Pack an Eco-Friendly Lunch Box for Back-to-School

Now that Covid restrictions are loosening up, kids are headed back to summer camp and will likely return to school next fall. Lately, I've been starting to pack lunches again for the family. Fortunately, the schools in our area provide very inexpensive hot meals, but they're not always healthy and the many individually-wrapped selections are not environmentally friendly. When I join my daughter for lunch on occasion, I'm also astounded by how much of these lunches go straight into the garbage can. For the Moms that can't handle another thing on their "plates" (ha, ha), I get it. If you do have time, I find that packing a home lunch can be healthier and cost effective over the long run. Here are a few of my favorite products.

1) STAINLESS-STEEL BENTO BOXES - Did you know that in India stainless steel is used for dishes because it's deemed to be healthier and more sanitary? I try to avoid plastic, so I am a big fan of the LunchBots brand stainless-steel lunch boxes. We use the large size and have a couple different configurations. The five compartment one is great for my daughter and the three compartment one holds full-size sandwiches for my husband. These lunch boxes stack nicely, so you could theoretically pack a week's worth of lunches and store them efficiently in the fridge. Just add dry goods each morning so they don't get mushy. They have tiny condiment containers and snack-size containers too. The compartments let you add a variety of foods and even grapes suddenly look Pinterest-worthy. We use basic stainless steel ones (no silicone color overlay). If you wanted, you could probably personalize these with thin magnets. We've had ours in heavy rotation for over three years and they're still going strong with lids that clip securely into place. They're dishwasher safe too, of course! The bento boxes are not cheap at around $40 for the large size. We definitely make that up though on my husband's lunches and have accrued our collection over time. https://www.lunchbots.com/

2) CLOTH NAPKINS - You can find all kinds of adorable 100% cotton cloth napkins for kids' lunches on Etsy. They are seriously cute and a nice upgrade for your child's lunch (or dinner). O.k., I even put them in my lunch too sometimes. If you have a sewing machine, you can make your own out of scraps. Bonus: they're small squares, perfect for teaching little ones the art of folding laundry!

3) REAL FLATWARE - We have our "nice" flatware and our "o.k.-to-lose" flatware that goes into lunches. It's sturdier than plastic and I personally don't like the feel of the bamboo reusable sets. If you need more, you can pick them up for pennies at a used goods store, or get your kids a fun set for the next holiday. If you have toddler flatware available, it might even tuck into the bento box.

4) WATER BOTTLES - Wow, water bottles are hard. We have gone through a lot of them and seen a lot of leaks. For grown-ups and big kids, I am a fan of the Lifefactory bottles. They are very sturdy glass bottles with a silicone overlay that guards against breaks. They are leakproof and you can select different caps and order replacement caps if needed. The cons are that they are heavy and my daughter had a hard time opening and securely closing her screw-top lid. Her favorite is the Bubba Flo. We have three and they've lasted a couple years now, which is a record for us. They don't leak and when a small plastic part broke, the company replaced the bottle. We don't do juice boxes or plastic water bottles, so these get daily action. We usually have one in the dishwasher and one on the go. I personally won't buy any water bottle with a straw as I never quite trust that I can get them clean.

5) INSULATED BAG - If you use the LunchBots or another bento box brand, you need a thermal pack that will contain any spills and keep the food cool. We have a cute one from Bentology.

6) ICE PACKS - They make slim ice packs that slide into your insulated bag and keep those lunches cool. They come in all kinds of fun colors and shapes. You just have to remember to put them back in the freezer at the end of the day!

7) SHARE THE LOVE! - The above items are also my go-to gifts for teachers and friends. If you have a sewing machine, you can make adorable teacher-themed lunchbox napkins. The LunchBots condiment containers come in three-packs and you can separate them and put a sweet note or candy inside. We gave our bus driver owl-shaped ice packs. If you can afford it, the bento boxes and snack boxes are always well-received. The insulated bags make nice birthday presents. They have fun designs and all lunch bags get gross eventually, so it's likely to get used sooner or later! The above products have lasted several years and are still in good shape. For sustainability purposes, longevity is key.

I actually like packing lunches. I get up early, empty the dishwasher, and make lunches while the coffee brews. Sometimes I listen to podcasts while I do it. Packing lunches helps me use up leftovers and avoid food waste. I save money and use less packaging by buying in bulk. It's economical over the long run and helps my family make healthy food choices.

Let's save money, do what we can for the environment, and raise happy, healthy children!