In a world of plastic and paper, is it possible to avoid giving our children lunch in these harmful materials? The answer is an emphatic yes. School lunch does not need to include loads of paper and plastic waste. Some of the biggest offenders include juice boxes, plastic baggies, paper napkins or plastic cutlery. The ultimate destination of all these items are the landfills or in a recycling program that is enforced by the school.
What is an eco-friendly lunch?
Eco-friendly does not mean expensive. There are many eco-friendly and economical options for packing lunch. These are mentioned below:
- Reusable lunch box and bag: Most of us do not think twice about sending our child off, with lunch in a paper bag. These get thrown in the trash almost every day. Try packing lunch in a reusable box and bag. One should avoid using boxes or bags with lead, PVC or vinyl. There are dozens of cloth lunch bags and lunch boxes that are eco-friendly available online. Apart from retails stores, Amazon.com, Walmart and Target have a wide range of these eco-friendly lunch boxes and bags.
- Wrappers for sandwiches: Plastic wrappers for sandwiches are very common. Yet, an eco-friendly solution would be to use reusable wrappers or containers. Simply hop down to the nearest retail mall or go online for a variety of eco-friendly sandwich wrappers. You can make your own wrapper by using your sewing machine and reuse old materials at home. This reduces waste and money.
- Do not buy individual Prepackaged Food or Snacks: Individual snack packs are very convenient to toss into your childโs backpack. But, they are waste-creators and money-guzzlers. One can invest in a reusable container that is snack-size. These are helpful for a variety of items such as pretzels or chopped fruit. Donโt buy snacks in bulk and save money. One should look out for containers carrying PVC, lead, vinyl or BPA.
- Cloth is best: Paper napkin cause more waste and damage that cloth. Although, cloth needs to be washed regularly, they are safe and do not create waste. Cloth napkins are an eco-friendly option.
- Thermos saves waste: Invest in a thermos if you want to pack leftovers. These are ideal options for lunch in the winter time. The thermos may also be a good way of packing hot meals and soups made fresh. Pack the silverware too, the ones that are not too expensive.
- Juice Bottles are ideal: A stainless steel bottle is the perfect solution to all those juice boxes. They avoid adding waste to the landfills and save money. Go for stainless steel or BPA-free bottles of plastic that can be filled from a larger bottle at home.
- Reminder for your child: Make sure that your child does not throw the reusable item. It would be great to teach them how to repack the reusable lunch boxes and bags.
Is packing eco-friendly lunch the future for our children?
Going green was never bad. Apart from saving the environment, the amount of money ones saves is staggering. The concept of reusing materials is the ideal way to help the environment. Apart from this, we are ensuring that our health is taken care of. The reduction in our dependencies towards using paper and plastic help us stay away from harmful chemicals and materials. Donโt hesitate to go online and go green at the earliest possible time. This is the best way to begin life in an eco-friendly way for you and the entire family.
