Leftovers in humid weather, does that work for a tasty lunch? page

[Carol.C]

Hi all,

I've turned an office bee just few weeks back. While I'm all excited on the idea of packed lunch, I have some concerns regarding leftovers like poultry for lunch at work the next day. Where I reside (in Singapore) is really hot and humid, food turns bad really quickly! I'm not too sure how my food should be handled for a truly tasty and safe meal that won't cause me a tummy ache!

Today I prepared some boiled carrots from yesterday (I tried to prepare food in advance), shiitake mushrooms, black pepper chicken and of cos, some veggies, fruits and dressings. Should I reheat my food before packing and another reheat at the office before consumption? (wouldn't that dry out the juice in the meat?)

I would really appreciate some nice packed lunch ideas. Do consider my weather climate before recommending though!

Thanks!!!

[peril]

Reheating before packing is a bad idea. You should cool the leftovers soon after the original cooking. Pack cold and keep cool until ready to eat. Then and only then should you reheat. It is the heating then keeping warm that fosters growth of bacteria

[Carol.C]

Ah. I cooled the meat after the original cooking. I thought reheating in the morning before packing would kill the bacteria that might have been present overnight in the fridge..

[tfarny]

That is a common Asian way of doing it - in Japan, you often leave the food on the stove overnight and bring it to a quick boil to "repasturize" it, though they don't use that word. If your food is really nice and fresh, it should be fine for 1/2 day without refrigeration, though you can easily make an ice pack and cover it if you are worried. If I lived in Singapore I don't think I could be primal - you have the best food in the world, and it's so cheap! I'm jealous.

[Kaylee99]

Reheating before packing is a bad idea. You should cool the leftovers soon after the original cooking. Pack cold and keep cool until ready to eat. Then and only then should you reheat. It is the heating then keeping warm that fosters growth of bacteria

This is what we do. I usually make a big supper and Hubby takes a bag of it for lunch the next day while Munchkin and I use the protein with our eggs for breakfast and whatever is left for our lunch.

Get a insulated bag with an ice compartment, or one of those Igloo lunchbox things you can add ice too. There are bento lunchboxes that are insulated and have an ice compartment. My friend has this one and loves it: Stay-Fit Lunch 2 Go Container, EZ Freeze: Amazon.com: Kitchen & Dining

[Carol.C]

Ah ha I thought for as long as I heat my food up in the microwave before consumption it should be safe to eat (more or less!)

Considering I have a fridge in my office pantry and with the short journey to work, is the ice bag necessary?

Also, while I prefer to pack my food few days in advance and keeping them in the fridge before packing, what's the maximum period I can store these food before it becomes unsafe for consumption?

[Saoirse]

usually a week; but generally up to two weeks as long as the fridge stays cool.

[jhc]

I'll grill meat on Sunday night, refrigerate it, then use it Monday through Thursday. I make a salad immediately before leaving for work, and put it in the refrigerator as soon as I get to work. It spends no more than an hour out of the refrigerator.

If you have an office refrigerator that should work nicely; using an ice pack might be prudent, but it depends on the length of your commute and the temperature. If your lunch doesn't feel cool to the touch by the time you get to the office I would use an ice pack. Another good trick is using frozen peas or blueberries.

[jammies]

I put my leftovers in the fridge in my lunch container the night before. In the morning, before work, I top the container off with a pile of frozen veggies to keep it cool during transport and while at work. Then I heat the veggies in the microwave and put the meat in with the hot veggies and give it a couple minutes to warm through (I don't like the taste of microwaved meat).

[Carol.C]

Hey that frozen blueberries is a great idea! Just a question, how do you define frozen veggies. You mean the chilled kind in the fridge or really literally frozen kind in the freezer? I prefer my raw romaine lettuce (or any other kind suitable for salad) to warm cooked vegs!