For many of us, packing a lunch for work, school or a day out of the house means plastic baggies, plastic bottles and pre-packaged snacks. These wasteful lunches are not only expensive but can be bad for your body and for the environment. Plastic containers can cause certain plastic toxins to enter our bodies as well as our environment. These toxins have been linked to numerous health issues in people. The cost of plastic bags and individually-wrapped snacks adds up compared to buying in bulk. Good news is that you can start having a waste free lunch today! Don’t fill our landfills with unnecessary packaging, instead use reusable lunchware. When you finish your lunch you should only have biodegradable items to toss.
Do you use a plastic grocery bag as a lunch bag? This is the easiest one to trade out. Treat yourself to a nice insulated lunch bag, keeping all your food hot or cold. There’s a tons of options out there! If you like my whale lunch bag, check it out here.
Once you have your new lunch bag/box it’s time to get rid of those one time use plastic baggies. Whether they are for sandwiches or snacks, they are a huge waste. Luckily there are tons of great alternatives out there. Below I’ve listed some alternatives to plastic baggies, including the ones pictured!
- Lunchskins (pictured) – These bags are reusable and will replace 500 plastic bags in their lifetime. They are dishwasher-safe, certified food safe and toxin free.
- ECOlunchbox– They have great snack boxes, lunch bags, lunch boxes, and a whole line of stainless steel and silicone lunchware that’s ocean-friendly, leak-proof, and 100% plastic-free! They also have a great lunch study, outlining how exactly you are saving money!
- Pyrex Glass Containers (pictured)- Some basic glass containers for all your lunch needs. They are freezer, microwave and dishwasher safe. Plus the lids are BPA free!
Lastly, your water or drink. If you haven’t already made the switch from drinks in plastic bottles to a reusable bottle, now is a great time to start! You can even customize your drink-ware with stickers or decals to make it a little more personal and fun.
Show us your waste free lunches in the comments!
Originally written by Rebeca Murillo; Updated 9/6/20 by Jen Kennedy
