It’s back-to-school time and although we might be focused on kids’ lunches, packing a lunch for ourselves can be a cost-saving strategy. Suzanne Saggese, Community Nutrition Program Specialist at OSU Extension, Lucas County shares the following tips (links below) and on Good Day on W-TOL 11 (08/21/24)

• Food safety: anytime food is out of the refrigerator for more than two hours, the risk of microorganism growth increases. Keep your lunch cold with a small ice pack.
• Sustainability: there are many types of reusable containers available. Invest once and save money by using these instead of disposable plastic bags.
• Plan ahead: consider making extra dinner the night before. For example, use leftover chicken in a sandwich for lunch the next day. Encourage your children to be part of the decision-making process by planning their lunches together.
• Use MyPlate: to plan and eat foods from all five food groups.
• Variety: eating the same thing every day can get boring. Consider outside the box ideas from different cuisines. Try new or textures, flavors, and food combinations.