Ice packs in lunch boxes - yes or no?

[rachelp73]

Do you put an ice pack in your child's lunchbox? DS1 just started reception and is enjoying his packed lunches. I haven't been putting an ice pack in mainly because the only ones we've got are the fairly big block type and would take up too much space in his lunchbox. He's had ham sarnies for the last 5 times and come to no harm so far. I make it about 8.30am so I guess he'd eat it about 4 hours later. Also in there is a yoghurt, cheese and fruit (all from the fridge) which might help keep it a bit cooler.

Am I risking him getting food poisoning? No idea. The teachers wouldn't let them leave their lunchboxes next to a radiator all morning, would they?

I don't think you should risk putting them in lunch boxes. There is always the possibility they will be confiscated for containing too many calories or not being nutritious enough and it will just have been a waste of money

I use little gel packs - they look strangely like MrBump gel pads.

I tried freezing the carton of apple juice - it was still half frozen at lunchtime, so my ds left it. By the time it came home the rest of it had melted and the lunchbox was awash with sticky apple juice.

fruit chillers

Ooh, just remembered, I have kept the Natal Nurse gel pad I used when I had an episiotomy during DS1's delivery. Kind of just the right size. What do you think? What goes around comes around, and all that.