Back-to-school 'baon' packing tips

MANILA, Philippines - Kids are back in school again! With this routine comes the need to prepare your schoolers’ packed meals or baon, which ensures moms that their children are eating clean, healthy food, and makes it light on the budget, too.

Here’s a quick guide on how to pack clean, quick, and healthy meals for your child:

• Use insulated lunch bags. These bags maintain the ideal temperature of food and drinks. Because the interior is made of waterproof material, cleaning is also easier. Plus, they don’t retain food smells, unlike plastic boxes. In case your child wants to eat warm or hot food, use added thermal containers and pack them in the bag.

• Prepare air-tight containers for sauces or dips. As much as possible, avoid packing watery snack items for your kid’s meal. Fried, steamed, or baked food are ideal for packed lunches as they don’t drip or leave a bad odor in your child’s lunch box. 

• Include disposable napkins. They are not only great for wiping utensils before eating and cleaning food on your mouth, they can also be used to absorb spilled liquid or catch food bits on the table after a meal.  

• Use kitchen towels or table napkins when wrapping sandwiches. Kitchen towels and table napkins are reusable to wipe off food from the face, and they’re biodegradable, too. When preparing sandwiches with fresh veggies, ketchup, or mustard, opt for kitchen towels over table napkins, as kitchen towels are thicker and more durable. Use table napkins when wrapping peanut butter sandwiches or any sandwich with relatively drier filling. When selecting kitchen towels or table napkins, use one that’s made from 100-percent virgin pulp to make sure they’re hygienic and durable, making them perfect for food packing.

A local tissue manufacturing company offering soft, strong, and affordable kitchen towels and table napkins in the market is Sanitary Care Products Asia (SCPA). SCPA’s brands, such as Sanicare and Cheers, carry paper towels and table napkins, respectively, which are made from pure virgin pulp free from harmful bleaching chemicals.

• Pack entire fruits. Avoid stuffing fruits that have been cut as they easily lose their freshness. Go for whole bananas, oranges, or apples for snack or dessert.

• Avoid reusing food covers. Paper towels, plastic bags, and containers should be replaced or washed with each use. Dispose of paper towels and plastic bags immediately. For containers, wash them after use according to their cleaning instructions.