Safe Brown Bag Lunches*
ID
2806-7003
| Foods That ... | Must Be Kept Cold | Are Safe At Room Temperature |
| Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs & Nut Group | • Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, cooked beans or sandwiches; salads or other dishes made with these foods • Processed meats (bologna, hot dogs, etc.) • Tofu, other soy products or other meat substitutes | • Nuts and nut butters • Dry soup mixes |
| Milk, Yogurt and Cheese Group | • Milk and milk drinks • Custards and pudding • All foods containing cheese (pizza and casseroles) • Yogurt | • Unopened shelf-stable milk and unopened shelf-stable pudding |
| Vegetable Group | • All cooked vegetables • Sprouts | • Raw vegetables • Unopened vegetable juices |
| Fruit Group | • Cut Melons | • All Fruits • Unopened fruit juices |
| Bread, Cereal, Rice and Pasta Group | • Cooked pasta, rice and other cooked grains or cereals • Any salads, soups or dishes made with cooked grains | • Bread and crackers -Cookies • Dry cereals |
| Fats, Oils and Sweets | • Gravy and sauces • Mayonnaise • Butter | • Candy • Ketchup and mustard • Margarine, oil • Fruit pies |
Keep your brown bag lunch safe by using this information to see which foods in your lunch should be kept cold.
Keep foods cold so germs won't grow. Refrigerate foods as soon as you get to school or work. If there is no refrigerator, use an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack or frozen juice box. Place foods that must be kept cold next to the cold pack. Keep foods in the coolest place possible.
Keep everything clean when you make your lunch. Wash your hands before handling food. Wash your fruits and vegetables. Wash utensils and containers with soap and warm water, and rinse after each use.
Reheat food thoroughly if you use leftovers, make sure that you pack and keep them cold. Cook foods thoroughly. If you use a microwave, use microwave-safe containers.
* Adapted from the University of Massachusetts Extension publication "Safe Bag Lunches".
For more information contact:
Renee Boyer, PhD. Extension Specialist, Virginia Tech
(540) 231-4330
Rights
Virginia Cooperative Extension materials are available for public use, re-print, or citation without further permission, provided the use includes credit to the author and to Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, and Virginia State University.
Publisher
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia State University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Rick D. Rudd, Interim Director, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg; Wondi Mersie, Interim Administrator, 1890 Extension Program, Virginia State, Petersburg.
Date
May 1, 2009