That rancid smell in the lunchbox!

The pungent smell and unpalatable flavours of your favourite dish gone bad are just too difficult to bear.

But doesn’t that happen way too often in summers. Be it your child’s lunchbox or your packed tiffin for office, dishes seem to lose flavour as soon as you open that cover to savour your meal at lunchtime.

Considering this problem that most often than not leaves one hungry and angry all day long, Metrolife sought advice from experts, on what makes for an ideal tiffin in summer. 

“Lunch is an important meal of the day, so one should not even think of skipping it. The best way to protect your lunch from going bad is to pack such eatables which contain the least amount of water,” says food expert Bharti Sanghi.

For a doting mother who lovingly packs lunch boxes early in the morning everyday, if the lunch box comes back home without being eaten, it is disappointing.

Bodhita Bali, a homemaker and mother of a college-going son, says, “I can’t always let him have food from the canteen. And the packed lunch ends up getting spoiled almost all the time in summers. As a backup, I pack him something raw in airtight bags so that he can nibble on some fresh fruits and veggies if there is no other option.”

Chef Rishi Verma from Sattviko also recommends, “The best substitutes can be the fresh fruits, sandwiches which are not grilled or toasted, fresh vegetable salads containing more of raw vegetables and fruits and less of cooked items.”

He adds that for lunch one could also have “Baked items such as quiche, croissants and boiled vegetables with choice of your favourite dips.”

Kicking in a whiff of creativity, Bharti says, “Make your lunch a little exciting and you will get some nice options to have in summer lunch without worrying about its after-taste.

Here are a few dishes one can pack for a summer lunch: Sukhe masala aalu, bhindi, pulao, Hummus, Mathhis, Pinni, fresh bread with jam, biscuits, parathas and
masala poori.”

To keep your food safe, she cautions, “Before packing anything in the lunchbox ensure the temperature of food is at room temperature.

Freeze the salad and curd before keeping them in the lunchbox. Keep your lunchbox away from heat or direct sun and store it in an open and cool place.”