LunchBox Hazard. Be Careful!

The Good Housekeeping publication evaluated 43 lunchboxes, and the results are shocking! Not one kept food safely chilled until the time a child eats lunch. From the time the child leaves the house the temperature of his or her lunch begins to rise. Once perishable foods reach temperatures of 40°F or above, they should be eaten within 2 hours to minimize the risk of food-borne illness.

They recommended 3 strategies for ensuring a safe lunch at school:

Freeze the sandwich: In their tests, a sandwich pulled straight from the fridge didn't stay safely chilled for two hours, even when packed with an ice pack. By freezing the sandwich the night before, including an ice pack, and refrigerating everything else (like fruit or juice boxes) a sandwich can stay cold until lunchtime.

Pack nonperishables: Another safe option is to pack foods that aren't perishable. Crackers, whole fruit, and juice boxes are obvious choices.

Consider school lunch: You won't be able to control exactly what your child eats, but hopefully you can be sure that the food is handled and refrigerated properly. School lunch also tends to be inexpensive and offers variety.

Source: Good Housekeeping, Shine