Lunch Solutions that Don't Pack Landfills
American consumer culture is all about convenience. We want products that will make our lives easier, faster, and cheaper. But oftentimes the "grab 'n go” attitude is actually harmful to our wallets and the environment. A few simple lifestyle changes can save all of us time and money. You can start by re-thinking the way you eat lunch. We strongly recommend switching from brown bags, plastic wrap, and disposable bottles to reusable lunch packaging. We generate billions of pounds of trash each year just from brown-bag lunches, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Instead of packing landfills with our lunch leftovers, we should be packing our stomachs with healthy food and taking the food packaging home to be used again the next day. So, if you want to do your part to help the environment and save yourself hundreds of dollars a year on disposable lunch goods, check out our photo gallery of six affordable and innovative waste-free lunch solutions!
Acme Insulated Lunch Bag
Paper lunch sacks may seem like the easiest way to pack your lunch, but a closer look at their effect on your wallet and the environment might make you think twice before brown-bagging it in the future. First of all, you cannot recycle paper with oil-based food stains, so all of those brown bags end up in the trash after only one use. And cost-wise, if you make two lunches everyday and use a 2-cent brown bag for each one, you'll spend $14.60 per year on disposable brown bags. Instead, use that money to buy yourself a sturdy, reusable lead-free lunch bag. Check out Reusablebags.com to find a lunch bag that suits your price range and style. There you will find bags starting at under $10, such as this Acme Insulated Lunch Bag made from recycled plastics. Photo credit/available at: Reusablebags.com.
Laptop Lunches Bento Box
If you're looking for an all-inclusive lunch packaging solution, try the Laptop Lunches Bento Box. For the low price of only $22.99, this sturdy, dishwasher-safe lunch box set comes with stainless steel utensils and five reusable microwave safe food containers in varying sizes that fit together like a puzzle in an outer snap-shut case that makes it easy to keep track of everything. Two of the containers come with lids so you can pack wet foods like soup, yogurt, and salad dressings without worrying about leaks. These sturdy food containers are perfect for keeping food fresh and un-squashed inside your backpack, briefcase, or tote bag. Photo credit/available at: Laptoplunches.com.
Eco Ditty Reusable Sandwich Bag
If you're looking for a green alternative to foil, plastic wrap, and disposable plastic snack bags, check out EcoDitty's reusable snack and sandwich bags made specifically to be environmentally friendly and easy to use. They are made from 100% organic cotton and printed with low-impact inks and dyes. You can wash them by hand, in the washing machine, or even in the dishwasher and they come in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Snack bags cost $8.99 per bag and sandwich bags are $11.99. This may seem expensive, but a typical family spends upwards of $60 per year on plastic bags. So, a one-time purchase of reusable ones will drastically cut the amount of money you have to spend on plastics over the next few years. Photo credit/available at: Ecoditty.com.
Repeat Utensil Set
If you're looking for something a bit more sophisticated than plastic utensils, try this naturally antibacterial, durable, and lightweight RePEat Utensil Set from To-Go Ware.com for only $11.95. This set conveniently packages a fork, knife, spoon, and chopsticks in a cute utensil bag with a handy carabiner so that you can clip and carry your utensils wherever you go. Photo credit/available at: To-goware.com.
Litter Free Lunch Napkins
Reusable napkins are another great way to cut-down on one-time use disposable landfill-clogging products. Check out Litter Free Lunch Napkins for durable, colorful napkins made of 100% cotton with a sewn-in label space to write your family name. Lucky Rainbow Napkin Co. also makes beautiful reusable napkins that are uniquely hand-made. You can buy an 8-piece napkin set for only $28. Photo credit/available at: Reusablebags.com.
Nalgene Bottles
Thirty-eight billion water bottles end up in American landfills every year. Do your part to reduce this number by getting yourself a high quality reusable bottle. Nalgene makes tried and true bottles with non-leaching HDPE plastic that is recyclable, dent-proof, leak-proof, and dishwasher-safe starting at less than $5 for a 16-oz Loop-Top Bottle. Or try an all-aluminun unbreakable, lightweight SIGG. These bottles are more expensive at $21.99, but are specially made to be taste-neutral and resistant to acids in fruit juices and energy drinks with no scent transfer. Photo credit/available at: Nalgene-outdoor.com.
