lunchbox lessons

I packed my son’s lunch every day last year for his preschool.  It wasn’t until the end of the year at the parent/teacher meeting that his teachers told me, “You know that Ike can’t open any of the lids to the containers you send in?  Right?  We have to open them.  And next year the elementary school lunch teachers won’t have the time or availability to open them for him.”  Well, ‘No’, ‘I didn’t know that!’.  It turns out that all of my fancy stainless steel containers were kid-UNfriendly!  Yikes.  A whole year of Ike not being able to open any of his containers and he never told me!  Now that I realize a lot of these stainless steel containers have tight-fitting lids (too tight for a 5-year-old), what is a green mom to do?  Test the goods before purchasing!  Let your kids maneuver the products and see if they can easily open and close them.  It’s sometimes hard to test the containers because a lot of the greener ones are not available at a store near you and have to be purchased online.

Stainless steel water bottles and reusable sandwich bags are an easy and safe bet no matter where you buy them.  For containers that hold fruit or other wet ingredients (or easily smushed foods), I am on the lookout for an easy-to-open lid.  Typically, I try to avoid plastics at all costs, but if it seems to be the easiest to open, I may be going with going with a BPA & PVC-free plastic container.  I’ll keep you posted! 

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packing lunch… the green way!

It is estimated that each American child produces 67 pounds of lunch packaging waste each school year! That’s a big ‘F’ in our report card! This year when school starts, make sure that your kids are lunch box smart!

There is no longer a need for plastic sandwich bags, paper bags and juice boxes.  There are tons of green lunchbox options out there and a lot of them are super cute too!  Here’s our eco lunchbox lowdown:


 1. Forgo the brown paper bag and invest in a durable lunch box or bento-style lunch container.

2. Go reuseable! Reusable sandwich bags and containers are super sturdy and easy to use, clean & store. If you have to pack a plastic bag, try to reuse it or recycle it!

3. Store beverages in stainless steel water bottles! Have your kids sip out of a reusable bottle rather than a juice box or plastic water bottle.

4. If your child needs cutlery or a napkin, pack the real thing. Encourage your child to bring home all leftovers to prevent accidentally disposing of the napkin and utensils (they may even be able to compost any leftovers).

5. If possible, steer clear of purchasing prepackaged foods for your child’s lunch. They are typically wrapped in excessive packaging and are more expensive than buying in bulk.

We’ve got an entire selection of GREEN LUNCHBOXES & accessories on our eco ike eco boutique!  Check out our entire selection here!

the 'green' kid lunchbox

according to the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, kids consume about 50% of their daily calories at school!  studies also show that children who eat a healthy diet can concentrate and perform better at school!

a healthy lunch is balanced with fiber, carbohydrates, proteins and fats.  getting kids to eat their vegetables is often the most challenging part of packing a good lunch.  try these strategies for getting your child to eat their vegetables:

• grate fresh or steamed vegetables into a sandwich or wrap
• add vegetables to hot foods like pasta & sauce or mac-n-cheese
• make a bean burrito with roasted veggies, salsa and sour cream
• add thinly sliced vegetables to sandwiches

excerpt from The Co-Op Advantage
photo courtesy of kiwimagonline