In This Issue:

1. Brown Bagging it!
2. Keeping Bag Lunches Safe.
3. How to pack for Kids.
4. Kids Favorite Top 5!
5. Kid & Grown-Up Sandwiches.

1.Brown Bag Lunch Tips:
If you have to make a lot of sandwiches, try the assembly line method: Lay out slices of bread, spread each slice with butter, mustard, mayo or any other spread you are using. Go down the line and add toppings, finish with top slice of bread, then wrap.

For easier spreading, freeze breads first, then make your sandwiches. This can also help keep foods chilled and it will be thawed in time for lunch. Use frozen ice packs to help keep cold foods cold. Freezing drinks like juices and iced teas can also help keep foods cold, and who doesn't prefer a cold drink (keep in mind that the containers are likely to sweat while thawing, so wrap you food well so it doesn't get soggy). ...Continued

2. Keeping Bag Lunches Safe:
Whether it's off to school or work we go, millions of Americans carry "bag" lunches. Food brought from home can be kept safe if it is first handled and cooked safely. Then, perishable food must be kept cold while commuting via bus, bicycle, on foot, in a car, or on the subway. ....Continued

3. How to Pack for Kids:
There's no point in making turkey salad wraps for school lunch if little Jamie doesn't like turkey or tortillas. Here are some quick lunchbox tips: Actual time for eating lunch at most schools only lasts for 15 to 20 minutes and is filled with distractions. ....Continued

4. The Top 5:
Some are allergic to it, but most kids are nutty about peanut butter! >....Continued

5. Sending You to Betty's Kid and Grown-up Sandwich Recipes:

Tired of the same old sandwich? How about cold pizza for lunch? Don't forget salads instead of sandwiches (perfect for those cutting carbs). What's exotic for us in normal fare in Japan. ....Continued

Brown Bag Lunch Tips.....Continued

For a nutritious and low calorie lunch, pack some raw, or lightly steamed (then chilled) vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower or carrots. Add a small container of dip (or individual package of salad dressing) and you've got a great snack or lunch addition.

Hummus, whether used as a dip or a sandwich spread is a great addition to any lunchbox. Don't forget stuffed tomatoes! Stuff with tuna or egg salad or even potato, pasta or rice salad.

A thermos can keep things hot as well as cold, which opens up a host of lunchtime possibilities. How about soups, or pastas or even stir-frys? A wide mouthed thermos container can be the brown bagger's best friend. Just fill with piping hot food and seal. It will stay hot until lunchtime.

Tired of the same old sandwich? How about cold pizza for lunch? Don't forget salads instead of sandwiches (perfect for those cutting carbs).

What's exotic for us in normal fare in Japan. Sushi Rolls make terrific lunchbox fare. Frittatas are great served cold and are perfect for packing in a lunchbox. Savory tarts, pies and quiches can often be served at room temperature and add an elegant touch to any box lunch.

If you and your co-workers bring your lunches to work, why not start a Brown Bag Club? Divide the week up between 5 co-workers, each day a different person brings brown bag lunches for the group!

Keeping Bag Lunches Safe.....Continued

After arriving at school or work, perishable food must be kept cold until lunchtime. Why keep food cold? Harmful bacteria multiply rapidly in the "danger zone" -- the temperatures between 40 and 140 °F. So, perishable food transported without an ice source won’t stay safe long. Here are safe handling recommendations to prevent foodborne illness from "bag" lunches.

Begin with Safe Food: Perishable food, such as raw or cooked meat and poultry, must be kept cold or frozen at the store and at home. Eggs should be purchased cold at the store and kept cold at home. In between, transport perishable food as fast as possible when no ice source is available. At the destination, it must be kept cold. Food should not be left out at room temperature more than 2 hours (1 hour if the temperature is above 90 °F).

Prepackaged combos that contain luncheon meats along with crackers, cheese, and condiments must also be kept refrigerated. This includes luncheon meats and smoked ham which are cured or contain preservatives. Keep Everything Clean Wash your hands before you prepare or eat food. Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next item. A solution of 1 teaspoon of bleach in 1 quart of water may be used to sanitize surfaces and utensils.

Keep family pets away from kitchen counters. Don't Cross-Contaminate Harmful bacteria can spread throughout the kitchen and get onto cutting boards, utensils, and countertops. Always use a clean cutting board. When using a cutting board for food that will not be cooked, such as bread, lettuce, and tomatoes, be sure to wash the board after using it to cut raw meat and poultry. Use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for meat and poultry. At lunchtime, discard all used food packaging and paper bags. Do not reuse packaging because it could contaminate other food and cause foodborne illness.

Packing Lunches: Pack just the amount of perishable food that can be eaten at lunch. That way, there won't be a problem about the storage or safety of leftovers. It's fine to prepare the food the night before and store the packed lunch in the refrigerator. Freezing sandwiches helps them stay cold. However, for best quality, don’t freeze sandwiches containing mayonnaise, lettuce, or tomatoes. Add these later. Insulated, soft-sided lunch boxes or bags are best for keeping food cold, but metal or plastic lunch boxes and paper bags can also be used. If using paper lunch bags, create layers by double bagging to help insulate the food.An ice source should be packed with perishable food in any type of lunch bag or box.

Keeping Cold Lunches: Cold Prepare cooked food, such as turkey, ham, chicken, and vegetable or pasta salads, ahead of time to allow for thorough chilling in the refrigerator. Divide large amounts of food into shallow containers for fast chilling and easier use. Keep cooked food refrigerated until time to leave home. To keep lunches cold away from home, include a small frozen gel pack or frozen juice box. Of course, if there’s a refrigerator available, store perishable items there upon arrival. Some food is safe without a cold source. Items that don't require refrigeration include fruits, vegetables, hard cheese, canned meat and fish, chips, breads, crackers, peanut butter, jelly, mustard, and pickles.

Keeping Hot Lunches Hot: Use an insulated container to keep food like soup, chili, and stew hot. Fill the container with boiling water, let stand for a few minutes, empty, and then put in the piping hot food. Keep the insulated container closed until lunchtime to keep the food hot – 140 °F or above.

Microwave Cooking/Reheating: When using the microwave oven to reheat lunches, cover food to hold in moisture and promote safe, even heating. Reheat leftovers to at least 165 °F. Food should be steaming hot. Cook frozen convenience meals according to package instructions.

How to Pack for Kids.....Continued

Make sure the lunch foods you pack are easy to eat, packed in easily opened packages, and don't require peeling or special tools. Small children may not eat very much at one sitting. Think about packing appetizers instead of a large sandwich and whole banana. You can also include more choices if the quantity of each is smaller.

Fill a mini muffin tin with small amounts of foods, wrap with foil, and pack into the lunch box. Small foods are not only easier for children to handle, but they are more fun to eat. Cut sandwiches into smaller pieces, use tiny tortillas for wraps and small sandwich buns, serve baby carrots and peel and cut fruit into smaller pieces to interest your child in the foods you pack. Think about different types of bread for sandwiches and dippers. Try crackers, mini waffles, rice cakes, mini croissants, pita bread, mini muffins, small bagels, tortillas, focaccia, raisin or cinnamon bread.

If your child wants the same thing day after day, go ahead and pack it, as long as the overall meal is nutritious and you are sure your child eats it. Kids don't like a lot of change in what they eat. Did you know that it takes 10 to 12 introductions to a new food before a child is usually willing to even taste it?

Take some time to look at the prepackaged lunches in your grocer's refrigerated section. These appeal to kids, but aren't very nutritious. You can pack the same types of snack foods, but use healthier choices for more kid appeal. Salsa, hummus, bean dips, or fruit dips with baked chips and veggies or fruit are good lunchbox choices, since these foods contain more vitamins and fiber. Make sure to think about food safety. Freeze juice boxes or small gel packs and place in the bag. The juice will keep other foods cool and will thaw to just the right temperature and consistency by lunchtime. Use an insulated thermos for hot foods like soups and stews, and cold salads too.

For best results, rinse out a thermos with very hot water to heat it before adding hot soups. Rinse it out with ice water to chill the thermos before adding cold soups. If you make your own snack mixes, you can include healthy additions like dried fruits, unsalted nuts, pretzels, and baked crackers. Kids love to munch on something crunchy and sweet or savory.

Instead of making sandwiches, consider packing individual sandwich ingredients to let your child make their own sandwich at lunch, or eat the ingredients separately. Many children don't like to eat more than one food at a time, since their sense of taste is very intense. Cereal bars can pack a lot of nutrition into a food kids love to eat. Include raisins, currants, or other dried fruits in the recipe for additional flavor, color and nutrition.

Make sure to include something fun - a sticker, cookies wrapped in plastic wrap with a ribbon tie, sandwiches cut into playful shapes, or meats and cheeses or fruits threaded on a caramel apple stick (which is safer than a traditional kabob stick).

The Top Five.....Continued

A study of 600 U.S. kids ages 6 to 12 found that they eat peanut butter and jelly more than any other sandwich. Here's how kids' favorite cold sandwiches stack up:

1. Peanut butter and jelly
2. Ham
3. Bologna
4. Cheese
5. Turkey Source:
The NPD Group Inc. tter!

Betty's Recipes.....Continued

Betty's Recipes