Expert issues a warning to parents who chuck in chicken nuggets for school packed lunches & explains why it’s a bad idea
CHICKEN nuggets – a firm kids’ favourite when it comes to packed lunches or a quick bite.
But according to one food safety expert and savvy mum Jenna, this savoury treat is not a good choice when putting together a school lunch for your kid.
Taking to TikTok, Jenna explained why you might be better off finding a different food alternative – and not only is the reason gross but it can also be a health hazard.
”Stop sending hot chicken nuggets in school packed lunches,” she urged in the clip.
”I’ve seen so many videos on social media saying it’s safe to send hot chicken nuggets to school in a thermos.”
To demonstrate just how unsafe it could be, the parent went on to prep the flask, as well as to cook the crispy nuggets in the air fryer.
However, despise preheating the flask and cooking the chicken nuggets ”well above temperature”, within an hour the meaty bites had severely dropped in temperature.
According to Jenna, it took around 60 minutes for the nuggets to go from a hot 93 degrees ”into the danger zone” which is below 63 degrees.
This, she went on to warn, is ”where bacteria multiply rapidly”.
”Once in the danger zone, food should be eaten or refrigerated within the next two hours.
”Not ideal if you’re packing your child’s lunch three or four hours before.”
However, as Jenna added, this isn’t the same for everything – for instance, a soup in a non-branded flask was still hot at 67 degrees a whopping five hours later.
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”Sending them cold would be a safer option!”
Advising fellow parents to be more careful, the mum wrote in the caption: ”A reminder that not everything you see on social media is a good idea.”
For more safer options, Jenna revealed that it’s best to send something ”saucy” if you want to pack it in a thermos.
More than 2k people gave the video a ‘like’, as dozens raced to comments to share their thoughts and thank the whizz.
One mum said: ”I’ve sent nuggets BUT they were cooked and fully cooled before they went into the lunch box.”
Someone else chimed in: ”I use chicken satays for mine and take the toothpick out them.”
”What the heck?!?!” another was baffled by the new information.
A parent wondered: ”what schools are allowong chicken nuggets in lunchboxes? my son’s school doesn’t even allow white bread, full packets of crisps or anything chocolate [sic].”