Proper Packaging of Food is Vital for Ensuring Food Safety

posted on Mar 03, 2021

The sight of an empty lunchbox when kids return from school brings such a relief to the mothers. And why not, after all, from brain development to physical agility, everything depends on the regular nutrition intake of the kids. And, food remains the primary source for the same.

This is the reason why plenty of parents remain bothered about the eating pattern of their kids. While some like to eat only fast food and junk, some eat less than required. In both ways, the child loses a substantial part of the required nutrition. And, any nutritional deficits during the formative years can impact the performance and growth of kids in many ways.

While keeping a check is always easier when the child stays at home, it becomes a little challenging when the child is away from home or at school. This is exactly why the parents remain concerned about whether their kids are finishing off their lunch boxes at school or not. But do you know, just as much the nutrition is important, the way the food is packed is also equally crucial.

We, at Gurukul The School, one among the leading CBSE schools near Crossing Republik, Ghaziabad, appreciate the fact that most parents fill the lunchboxes of their kids with nutrition, which indeed is commendable. But, the need is also to keep in mind that kids open their lunchboxes long after you pack them. It is hence important to make sure that the food is properly to retain the utmost hygiene. Improperly packed food can go bad within a few hours, and eating the same can cause several health hazards. Surely you would not like your child to fall sick eating contaminated lunch. On that note, let us have a look at some of the basic reasons why we believe utmost precaution should be taken while packing the food for your little ones.

Saving food from contamination

Moisture and heat encourage microbial growth in food. Hence, always try to avoid packing steaming hot food inside any lunchbox. The steam coming out of the food gets locked inside the lunchbox for hours until the child opens the box, and it creates the box interior hot and humid, which surely is a favourable condition for the microbes to grow. Thus, always cool down the food freshly cooked food and then only pack it up in the lunchbox to keep it edible for a long time.  You can also use aluminium foil wrappers that keep food hot and secure for long.

Keeping the food value intact

At Gurukul The School, one of the renowned CBSE schools near Crossing Republik, Ghaziabad, we have often seen that parents cut fruits into pieces before packing for the kids’ eating convenience. But, cutting apples, bananas, and other fruits exposes their pulp to moisture and oxygen, resulting in browning of the fruits. This, in turn, reduces the nutritional value of the fruits. Also, the sliced pieces of fruits often get mixed with the other food items inside the food, aggravating contamination. Thus, instead of cutting fruits into pieces, keep whole fruits is a better idea.

Pay attention to the quality of the lunchbox

The safety of the food of your kids depends on the quality of the lunchbox as well. Always opt for the BPA-free, eco-friendly lunchboxes that do not encourage microbial growth easily. These lunchboxes help to ensure that freshly cooked food remains fresh and nutrition-rich until your child opens it even after hours of packing the food.

We, at Gurukul The School, firmly believe that nothing supersedes the importance of health for children. Hence, make sure to pack the food properly to maintain food safety. After all, a sound body always aids in the development of a sound mind. We would hence like to suggest you to follow the standard rules of food hygiene while packing your child’s lunchbox so that your little ones get not only the necessary nutrition but also the love and care that you pack for them along with it.