One way around this issue is to buy reusable lunch gear. There are TONS of reusable lunch options for kids in clever designs, but adults have options too. One of the most lovely options are the delightful ECOlunchbox Kits. These are gorgeous lunch kits that come with almost everything you need to pack a great adult minded waste-free lunch.

• Handmade ECOlunchbags are 100% plastic-free, waste-free, lead-free, BPA-free, PVC-free and vinyl-free. The bags are also reversible and adjustable to folks of any size and the bag even converts to a backpack, sling bag, shoulder bag and hip bag.
• The kit comes with other goodies for lunch such as a two-tier stainless steel food container. The bottom layer is 1 inch deep and will fit foods such as a small whole sandwich and the top layer is 1 1/2 inches deep and is perfect for cut fruit, dry snacks, pasta or salad. A small inner box is also included which is 1/2 cup, and is good for thick yogurt, thick applesauce or cut fruit.
• Three cloth napkins and a spork made of sustainably grown bamboo are also included. Best of all the designs of these bags are totally beautiful – with plenty of color and design choices.

There are a few things I DON’T like about ECOlunchbags such as because the bag is cloth, it’s not great for ice packs. Ice packs will sweat in a cloth bag and make a mess. You can however pick up a simple non-toxic ice pack and sweat free cover to remedy that situation. The kit does not come with a water bottle either but there are plenty of good reusable water bottles on the market. Overall though these are really cute lunch kits with more sophisticated designs than most.

[images via ECOlunchbox Kits]

Post from: Blisstree

Beautiful reusable lunch bags

• Paper or plastic lunch bags and containers.
• Snack packs of cookies, crackers, pudding cups, fruit cups, jello cups, and raisins.
• Juice boxes, juice bottles, bottled water, or worse hard to recycle squeeze novelty drinks.
• Plastic baggies, foil, and plastic wrap for all sorts of foods.
• Lunchables or other building lunch kits.
• Paper napkins and plastic silverware.

This year green it up with some better options…

Instead of paper lunch sacks or plastic lunch boxes full of chemicals choose a reusable lunch container made with safe materials. My two favorite kid lunch kits are the all inclusive Bento Systems 2.0 Laptop Lunch Kit shown above. and the Waste Free Lunch Kit (shown below) – these are cool because they come with everything you need.

However, you can also simply get a bag then fill it with other eco-friendly options. Other nice earth-friendly options include:

• Mimi the Sardine organic cotton lunch sacks
• Fleurville Lunch Pak
• Crocodile Creek Lunch Boxes

Other gear:

• Instead of plastic yogurt tubes get some Lekue Silicone Ice Molds which are actually used to make ice pops, BUT they seal tight, so you can pour organic yogurt into them and send them off to school.
  
• Instead of juice boxes get a reusable bottle. My son has a Kleen Kanteen Classic and a New Wave Stainless Steel Bottle – he likes both and neither leak.
• Instead of plastic baggies use reusable snack pack options – at my house we’ve tried and liked… Small Sidekick Containers, Fresh Snack Pack – Reusable Sandwich Bags, and Plum Creek Mercantile Reusable Cloth Snack Bags but there are many other types of reusable food storage available. Just make sure you choose food storage products made with eco-friendly and non-toxic materials.
• Instead of paper napkins use cloth.
• Instead of plastic silverware use real silverware.

Bonus post link – Ten Green Back-To-School Supplies

Post from: Blisstree

Greener Back-To-School Lunches

Made from insulating Neoprene, our Gourmet Getaway Tote accommodates many shapes and sizes of food and beverage containers, keeping them warm or cool.
• Gusseted base allows the tote to stand upright
• Comfortable, convenient handles for easy to transport

Image: ContainerStore.com

Post from: Blisstree

Now that’s what I call a lunchbag!!

Concentrate Fruit Friendly Lunch Box from John Lewis – holds fruit safely! Very cool.

Lunch & Go Lunchbox from Aladdin.

Double Lunch Box (with name added) from Letterbox.

Find more… (including many eco-choices)

Modern Kids Lunch Tote

Metal Lunch Boxes

Pack Your Kids An Eco-Lunch

Simple Organic Cotton Lunch Bags

Earth friendly lunch boxes

Make Your Own Oilcloth Bags

Post from: Blisstree

Last Minute Lunch Boxes

This lunch tote is not available in orange anymore (sadness) but it is available in a spiffy green color. What I love is that it’s got cool storage features – like mesh pockets to hold food, and that cool clear pocket on the front. The clear pocket comes with a postcard of an artwork from MoMA’s collection, which is slick in itself, but I was thinking your child could also use it to stick in need-to-read notes from school. Then you see the notes.

Learn more about this lunch tote.

[lunch tote image via MoMA Store]

Post from: Blisstree

Modern Kids Lunch Tote