WASHINGTON, (CLARKSVILLENOW) – With summer ending and students returning to school, flu season is only a few months away. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a reminder that a healthy diet and regular hand washing can play a major role in keeping kids healthy during the school year.

A recent study found an estimated 97% of consumers fail to wash their hands properly. The USDA recommends the following:

  1. Wet your hands with water
  2. Later your hands in soap. The back of your hands, in between the fingers, and under nails included.
  3. Scrub the hands for at least 20 seconds to be most effective.
  4. Rinse hands well under warm water.
  5.  Dry your hands, ideally with a clean towel.

It is important to wash hands and cooking surfaces before and after handling the food. Not only is it important to keep your hands clean, lunch boxes and coolers also need regular cleaning.

The following tips can be used to pack a lunch for students that is both healthy and enjoyable:

  1. Ice packs should be used with any perishable items included. Meats, eggs, dairy, etc will not be kept at a safe temperature without an ice pack. Parents may use water or juice as freezer packs. Freeze them overnight, and by lunch they should be the perfect temperature for a refreshing drink.
  2. With hot lunches, use an insulated container to keep food warm. Fill the container with boiling water, and put the piping hot food in when ready. As long as the kids refrain from opening it until lunchtime, it should stay above 140° F.
  3. For those that like to sleep in a little longer, lunches can be prepared at night and the left in the refrigerator till morning. The food will last longer as everything will be refrigerator temperature when it is placed in the lunchbox.

To learn more about staying healthy, visit foodsafety.gov, or follow @USDAFoodSafety on Twitter.