Thank you Juice In The Box
for providing me with products to review, free of charge.
These are my own honest opinions.

It’s one thing to choose green alternatives around the house, it’s another one to choose green altnernatives on the go or when you’re away from home. It seems that so many products are designed specifically for a single use because it’s more convenient. Sure, it might be convenient in the short term but the impact on our environment will be anything but convenient for future generations. Even money-wise it’s better to invest in reusable products so here are my top 5 ideas for a greener lunchbox.

1. Use reusable bags. Becoming more and more popular, reusable bags now come in different sizes and designs. I’ve tried different kinds and I typically prefer zippered bags. It’s easier and quieter to open and the zipper will last forever! They’re a breeze to clean: wipe clean or give it a quick rinse at the kitchen sink to remove crumbs. You can also throw them with your laundry once in a while or as needed. Bonus points if you can find cute prints that match your kids’ lunchboxes!

2. Buy a larger size and divide it into smaller portions instead of buying single-serve products. This is great for 2 reasons. First, when you buy a large size of yogurt, apple sauce, or crackers, you use your own reusable small containers which effectively replace dozens of single-use containers. Second, buying a larger size is always cheaper than buying its individually portioned equivalent. Bonus point if you prepare everything ahead of time and divide your yogurt and crackers into small portions right when you get back from the grocery store!

3. Ditch juice boxes and go for a fun reusable containers. The same reasoning as tip #2 applies here. Why not get rid of all those single-use juice boxes and straws and use instead fun containers like Juice In The Box? They are colorful rectangular containers that are BPA-free and phtalate-free. With Juice In The Box, you control how much juice – or other beverage – your child has (it can contain up to 8 ounces). You also control exactly what they drink so you can go for 100% fruit juice, dilute them with a bit of water, or even make your own with fresh fruit and veggies! Bonus point if you plan ahead and freeze a small amount of juice in your kids’ Juice In The Box so their drink stays cold all day!

4. Use cloth napkins instead of disposable ones. This is also an easy transition to make. Simply buy a few cloth napkins and place them in your kids’ lunchbox. You only need 2-3 per child depending on how often you do the laundry. It’s not a whole lot of extra work: all you do is put the dirty ones in your hamper until laundry day and that’s it. I recommend getting 100% cotton handmade peshtemal napkins. Not only are they beautiful, they are made to last. Bonus point if you can fold your kids’ napkins into flowers, birds, and monsters!

5. Use ‘real’ utensils instead of disposable plastic ones. This is a no-brainer. Cheap plastic utenstils just don’t work as well and they break in no time. Using real utensils is by far a greener choice. If you’re not comfortable sending metallic utensils to school, look for bamboo ones. They will outlast any plastic ones and actually do work well. If you’re looking for a space-saving option, sporks are also super fun! Bonus points if you also get bamboo cooking utensils to prepare yummy meals for the whole family!

Tell me! What small changes have you made to make your kids’ lunchboxes greener?

Rachel