Keeping school lunches healthy and safe

School lunches have come a long way in ensuring consistency, health and food safety.

However, many parents may still wish to pack a lunch for their child.

One of the main struggles for parents that do, is to ensure that children are eating a healthy and safe meal while at school.

Jennifer Hanson, Assistant Professor, Department of Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health, Kansas State University advises parents to pay careful attention to an excess of added sugars found within fruit cups or juice drinks, and to vary your child’s protein sources by introducing items such as beans, nuts, hummus, eggs and low fat dairy items, in addition to lunchmeat.

Of course, no healthy lunch is worthwhile if it makes it to school spoiled.

Paola Paez, Food Safety Specialist at Kansas State University says food safety is just as important as nutrition.

Lunches, she recommends, should be packed in a Thermos or insulated lunch bag-paper bags won’t cut it-and when it comes to eating food, timing is of the upmost importance to your child’s health.