>>VIC MICOLUCCI: AS STUDENTS GET ADJUSTED TO BACK TO SCHOOL, THEY NEED THE RIGHT
BRAIN FOOD TO MAKE SURE THAT
THEY’RE STAYING FOCUSED
THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY’RE
HEALTHY. AND WHEN PACKING
LUNCHES FOR CLASS PARENTS
STRIVE TO MAKE SURE. THEY’RE
HEALTHY AND HEARTY. BUT THERE
ARE SOME MISTAKES SOMETIMES
MADE WHEN IT COMES TO FOOD
BORNE ILLNESSES. WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT YOU PACK THE
RIGHT THINGS AND KEEP YOUR
KIDS FEELING WELL. SO MEREDITH
CARUTHERS WITH THE USDA FOOD
SAFETY TEAM IS JOINING US THIS
MORNING ON HOW WE CAN DO THIS.
RIGHT. GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING. THANKS FOR
HAVING ME. ABSOLUTELY.
ABSOLUTELY. SO, LISTEN. KIDS.
>>VIC MICOLUCCI: WE BROKE ALL
THE RULES, RIGHT? WE JUST
THREW STUFF AND WE DIDN’T
THINK ABOUT THE REFRIGERATION,
THE PROBLEMS.
>>VIC MICOLUCCI: FOODBORNE
ILLNESS. NOW SOMETHING WE’RE
MORE AWARE OF NOWADAYS.
>> DEFINITELY SO GOOD MORNING.
ALL IS ACTUALLY MAKES ABOUT
48 MILLION PEOPLE SICK EACH
YEAR, WHICH IS A HUGE NUMBER.
AND IT’S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE
SO EASILY PREVENTED WITH THE
RIGHT STEPS. SO THAT’S WHY
WE’RE HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYONE KNOWS HOW TO PACK A
SAFE ONCE THIS YEAR. AND THE
BIGGEST THING TO PAY ATTENTION
TO OUR YOUR OLD SOURCES.
REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
YOUR PARENTS OR EVEN KIDS THAT
ARE PACKING THEIR OWN LUNCH OR
INCLUDING COLD FORCES IN THEIR
LUNCH BAGS AND THEY WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT THEY’RE, YOU
KNOW, FROZEN GEL PACKS AND
WATER BOTTLE PHASE OF
LYNCHBURG. YOU KNOW, JUST
THOUGHTS. THERE’S IF YOU’RE
GOING TO THINGS THAT WILL HELP
MAKE SURE THAT IT’S STAYING
COLD ALL THE WAY FROM WHEN YOU
LEAVE YOUR HOUSE UNTIL YOU GET
TO LUNCHTIME.
>>VIC MICOLUCCI: YES, SO LET’S
TALK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THE
THE LUNCH BOXES HAVE GOTTEN
BETTER THERE, MUCH MORE
INSULATED NOW. SO THAT’S SOME
GOOD NEWS. YOU GOT TO STICK
SOMETHING THAT I SEE YOU’RE
COLD IN THERE. WHAT’S OUT
THERE? WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND
WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT YOU’RE
GOING TO PUT THAT FOOD INTO?
>> SO LIKE YOU JUST MENTIONED,
THE INFLATED LUNCH BAGS ARE A
FANTASTIC OPTION. WE REALLY
RECOMMEND FOR EVERYONE TO TRY
AND HOW IT WILL MAKE THOSE AS
MUCH POSSIBLE USING A BROWN
PAPER BAG OR EVEN SOMETIMES
THOSE PLASTIC ONES THAT HAVE
THE FUNDS. I LOVE THAT.
ALTHOUGH THEY MAY BE Q,
THEY’RE NOT GOING HELP KEEP
YOUR FOOD COLD. SO THEY’RE
GREAT FOR, YOU KNOW, SNAPS ARE
BEING THAT MIGHT BE
NONPERISHABLE. BUT IF YOU’RE
SENDING YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL
WITH ANYTHING THAT’S
PERISHABLE, IT NEEDS TO BE
REFRIGERATED. WE REALLY
ENCOURAGE AN INSULATED BAG.
AND THEN THERE ARE THINGS LIKE
THOSE FROZEN GEL PACKS THAT
YOU CAN BUY IN MOST STORES
NOWADAYS OR, YOU KNOW, USING
SOMETHING AROUND YOUR HOME
LIKE A PHRASE AND WATER BOTTLE
WORKERS SPOTS ARE GREAT
ALTERNATIVES AS WELL. THERE’S
THOUGHT AS THE MORNING GOES
ON, BUT THEY WILL STILL BE
COLD ENOUGH TO KEEP THAT IS
BELOW 40 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,
WHICH IS THAT TEMPERATURE THEY
NEED TO BE AT. ALL RIGHT.
MEREDYTH, I WANT TO ASK YOU,
WHAT ARE THE FOODS WE SHOULD
BE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT? YOU
KNOW, WE.
>>VIC MICOLUCCI: WE PACKED
MEATS AND YOGURT AND LUNCHES
AND SNACKS LIKE THAT. WHAT WE
HAVE TO BE MOST CAREFUL WITH.
>> SO EVERYTHING THAT’S
CONSIDERED PERISHABLE,
ESPECIALLY YOUR MEAT AND
POULTRY PRODUCTS AND DERRY,
LIKE YOU JUST MENTIONED WITH
YOGURT. SO THERE ARE, YOU
KNOW, SANDWICHES WRAPS,
CHICKEN SALAD. ALL OF THESE
ARE GREAT THINGS FOR YOUR
KIDS. EVEN PACKING THINGS LIKE
CHICKEN NUGGETS THAT YOU
COOKED SUNDAY BEFORE LEFTOVERS
FROM DINNER. BUT ANYTHING THAT
CHARITABLE MEAT, POULTRY, YOUR
DAIRY PRODUCTS HAVE BEEN MADE
WITH EGGS. ALL OF THOSE ARE
GOING TO HAVE TO BE YOU KNOW,
THINGS LIKE SNACKS ALL OF OUR
SHIPS. THOSE ARE CONSIDERED
NON PERISHABLE. THEY DON’T
NEED TO BE REFRIGERATED FOR
SAFETY AND THAT’S TOTALLY
FINE. BUT YOUR NEEDS YOUR
SANDWICHES AND, YOU KNOW,
LEFTOVERS, ALL OF THAT NEEDS
TO BE REFRIGERATED WERE KEPT
ON THOSE COLD FRONTS. AS YOU
AND YOUR PERISHABLE ITEMS ARE
USUALLY THE HEALTHIER ITEMS.
IT’S THE PROCESSED FOOD THAT
DOESN’T GO BAD.
>> THAT’S JUST NOT AS
NUTRITIOUS FOR YOUR KIDS. WE
LIVE IN FLORIDA AND GEORGIA.
OUR VIEWERS TOO. AND WE’RE
STILL DEALING WITH THOSE HOT
HOT TEMPERATURES YESTERDAY I
GOT INTO MY CAR IS 95 DEGREES.
BIG OF AN ISSUE IS THAT THE
THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE?
>> SO THE IT GETS THE FASTER
FOODBORNE ILLNESS CAUSING
BACTERIA WILL MULTIPLY. SO YOU
WANT TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT
WE CALL THE TWO-HOUR RULE.
MORE THAN ONE HOUR WILL SAY TO
OUR RULE APPLIES TO
TEMPERATURES, YOU BELOW 90
DEGREES. BUT ABOUT THE
REFRIGERATOR. SO THAT
TEMPERATURE RANGES WHERE
BACTERIA WILL START TO
MULTIPLY RAPIDLY. AND YOU HAVE
ABOUT 2 HOURS THAT THOSE
STUDENTS TO BE OUT OF THE
REFRIGERATOR BEFORE BACTERIA
MIGHT HAVE REACHED DANGEROUS
LEVELS. NOW IN FLORIDA AND
GEORGIA, LIKE YOU JUST
MENTIONED, WITH THOSE HOT
DAYS, IT MIGHT BE GETTING
ABOVE 90 DEGREES SOME OF THOSE
DAYS. AND IF YOUR LUNCH IS
GOING TO BE OUTSIDE IN THAT 90
DEGREE WEATHER, YOUR TIME
ACTUALLY REDUCES DOWN TO ONE
HOUR. SO IF YOU DON’T HAVE
COLD SOURCES ARE, YOU KNOW, IF
YOU’RE JUST TAKING A SANDWICH
OR BREAKFAST BURRITO OUT OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND EATING
IT PRETTY QUICKLY, MAY GOD
KEEP MIND THAT ONE HOUR OR 2
OUR ROLE, BUT HE FORGET ABOUT
IT. LEAVE IT FOR THAT 2 HOURS
AND YOU’RE GETTING TO THAT
TIME. YOU DON’T WANT TO EAT
THAT BECAUSE THAT COULD
POTENTIALLY BE A SAFE.
>>VIC MICOLUCCI: HEY MEREDITH,
THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND WHEN I
PACKED MYSELF A LUNCH. HAHA
HERE AT WORK. I’M GOING TO USE
SOME OF YOUR INFORMATION
BECAUSE IT CERTAINLY NOT JUST
FOR OUR STUDENTS. GREAT