4. What’s Cooler than Being Cool?
Yes, food safety is important. No, you don’t want to stink up the entire classroom with warm tuna. But the BA test kitchen agrees: There’s no need for excess alarm. One possible solution: “Don’t pack food that needs to be refrigerated,” says senior associate food editor Alison Roman. (Nut butters, this is your time to shine.) Still insist on a highly perishable meal? Many lunchboxes are insulated now, making overly cautious refrigeration advocates’ lives a little easier. Roman also offers another a-ha idea for keeping your cool: Freeze a juice box, water bottle, or bag of fruit, like watermelons or blueberries. It’ll be thawed and ready to eat by lunch, while serving the function of an ice pack in the meantime