Plan for trash-free lunches

No matter if your a kid on your way to school or camp, an adult headed off to work, or just a family off for a day at the park, we all gotta eat, and the best way to go is trash-free.

According to New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation each typical school student produces 45 to 90 pounds of garbage a year in disposable lunches. Now consider all the adults who also lug lunches around. That’s a ton of trash. Bags, plastic wrap, foil, straws, juice boxes and more all add up to a whopping load of garbage, and while some workplaces and schools do recycle, people just don’t recycle all they should.

Here are some ideas for packing a trash-free lunch…

1. GRAB A REUSABLE LUNCH CARRIER - Any old reusable lunch carrier will do but points for looking for one that’s made from eco-friendly materials and that will last a long time. Insulated carriers are also a pro as they allow you to carry colder foods even in the summer heat. Shown above are some great reusable lunch carrier options.

1. Bento Box Set – cool and come in many colors.
2. Built NY’s lunch tote – Sophisticated pick for adult lunches, safe, and comes in many color choices.
3. Waste-free lunch kit: Reusable, waste-free lunch kit includes recycled cotton sack, cloth napkin, food-grade stainless steel beverage bottle, food kozy and two food-grade stainless steel food containers. Many color styles available.
4. Lunchopolis kits are safe, cute, and hold a bunch of lunch goodness.
5. Basic 100% certified organic cotton lunch sacks. Many designs available.

2. GRAB A REUSABLE DRINK CONTAINER – see the links below for good choices…

• NEW SIGG Wide Mouth Bottles!
• The Best Looking Reusable Water Bottles on the Planet
• Kid’s reusable bottles
• G2 Stainless Steel Drink Bottles

3. GRAB SOME REUSABLE FOOD CONTAINERS , WRAPS & BAGGIES – Nowadays there are plenty of good reusable bag, wrap, and container options available that can take the place of plastic baggies, foil, and plastic wrap.

• 10 oz Leak-proof Food Jar – BPA free
• Plum Creek Mercantile Reusable Cloth Snack Bags
• Reusable food containers
• Reusable sandwich bags

4. PACK FOODS & DRINKS FROM HOME – Ban prepackaged foods and instead make food that will save up nicely in your reusable lunch gear.

Are you still carrying around paper or plastic lunch sacks? Have you been considering a switch?