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When school returns this week, maybe it should be without the traditional plastic lunchbox.

Health experts say conventional lunchboxes pose a health risk for children when packed with foods not properly wrapped or stored and left to grow warm in school bags and lockers.

"It's really important to store food safely," Women's and Children's Hospital senior dietician Nadia Mastersson said.

"All lunches should be stored in insulated carriers with something cool next to them to help stop bacteria breeding."

Parents are being urged to take special care when putting meat and dairy products in their children's lunchboxes.

While frozen drinks and ice bricks added to lunchboxes can help, they only delay the time when food starts to deteriorate and become a food poisoning risk.

Mrs Mastersson said temperature control was crucial to ensure the quality of stored lunches.

"The danger zone for food is when it is neither hot nor cold," she said.

"It's important that hot food stays hot and cold food stays cold."

Pregnant women also have been warned about taking plastic lunchboxes to work and reminded about food storage to reduce the risk of Listeria infection, which is harmful to unborn babies.

Fridges and shaded areas which limit temperature rises were best for storing lunchboxes.

A new health and information website – Lunch Box World – aims to raise awareness about nutrition and lunchbox safety.

The site gives advice to parents about how to keep food safe and appetising.

There are more than 11,500 new cases of food poisoning daily in Australia and an estimated four million a year.

"There are certain foods such as meat, poultry, fish and pasta that are at risk of spreading bacteria," Ms Mastersson said.

"Fresh foods are always better than processed because not only are they safer but they are better for you.

"Processed foods such as chips are often high in fat, salt and sugar and low in essentials like protein."

Ms Mastersson said parents often gave in to "pester power" from children and bought them processed foods because it was easier than saying no.

"We encourage parents to take the time to make their children fresh, healthy lunches because this will teach them healthy eating habits they will keep throughout their adult lives," she said.

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