Fast food, high in oil and salt, is unhealthy. Many office workers bring their own meals to work, which is a convenient, economical, and healthy alternative. However, in the summer, it's important to avoid perishable items to prevent spoilage.
Avoid bringing bean dishes as they spoil easily
Bean sprouts, tofu, dried tofu sheets, and soy skin are very high in protein, delicious, and nutritious, and we should normally eat more of them. However, they spoil very easily. At slightly higher temperatures, they go bad and become sour. Zeng Qingshan, a attending physician in the Nutrition Department of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, suggests that in the hot summer, you should not bring bean dishes in your lunchbox. This is because they spoil easily in high temperatures. If you eat them without noticing, you'll be the one to suffer. Many people get diarrhea in the summer precisely because high temperatures allow bacteria to multiply and food to spoil. Eating contaminated food will only cause you trouble. Of course, if you can ensure the dish is kept in the refrigerator at home, the travel time is not long, and it can be put into the office refrigerator immediately upon arrival, then it's still okay to bring. Greens and seafood release "toxins" when eaten the next day
Green leafy vegetables (like cabbage, spinach, chives, and other green-leafed vegetables) are also high-vitamin foods we must eat regularly. Many people like to bring them in their lunchboxes because we are always encouraged to eat more green vegetables, no matter the time. However, green leafy vegetables contain a substance called "nitrate" that should be eaten freshly made. If stored for too long or reheated in a microwave, the nitrate can convert into "nitrite," which is carcinogenic.
Fish and seafood are also on the list of foods to avoid. They are not suitable for eating the next day because, after being stored for a long time, they can produce protein degradation products that can damage liver and kidney function. So, it's best to finish these nutritious foods in the same meal. If your workplace doesn't have a refrigerator
Many readers think that if their workplace doesn't have a refrigerator but the air conditioning is on, the indoor temperature is not high, so their packed lunch should be fine. Zeng Qingshan says that some bacteria can multiply rapidly at temperatures over 20 degrees Celsius. Besides, your lunchbox has been exposed to high outdoor temperatures for a period of time.
In the hot summer, food taken from the home refrigerator, after a short trip, and then refrigerated at the office will have a smaller chance of spoiling, as long as the travel time is not too long and it is not directly exposed to the sun. However, if your workplace doesn't have a refrigerator, Zeng Qingshan still advises against bringing your own lunch. This is because the chance of food spoiling is very high after more than four hours at room temperature.
Separate food and rice into compartments to extend shelf life
Separating the dishes from the rice is another way to slow down the spoilage of a packed lunch. This is because food can affect each other and accelerate spoilage. In particular, the sauce from the dishes soaking into the rice can easily lead to spoilage. You can choose a lunchbox with multiple compartments. Keep the rice and different types of dishes separate to prevent mixing of flavors and spoilage, achieving the best of both worlds. Summer fruits and vegetables are highly beneficial
What foods can ensure a nutritious summer lunch? In the hot summer, people's digestive functions are weaker, and it's easy to develop acute gastrointestinal diseases like vomiting and diarrhea. The diet should focus on clearing heat, detoxifying, quenching thirst, and promoting urination. Don't chase after off-season, expensive vegetables; seasonal fruits and vegetables are the best choice. For example, cucumbers can help expel putrefied food from the intestines and are beneficial for lowering cholesterol; winter melon is rich in vitamin B; and loofah and bitter gourd have the effect of reducing heat and detoxifying.
Other foods like tomatoes, celery, and lotus root are also quite beneficial to eat in the summer, and you can choose to eat them. Don't forget that certain nutrients in meat cannot be replaced by other foods. To supplement protein and amino acids, you still need to bring some meat. For example, steaming a meat patty or stir-frying sliced meat with loofah are excellent choices.
Remember to fully heat your packed lunch in the microwave before eating. Some people feel it's more comfortable to eat cold rice and dishes in hot weather. But if you do this, you are consuming a large amount of bacteria and are asking for an upset stomach. This is because there are many bacteria on the food, and heating is also a process of killing them.