Article & Poll...How do you keep kids lunches cool?

[amldaley]

Saw this article and I was not at all surprised, but also kind of grossed out
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44039875/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/

(Then again, I am a freak about food safety and it is an ongoing bone of contention with my mother).

(I also find it annoying when people say "so and so did iand she didn't die..." it's like saying Russian Roulette is safe b/c there is an 80% chance you won't die.)

I don't pack DD's lunches yet but we keep a bag of snack in the car.

Just wondering, compared to the statistics in the article, how do YOU pack your kids lunches? Do you use an ice pack? Cooler bag? Do you only pack non-perishables? Or do you fall in to the "it didn't kill me, it won't kill them" category? (I promise not to :angry-smiley-005:you!) Is there some wonder product you use that these researchers or parents in the article aren't aware of?

(Hmmm...I think I am going to go write an article on summer food safety for work now....)

POLL IS ON IT'S WAY!

[sariana]

Ooooh, I was first!

I use a thermal bag with a cold pack, and I also put things like juice or yogurt drinks into the freezer in the morning when I first get up. So they get an hour or so in the freezer, but not long enough actually to freeze.

I don't worry too much about it unless it's a really hot day. DS's school leaves the lunches outside the classroom, but it is sheltered and not directly in the sun.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Most days ds1 buys a lunch. When I pack, I pack the night before and put it all in the fridge inside the insulated lunch box. So, everything has a head start on being cold when it heads out the door. I rarely remember to use an ice pack but I count on his drink to keep things cool in there...not very scientific, I know.

Beth

[egoldber]

I use a thermal-ish bag and 2 cooler packs. I only used one for a long time and then a year or so ago older DD complained that her lunch was too warm. :o So I started using 2 cold packs. They fit side by side on the bottom and of the bag and I just put everything on top of it.

[artvandalay]

Most days ds1 buys a lunch. When I pack, I pack the night before and put it all in the fridge inside the insulated lunch box. So, everything has a head start on being cold when it heads out the door. I rarely remember to use an ice pack but I count on his drink to keep things cool in there...not very scientific, I know.

Beth

This is basically what we do. Insulated lunch box, and we fill a Funtainer with cold milk the night before, so everything stays relatively cold. We don't use ice packs. Sometimes I throw in a frozen Go Gurt, it thaws by lunchtime and it also helps keep things cool and sort of acts as an icepack.

[HIU8]

We have always been able to put lunch in a fridge at school but in an insulated bag. DD will continue to be able to do that. DS will not. DS will take an insulated bag and will have two cold packs (I fiind one of the small ones that fits into insulated lunch packs just doesn't do it). Plus, he loves simply gogurt and I freeze them. They mostly thaw by lunchtime, but are still cold.

[daisymommy]

My kids have thermal insulated lunch boxes and I put in a freezer pack that is pretty big--about 3x6".

I also don't put things that would be scary if the got too warm (like egg salad).

My kids are kind of picky, like routine, and don't want dinner foods in their lunch. So, it's usually a PB&J sandwich, fruit, pretzels/something crunchy, and a frozen squeeze yogurt that is thawed out but still really cold by lunch time. (I tried it myself before sending it to school, and it was very cold).

[JustMe]

No, I don't use any type of cold packs. I guess the lunch box is insulated-ish. However, we don't eat meat and lunches are usually pbandj or something along what line. I do include fruit and sometimes a snacky type veggie. Same thing for the lunch I bring for myself to work (I often dont have access to the fridge for varous reasons).

[elizabethkott]

J hasn't had to bring lunch yet, but I do! :)
I used to do a cold pack with my Laptop Lunches kit. Then we got these this summer for the pool:
http://www.packit.com/
And I can't even believe it. They actually WORK.
I'm totally going to be using one for my lunch this school year!

[hillview]

We pack in a thermal lunchbox (planetbox zipper bag) with a cold pack. I only usually pack cheese, ham slice and/or yogurt sticks in the lunchbox. I avoid mayo like the plague. I like the idea of making it ahead of time and putting it in the fridge. The lunch is kept inside in a room temperature area. I wonder what it gets to by lunch. So it sits with a frozen pack in a thermal container from say 8 til 12. 4 hrs. Might try an experiment this weekend!
/hillary

[artvandalay]

J hasn't had to bring lunch yet, but I do! :)
I used to do a cold pack with my Laptop Lunches kit. Then we got these this summer for the pool:
http://www.packit.com/
And I can't even believe it. They actually WORK.
I'm totally going to be using one for my lunch this school year!

Hmm... that looks really interesting. Glad to hear it works. I might get one of these when DS needs a new lunchbox.

[amldaley]

J hasn't had to bring lunch yet, but I do! :)
I used to do a cold pack with my Laptop Lunches kit. Then we got these this summer for the pool:
http://www.packit.com/
And I can't even believe it. They actually WORK.
I'm totally going to be using one for my lunch this school year!

Ooohhh.... that looks cool! (Pun TOTALLY intended! :D)

[katydid1971]

I try and pack safer items to begin with, PB&J, the Kirland shelf stable chocolate milk, carrot sticks, fruit, and a treat (a few chocolate chips or a cookie). I do include an ice pack. I just ordered these Star Wars ice packs for DS's lunch this year. I think they are super cute. http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/character-cold-packs-bts2011/?pkey=dshop-all-gear-accessories
I am interested in hearing how the "packit" holds up long term. I'm also curious how hard it is to clean up.

[eagle]

we pack bentos and we rarely use ice packs, only during heatwaves. i reheat the food in the morning, cool it with a paper or plastic hand fan, pack it and send it off. if im making western food, i do the same. and if im packing sandwiches i dont heat, of course.

our bento boxes / tupperware type containers are NOT insulated.

read up on bento safety.

heres one page: http://ss-biggie.livejournal.com/32237.html

[Indianamom2]

We use an insulated lunch bag, largish ice pack (or two smaller ones), a cold juice box and everything stays nice and cold for lunch time. It's still usually fairly cold by the time she gets home from school...definitely not warm, though I usually err on the side of caution and tell her not to eat any left-over deli lunch meat.

[Melanie]

Thermal cooler bag, at least one small cold pack. Ds' lunch bag has one compartment for lunch and one for snack so if they are both perishable they each get a cold pack. Their lunches are outside all day so if it was a remarkably hot day I would put even more cold packs inside.

[Green_Tea]

DDs usually have some sort of cold cut sandwich or cheese and crackers. DS usually has a PB sandwich. Everyone has an insulated LL Bean lunch box/bag with one ice pack. Water or milk goes into Funtainers. I've been packing lunches like this since DD1 started preschool 6 years ago, and nobody has every gotten sick or complained about warm food :shrug:.

[chozen]

J hasn't had to bring lunch yet, but I do! :)
I used to do a cold pack with my Laptop Lunches kit. Then we got these this summer for the pool:
http://www.packit.com/
And I can't even believe it. They actually WORK.
I'm totally going to be using one for my lunch this school year!

when dd was a baby i bought a playtex bag it fit baby food, bottles whatever and is made like these are. target & tru carries them and they are around $15.00 they work great.

[bisous]

I really don't use ice. I do use an insulated lunch bag. Nothing DS eats is really perishable unless you count carrot sticks or an apple but I'm okay with that.

I'm going to be experimenting with nutrition this summer/fall in an attempt to provide the ultimate nourishment to a child with a reduced appetite thanks to ADHD meds. This might mean we need ice and we'll probably add one pack. We are NOT germaphobes here at all, I might add. I should probably be better about that!

[Tondi G]

J hasn't had to bring lunch yet, but I do! :)
I used to do a cold pack with my Laptop Lunches kit. Then we got these this summer for the pool:
http://www.packit.com/
And I can't even believe it. They actually WORK.
I'm totally going to be using one for my lunch this school year!

My DS saw a commercial for these and was telling me he needs one for his lunch at school this year! LOL

[anonomom]

Last year was DD's first year having lunch at preschool, and I was all excited with the Goodbyn I bought, until I realized how hard it is to use a coldpack with one (and they're way too big to fit into an insulated bag). It ended up sitting in my cupboard all year while we used an insulated bag with an ice pack. I would generally send DD with either deli meat/cheese/fruit or something that could be heated up at school (a luxury I will miss in Kindergarten, btw), and it just didn't seem very safe to put it all in a non-insulated box with no room for ice packs.

I bought a new insulated bag for DD this year, and will probably use funtainers if/when I send her hot food, or an ice pack for sandwiches.

[fivi2]

Mine have an insulated lunch bag that I pack at night and stick in the fridge overnight, but I usually don't use an ice pack. They do get cold cuts and fruit and yogurt, but nothing with mayo.

Shrug. honestly, the thought that a regular lunch becomes contaminated after a couple hours in an air conditioned classroom isn't really a big worry of mine. We also go on picnics and hikes with just an insulated backpack (and maybe an ice pack or two).

[kijip]

When T was in preschool fro two years they would put all the lunches in the fridge. For K and 1st grade, we did the insulated lunch box with 1-2 ice packs. We put drinks in a thermos and hot foods in funtainers. Never had an issue. Now that he is home schooled, obviously we don't pack lunches anymore.

[mimosa]

I pack DS1's lunch in an insulated lunchbox with a big ice pack. It's the large Rubbermaid Blue Ice at Target, and is nearly as big as the bottom of the lunchbox.

http://www.rubbermaid.com/Category/Pages/ProductDetail.aspx?CatName=Coolers&SubcatId=BlueIce&Prod_ID=RP091218

It stays COLD. His lunchbox is on a shelf all day, usually outside his classroom. In Florida. It's still cold at 5:00, often even partially frozen. Everything in the lunchbox is cold.

[wimama]

J hasn't had to bring lunch yet, but I do! :)
I used to do a cold pack with my Laptop Lunches kit. Then we got these this summer for the pool:
http://www.packit.com/
And I can't even believe it. They actually WORK.
I'm totally going to be using one for my lunch this school year!

Those sound interesting!


DDs usually have some sort of cold cut sandwich or cheese and crackers. DS usually has a PB sandwich. Everyone has an insulated LL Bean lunch box/bag with one ice pack. Water or milk goes into Funtainers. I've been packing lunches like this since DD1 started preschool 6 years ago, and nobody has every gotten sick or complained about warm food :shrug:.

That is how we pack now. I pack DS food in an Easy Lunchbox container, send milk in a Funtainer and pack it with an ice pack in his LL Bean Critter Lunchbox. We send quite a bit of peanut butter sandwiches but I do send cold cut sandwiches with may.

Now I am considering running a test and packing myself a lunch in DS lunchbox and seeing how cold it is at lunch time. I am also considering making his sandwiches on frozen bread. That is what my mom did back when I was a kid and took my lunch in the old uninsulated lunchboxes.

Anyone freeze juice boxes or the Horizon milks overnight before sending them?