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Abundant sunshine. High 77F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph..

A clear sky. Low around 50F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.

COLFAX — FFA members proudly wore their blue jackets as they showed their steers during Thursday’s market classes. Coming from many counties in eastern Washington and northern Idaho, participants displayed their rich agricultural background with honor.

Idaho will travel across the country to play Indiana on Saturday, but it’ll serve as a homecoming of sorts for redshirt junior linebacker Paul Moala.

Not quite 20 years ago, I wrote weekly opinion pieces for two newspapers circulated in rural Whitman and Latah Counties. I guess I must’ve been too hard on George W. Bush’s buildup to the Iraq War and certain Moscow business owners threatened to cancel display advertising were I allowed to c…

The University of Idaho purchased its first campus observatory telescope in 1962, the year the observatory moved to its final location above the sixth hole of the UI Golf Course.

The Vineyard family loves giving new life to old things.

As the school year starts, it is a good time to review how to keep your family’s lunches safe from foodborne pathogens. Many lunch foods can allow for the growth of harmful bacteria such as salmonella, campylobacter, listeria monocytogenes and E. coli, which can multiply rapidly when food is held at temperatures of 40 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. When food is kept within this temperature “danger zone” for longer than two hours, it can become unsafe and must be discarded. However, there are steps you can take to pack healthy lunch items and keep food safe during the day.

Insulated lunch bags or boxes can help keep your perishable food cold. Some bags have built-in cooling packs. These types of bags are placed in the freezer in the evening so that the built-in packs are frozen and ready to keep food cold by the next morning.

Alternatively, you can purchase separate gel ice packs to keep in the freezer between uses. You should use two gel ice packs per lunch bag or box so you can place a pack under and on top of the food. You can also freeze a bottle of water or juice boxes and use these items to keep food cold until lunch.

Be sure to clean and sanitize lunch bags regularly as spilled foods and beverages can allow harmful bacteria to grow. After washing bags with soap and water, then rinsing, you can apply sanitizer solution. This can be made by mixing one-half teaspoon of 5.25% to 6.25% strength bleach into one quart of water. Spray the sanitizing solution on the inside of the bag and allow it to air dry before adding food.

Only use perishable food that has been properly refrigerated or kept hot (below 40 degrees or above 140 degrees). After purchasing food from the store, transport perishables to your house as quickly as possible, refrigeratingthem promptly.

Only use safely stored food for packing lunches. Make sure cutting boards, utensils and containers have been washed thoroughly in hot soapy water before preparing foods and in between preparation of different foods, such as meat and fruit. Cutting boards can be sanitized using the bleach solution described above. Always wash hands for 20 seconds with soap and water before preparing lunches. This will prevent the transfer of harmful bacteria ontoyour food. Nonperishable foods are best for maintaining safety. Foods such as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, nuts, cereal bars and crackers are unlikely to support the growth of harmful bacteria. However, the use of ice packs will allow you to store perishable foods safely in your bag until lunchtime.

Whole fruit, such as apples and oranges, also make great additions. They should be washed under running water prior to placing in your lunch. Keep in mind that any cut produce, such as apple slices, tomatoes or melons, is considered perishable and must be kept cold. Any food that has been cooked but will be served cold, such as rotisserie chicken or pasta salad, should be cooled thoroughly to below 40 degrees before being included in your lunch.

Insulated containers, such as thermoses, can be used to keep soups, chilis and stews hot until lunchtime. Thermoses should be filled with boiling water and allowed to stand for a few minutes to preheat the container. Once the water has been discarded, place your pre-heated food into the thermos. Food that will be hot held until lunch should be heated to 165 degrees before being placed in the thermos, to ensure that it will remain above 140 degrees until it is time to eat.

If using a microwave to reheat food, make sure all the food has been cooked until it is steaming hot (165 degrees). Microwaves can cause uneven heating of food, so stir it often while cooking and make sure it’s hot throughout. If you are heating commercially frozen meals, follow the cooking instructions on the package. Cooking times can vary depending on the microwave’s wattage, so be sure that the food has been heated thoroughly.

For more tips on packing safe lunches, download the free WSU publication at bit.ly/3KxgEml or visit the USDA’s website at bit.ly/3wEIF5X. Bon Appetit!

Smith is an assistant professor and statewide consumer food specialist for Washington State University. She can be reached at food.safety@wsu.edu. If you have a food safety question you would like to see in this column, send your question to us at food.safety@wsu.edu.

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