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

We usually end up alternating between peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and bologna and cheese sandwiches. Though the kids like them and I know they’re better for them the pre-packaged processed stuff the schools serve now (when did that start?), I do like to shake things up now and then and throw in something they’re not expecting.

One of my favorite ways to surprise them is to add a layer of Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread to one side of a sandwich before slathering on the peanut butter and jelly. They don’t even know it’s there until they take a bite, and I always get grateful hugs when they get home from school!

It’s also fun to switch what I make the sandwich on. Bagel sandwiches are always a hit (especially with cream cheese in place of mayo), and even hamburger buns are a fun substitution for basic sandwiches. Tortilla wraps are also easy to use in place of bread.

I haven’t buckled just yet and gotten a sandwich cutter, though. There are cute ones available, but I figure I’ll only get another year or so out of them before all my girls decide they’re too old for it, so for now I use cute cookie cutters. They’re already on hand and I know they’re sturdy enough for cookie dough when making cute sandwiches loses its novelty! I do like the ones that waste as little of the sandwich as possible. For those that do cut off more sandwich than I’d like, I cut the bread with the cutters first and use the leftovers for breadcrumbs, and then just pile on or spread the sandwich fixings on the cut bread.

What small things do you do to kick up your kids’ lunches?

[image: sxc]

Post from: Blisstree

Spiffing Up the Lunchbox Sandwich

• 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

Do you scurry around making school lunches

I’ve written about this topic at my Mary Emma’s Country Kitchen blog, under School Lunch Variations, covering school lunches from my mom’s day to the present when my grandchildren take lunch and snacks to school.  There certainly have been changes over the years. 

You’ll also find a recipe for Mayonnaise Cake, something we made often during my childhood for dessert at home and a lunch box special.

What do you do so lunch box time isn’t so mundane and a frantic rush? 

 Incidentally, do you make quilted or patchwork lunch boxes or carriers?

(Ghirardelli Chocolate image at Amazon)

Post from: Blisstree

Lunches for Quilters & Tots