I need plastic-free container and food transporting ideas for my 2 older boys' lunches. Last year they both carried cheapie soft-sided lunch boxes that bit the dust in only one school year. I do send them both w/ KKs or Siggs for their drinks and stainless condiment cups for stuff like trail mixes and nuts. This year we're going to try wrap-n-mats for their sandwiches and try to reduce the number of wax baggies we use.

What lunch box does your child carry to school and what containers have you found that work well?

TY!!

Do you sew? Mine oldest has a nylon fabric lunch sack, copied slightly larger than a paper bag. It has a velcro closure. It's lasted over a year, with time out in the laundry.

I'd throw away the commercial ones after a year, anyway- all the grotty little corners and folds- ew..

Mine middle- his friend has one sewn from oilcloth. It's mexican oilcloth, larger even than the slightly larger than paperbag. It has incredibly adorable buttons, with a string wrap, like an office memo envelope. It's a few years old.

Maybe a bucket, like Tom Sawyer?

Personally, the kids are getting the very commercial, superhero lunchboxes. It's not fun hearing about how the lunch box is so different than all their friends. Or how the sandwich gets squished, and there's no coordinating water bottle...........

ari

I made a few out of hemp fabric- very sturdy and I use them in rotation so they don't wear out quickly

I buy their lunch bags usually at the start of each year. Honestly, I never expected them to last more than a year. My worry is that if I spend the money on a more durable lunch box, they will lose it.

My mission this year is to use a few baggies as possible. So far, I've not used any with my youngest and he's been in school 3.5 weeks. Today is my older son's first day so we'll see how things go.

I need plastic-free container and food transporting ideas for my 2 older boys' lunches. Last year they both carried cheapie soft-sided lunch boxes that bit the dust in only one school year. I do send them both w/ KKs or Siggs for their drinks and stainless condiment cups for stuff like trail mixes and nuts. This year we're going to try wrap-n-mats for their sandwiches and try to reduce the number of wax baggies we use.

What lunch box does your child carry to school and what containers have you found that work well?

TY!!

Ashley! Where did you find the stainless condiment cups??? Please share!!! :D

Reusable Bags - Eco-friendly reusable bags, plus facts & news on plastic bag issue (http://www.reusablebags.com/)

I just ordered their reusable sandwich mat/wrap.

Reusable Bags - Eco-friendly reusable bags, plus facts & news on plastic bag issue (http://www.reusablebags.com/)

I just ordered their reusable sandwich mat/wrap.

We've been using those and they're great! Reusable bags is one of my fav websites. Not long ago there was a promo code at MDC...worth checking out.

I found the condiment cups at Target. Just the other day I found some great stainless spice containers for cheap at my local kitchen store. The boys took their trail mix in them and they got rave reviews.

I like to wrap sandwich type foods in wax or parchment paper.

They pitch the paper after eating but I prefer it to the plastic bags and wrap.

I found a lunch box for my daughter called a Laptop lunch box. You can order them online. The company uses safe and durable plastic to make the box and it is made in California. The whole thing is reusable so you create a no waste lunch. The company is great because they want to lower school lunch waste while increasing healthy boxed lunches. It comes with a book on nutrition, facts and how to create healthy unprocessed lunches.

My daughter is in Kindergarten and loves it! She is very careful not to lose the pieces and eats almost everything I send her to school with!

They are a little pricey but I believe in the company and what they are doing. It comes with a lunch box, water bottle and carrying case. The case is made in China but they make sure that all are tested for lead.

So, what do you all pack in your children's lunches. It is only the third week of school and I would love more ideas.
Thanks!

Any mamas on here tried making (or perhaps mastered) those reusable sandwich wraps?

We reuse yogurt cups with lids for a lot of lunch stuff, but I would really like to cut down on our plastic baggie usage as well.

The laptop lunchboxes look cool, but for the price, I am not sure I would be calm if the kids lost theirs!

We have cheapy evilmart insulated collapsible bags. The girls have generic girly decor on them. They were less than $4 each, so if they do lose them, it will be an inconvenience but it won't blow our budget trying to get new ones.

For now since it's still hot, they carry water bottles to school, plus sometimes a juice box.

Lots of single serving snacks while it's hot- granola bars, cheese n breadsticks (oh yes cause THOSE are healthy!), peanut butter n breadsticks, fruit leathers....
my 5 year old is still learning the routine with school so I am waiting to start sending her with reusable containers.

hmm, what was my point again?

instead of plastic utensils, I went to Evilmart and bought camping utensils for $3 a pack. Comes with fork, knife and spoon. Made of stainless steel.

We use the
to go ware lunchboxes. we like them a lot.
To-Go Ware::Welcome (http://www.to-goware.com/)
i have small sized stainless silverware that fits in the bottom tier.
nissan is supposed to have 100%stainless thermos' as well...

I made my kids. (http://goddesshobbies.blogspot.com/2007/07/did-i-mention-i-was-obsessed.html)

They each have two wraps and a bag, and a water bottle that goes in them. Alex's water bottle is bright orange. I thought it fitting.

This was a recent post I did on what I am sending with them: (http://goddesshobbies.blogspot.com/2007/08/uncrustables-val-style.html)

He gets a fruit, a starch, and a sandwich/main dish, and a treat in each lunch. Today he took a PB&J sandwich, an apple, some pretzels, and a half of an organic pop tart (on sale 2 for $1 so a very limited thing ;) ). Then his water. Wed has been decided as "Soup Wed" from now on for him. lol... so I am working on a way for him to take that... I think I will pick him up a stainless soup contianer, but last year he left soup at school for two days and it took me 1/2 an hour to get the stupid top off the thing because the left over soup had gone bad in it. YUCK! So I told him he only has one chance this year with Soup Wed. If he does that again this year, he will again, be banished from Soup Wed.

We have a menu which we use, which was completely and wonderfully taken from Martha Stewart. lol! Here it is. (http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=6b4aeb7d69f54110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCR D&rsc=related)

I am sure it will be a great help... BUT this is the first day of school. Today. And Cyan had friends over, so we made pasta. lol... I can't vouch for the use of it quite yet. I will let you know next week how it is working out. ;)

Val

Dang Val! Awesome lunch bags!

You ladies are all so talented wiht your sewing skills...geez no wonder I can't sell my crappy homemade stuff on here!

IMPRESSIVE!

Linda,

How is shipping on the lunch systems you linked and do they leak if tipped? Do you ever put soup or saucy type stuff in them? Are they pretty thick and durable?

Linda,

How is shipping on the lunch systems you linked and do they leak if tipped? Do you ever put soup or saucy type stuff in them? Are they pretty thick and durable?
I am afraid I am not going to be much help...
I ordered through a prebuy, so I am not sure on the shipping. Very thick and durable! I love them
We have not put soupy stuff in them...I have put pasta and rice and beans/stuff like that.
OK.I tested it.
I put water in the bottom tier, it leaks badly when poured on its side. I emptied it and put water in the top tier and it only leaks a very slow one drop at a time. So for kids, not good with liquid stuff, but for an adult that top layer could easily have soup in it. Wow. I learned something new:)

hth?
I love those things. We take them everywhere. But then again, I am different like that:)

i made oil cloth (made my own oil cloth) wrap mats. with strings to tie them so anything like say a sandwhich then a tortilla could fit in them and they worked out really well.

i made oil cloth (made my own oil cloth) wrap mats. with strings to tie them so anything like say a sandwhich then a tortilla could fit in them and they worked out really well.

would love to see pics of this!

I am really interested in sandwich wraps, and if i can figure out how to make my own I could nearly completely stop using baggies.