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Schools

How to Pack an Eco-Friendly Lunch

Moms look to create waste-free meals.

The way moms pack a school lunch has changed dramatically since the time I was in grammar school. When I was in elementary school, I toted a metal Charlie Brown lunch box and much of my lunch was wrapped in foil or plastic wrap. I also drank from a glass-lined thermos—until the lining broke. When I got older, I used a simple brown bag (that was tossed at the end of my meal) to carry my lunches.

These days, many moms pack lunches in re-usable containers in an effort to cut down on the amount of waste generated in school cafeterias. (Just think of all those plastic forks, knives and straws, juice boxes and sandwich wrappings that get thrown out daily.) When I pack lunches for my daughters, I try to use re-usable containers – my girls carry their lunches in cloth totes that can be reused and washed and I try to put their food and water or juice in washable containers. Some moms go as far as to pack cloth napkins with kids’ lunches, but I haven’t gone that far yet. (I do buy napkins made from recycled materials, though.)

 After some Web surfing, I found these tips for packing an eco-friendly lunch:

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Use a reusable lunch box: I send my daughters’ lunches in cloth totes, but Japanese bento boxes have become popular among some moms. Although quite pricey, bento boxes for kids can also be quite adorable.

Pack drinks in a reusable container: Instead of packing a paper juice box with a plastic straw, send in water or juice in a water bottle or reusable container. One of my daughters actually prefers water to juice, which is great, because sending in water from the tap is far more economical than sending in disposable juice boxes.

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Use reusable cutlery: If you can trust your child to not throw her cutlery out, get an inexpensive set of cutlery (fork, knife and spoon) that you can pack with her lunches. Or, you can pack plastic cutlery (we often have extra sets at home from takeout orders) and ask her to bring it home so you can wash or recycle it.

Use a sandwich box or eco-friendly sandwich wraps: I pack my daughters’ lunches in reusable plastic containers. Or, you can use products like the Wrap-N-Mats (small reusable cloth packages that can hold sandwiches, chips, etc.).

Buy in bulk, not snack-sized: Buying snack-sized packages of chips, crackers, etc., can be time convenient, but it creates a lot of waste and is hard on the pocketbook, too. Instead, buy a large box of chips, crackers, etc., and pack your own snack-sized portions in reusable containers.

Option of fruit or veggies: Of course, packing fruit and veggies over chips and crackers is healthier for your child. The bonus is that most fruit (apples, bananas, etc.) don’t need extra packaging.

Consider cloth napkins: I haven’t gone this far yet, but you could send in cloth napkins with your child’s lunch. They can be purchased at a low cost and can be washed for your child’s next lunch.

These are just a few ideas. There are plenty of great places online where you can get ideas on how to pack an eco-friendly lunch. One great website is wastefreelunches.org, where you can find tips on how to create waste-free lunches, plus a comparison that shows how much a parent can save—the website’s estimate is about $247 a year. (That’s assuming your child packs a lunch every school day.) The website also includes free downloadable materials that parents can use to promote waste-free lunches at their children’s schools. EPA.gov also offers materials that can be used to promote waste-free lunches in schools.

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