Your lunch! Or at least it can be with some tips on how to makeover your lunch bagging routine into a green, non-toxic, and healthy one. The great thing about a green and healthy lunch bag is that you can simultaneously be good to the environment, be good to your body, and be good to your wallet!
Oh, okay, before I start, I do want to add that this is how I typically pack my lunch during the week. So any healthy foods you enjoy will work…I just may or may not be addicted to salads (guess that’s not such a bad thing!)
The Bag
Instead of reaching for a brown baggie, a leftover plastic grocery store bag, or an insulated lunch container (that often needs to be refrigerated if there isn’t enough inside to keep items cold), reach for a 100% Organic Cotton Lunch Bag! They are machine washable and made from natural, unbleached organic cotton. Pack your lunch in one of these and pop it in the work refrigerator to keep contents cold and bacteria free. As a little side note, did you know that compared to conventional cotton, the methods used to grow organic cotton have lower environmental impacts and are non-toxic (no pesticides used)?
The Food
Lunch
Swap out your plastic containers (yes, even those that hold pre-sliced deli meat) for non-toxic and reusable stainless steel food containers! I pack a salad in my larger stainless steel food container. As for the dressings, I have a stainless steel snack set that comes with a compact container (here I often pack yogurt or fruit) and a small container that is just the right size for salad dressing. For a healthier twist on salad dressing, I use fresh salsa! It’s lower calories, is made from fresh vegetables, and doesn’t come in a plastic container like many grocery store brands do. What I love about my stainless steel containers is that they are dishwasher safe and, most importantly, it won’t leach chemicals like BPA into food. If I'm packing a sandwich, I have a more oval-shaped stainless steel container that is the perfect size!
Snacks
To help you avoid plastics and wasting plastic baggies, try a reusable snack bag! The LunchSkins snack bags are the perfect size—plus they are water proof, grease proof, lead free, BPA free, and phthalate free. I often pack raw nuts, trail mix, and even grapes!
The Utensils
Reusable bamboo utensils are a great alternative to plastic utensils and are much lighter than bringing silverware in a lunch bag. The RePEat bamboo utensils are made from renewable bamboo and are completely non-toxic!
The Drink
I know this sounds like old news, but try to stay away from plastic water bottles! Instead, I used a BPA free glass water bottle or stainless steel water bottle. By using them, you produce less waste and won’t run the risk of BPA leaching into your drink!
I hope these tips help you pack healthier, greener, and more non-toxic lunches for you and your family! And you don't have to stop at the lunchbag for going healthy, green, and non-toxic...Healthy Child Healthy World has a bunch of ideas to help you and your family live healthier lifestyles!
Is it bad that I look forward to packing lunch every day? Not just for me...but I used to pack for my whole family...there are 8 of us!
Happy Packing,
Is it bad that I look forward to packing lunch every day? Not just for me...but I used to pack for my whole family...there are 8 of us!
Happy Packing,
Hannah