1. Fix lunches the night before and store them in the fridge overnight to cool.

2. Use an insulated bag with a freezer pack or chilled thermos to keep food cool.

3. Freeze juice boxes, milk cartons or water bottles and use them as the ice pack. By lunchtime they should be thawed and ready to drink.

4. Keep hot foods hot in a thermos.

5. Make a loaf of sandwiches in bulk and wrap them each individually and freeze them. This not only saves time on a daily basis when making sandwiches, but it also keeps the sandwich filling at a safe temperature until lunch time. Use freezer friendly ingredients such as meats, cheese, canned fish and peanut butter.

6. Choose washable thermoses and plastic containers to store food in. These can then be washed out daily. At the end of the week wash with baking soda to get rid of odours.

7. Don't reuse plastic bags - they can harbour bacteria.

8. Remind your kids to wash their hands before eating. You may even want to discuss this with the teacher and make it a class event. Washing hands can reduce the passing of cold germs and thus decrease absences from school.