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22 Fort Campbell Families-Fall BY J.M. HIRSCH There was a time when a lunch box was just that a box into which your parents packed your lunch. For many years they were metal and came emblazoned with your favorite cartoon or movie characters as well as a matching thermos. By the 80s metal was pass making way for plas- tic. But the basic design was the same. And you liked it until you were old enough to not. Then you graduated to paper bags or ditched packed lunches entirely for some atrocious pizza- chicken-cheese-nugget-potato thing from the cafeteria. Lunch gear has come a long way since those days. Todays lunch systems are dominated by bento-style gear which originated in Japan and involve multiple compartments and contain- ers to hold a variety of foods. And that makes sense for modern kids who are as likely to be toting sushi and DIY taco kits as they are the classic PBJ. The gear also is far more high-tech. Today everything from the bag to the water bottle is super-insulated and rated so you know how long your darling childs pasta carbonara will stay warm and how long the organic juice will remain chilled. Which isnt to say all modern lunch gear is the same. So Ive assembled a few pointers to help you make the best choices as you brace for an- other year in the lunch-packing trenches. Boxed in Bento-style containers rule. Having lots of lit- tle compartments to fill may sound intimidating but its easy. Some crackers go in one cheese in another maybe something fruity in a third. Toss leftovers from last nights roasted chicken in a fourth and before you know it lunch is packed in all of about 5 minutes. Thats the power of bento it lets you think small. And faster than you expected youve assembled a complete meal. For preschool and other young kids consider a kit such as Laptop Lunches which packs mul- tiple containers inside an easy-to-open clamshell box. They are affordable dishwasher safe and indestructible. They also come with their own insulated carrying bag and some of the containers are watertight. Older kids require more food and flexibility. For them LunchBots rock. These stainless steel containers are available in numerous con- figurations that can be combined in endless ways depending on what you feel like packing. They can be pricy but will last forever think fourth grade through grad school. Looking for a budget option Check out the disposable food-storage containers at the gro- cer usually alongside the plastic wrap and foil. Many companies now offer bento-like contain- ers you can easily mix and match for lunch duty. Bonus When Junior loses them you dont lose a mint. Its in the bag Insulated lunch bags are where its at. Some lunch kits such as Laptop Lunches come with custom bags. But if youre assembling your own container collection youll need to shop around. For younger children a basic insulated bag with a zipper closure should be fine. Com- bined with an ice pack these are good for keep- ing yogurts and other perishables cool. For older kids you may need to dig a little deeper. When my son transformed from a peckish preschooler to a voracious middle schooler I needed a serious upgrade in packing space. I searched online for hours before set- tling on a picnic bag that would allow me to pack a sufficient amount of food. Whatever your needs its wise to go with a bag that offers two compartments often di- vided as bottom and lid. This allows you to separate warm and cold items such as a chilled yogurt cup and a warm soup as well as segre- gate easily bruised fruits from hard containers. Liquid intelligence Lunch liquids generally take two forms drinks and soupsstewschili. Youll need gear for both. For drinks the best bet is Hydro Flask which offers a line of insulated water bottles so good they are almost scary. As in Ive left an ice water-filled bottle in the blazing sun on my driveway for six hours and it still had ice floating in it. Looking to pack milk or juice and make sure it stays safely chilled This is your bottle. They are rated to keep liquids cold for up to 24 hours and hot for up to 12 hours. For soups and chili Im a fan of Thermos brands Foogo food jars. They are a great size for kids available in 7- and 10-ounce versions affordable easy to open and keep foods hot for five hours. The numbers Packed lunches are great. Food poisoning isnt. Making sure the former doesnt trigger the latter is just a matter of knowing your num- bers. Cold food needs to stay below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Hot food needs to stay above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Once food falls outside those ranges its safe to eat for another two hours. So when you shop for lunch gear insulated lunch bags thermoses water bottles etc. only buy products with thermal ratings that cover the range of time between when you pack the lunches and when theyll be eaten. The little stuff We tend to focus so much on the gear and bags we forget the little things like utensils and ice packs. Obviously this isnt the time to break out any silverware you dont want to lose Im still an- noyed with my son for having taught me this lesson. But disposable plastic isnt all that eco- friendly. My solution Hit the second-hand shop and grab some inexpensive stainless steel forks and spoons for pennies. If they get tossed no big deal. As for ice packs youll want one even when using insulated lunch bags. Get several so you always have one in the freezer. Rigid packs are better than soft which can freeze in awkward shapes. They also are less likely to be punc- tured when your child decides to launch his lunch box across the schoolyard and if you think that wont happen youre delusional. Bento-stylelunchboxeshaverectangularcompartmentsthatcanbefilledwithalittlebitofeverything.Associat- edPressfoodeditorandbloggerJ.M.Hirschmakescreativelunchesforhissondaily.AP PHOTO High-tech gear forpackedlunch