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?
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
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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.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by birthdance
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!!!
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 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!
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Megan
Mama to Maia 5 and Twyla 20 months
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?
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Becky,
SUPER DUPER single mama to my 2 lovely ladies!
patchouli wearin, dirt lovin, tree huggin, tiedye makin, tofu eatin, belly dancin, festival goin, vegetable growin, tea drinkin, hippy stinkin!
We use the
to go ware lunchboxes. we like them a lot. To-Go Ware::Welcome
i have small sized stainless silverware that fits in the bottom tier.
nissan is supposed to have 100%stainless thermos' as well...
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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.
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
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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?
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Bobbi Jo
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the Lord has come!
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Tawnya, your memory lives on in your children.
). 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.
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