishes that contain these foods such as custard or meat pies.

Keep foods either hot or cold. Do not leave food at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour on very hot days).

• Boil foods such as soups, stews and chili, then immediately pour into a hot, sterile vacuum bottle. Sterilize vacuum bottle with boiling water.
• Use a freezer gel-pack or make one from a plastic container (such as a margarine tub) filled with water then frozen. Place these containers in the lunch bag or box. Insulted lunch bags keep foods colder than paper bags.
• To keep beverages cold and safe, place an empty sterilized vacuum bottle in the freezer compartment every evening.
• Freeze individual cartons of yogurt or containers (not glass) of fruit or vegetable juices (these will serve the same purpose as freezer-gel devices or homemade ice containers).
• Take sandwich fillings such as egg or tuna salad and slices of luncheon meats in a cold-keeping container to be spread on bread at lunch time.
• Don't let lunch sit in a warm place such as the car or in the sun.

Foods safe for lunch without keeping hot or cold:

• Unopened canned meat or poultry products, opened and eaten immediately.
• Dried meats such as beef jerky.
• Crisp-cooked bacon.
• Peanut butter.
• Hard cheeses such as cheddar, Swiss, or American.
• Clean, well-scrubbed fruits and vegetables.
• Breads, crackers, cereals.
• Baked products such as cookies and cake.

Use your imagination to create safe, nutritious and tasty lunches.

Mix peanut butter and:

• Applesauce with a dash of cinnamon; wheat germ and raisins can also added.
• Crushed pineapple and shredded carrots.
• Nonfat dry milk powder and honey or mashed banana.
• Dried fruits like raisins, apricots, dates, or prunes.
• Apple, orange, or banana chunks.
• Sesame, pumpkin, or sunflower seeds.
• Honey and crumbled bacon.

Mix a grated or chopped mild cheese with a favorite salad dressing such as French or Italian, then stir in:

• Sweet or dill pickles.
• Chopped nuts.
• Chopped onion, green pepper, cucumbers, celery, or bean sprouts.
• Crushed, drained pineapple.
• Chopped fruit such as apples or bananas.

Use different types of breads.

• Try whole wheat, rye, raisin, French, or Italian bread.
• Fill pocket or pita bread with any of the above spreads.
• Use hot dog, hamburger, or kaiser rolls.
• Bagels, croissants, and English muffins make a nice change.
• Spread quick breads such as banana or zucchini bread with peanut butter.

Prepared by: Sue Snider, PhD

Professor/Food Safety and Nutrition Specialist