As Americans we have come to depend on the many convenience products that are available to us, and nowhere is this more evident than in the school lunch room. Most parents pack lunch items in single-use plastic bags, aluminum foil, or wax paper, or they purchase single-serving items that come in their own disposable package. Admittedly, these products are extremely convenient, but what is the environmental cost to a country that relies so heavily on them? Our landfills are beyond full—they’re overflowing; incinerators pump contaminants into the air; and communities are battling over who will take the nation's trash. We all enjoy these conveniences, but few of us want new landfills and incinerators built in our own backyards.

Much of the trash we generate comes from the packaging on the food we buy, and lunch foods are no exception. In fact, it has been estimated that, on average, a school-age child using a disposable lunch generates 67 pounds of waste per school year. The bad news, of course, is how that adds up to 18,760 pounds of lunch waste for just one average-size elementary school! And the good news? Even the smallest effort to reduce waste adds up over time, and with family after family joining in to do their part, we can keep thousands of pounds of trash out of our landfills (and out of our children’s groundwater and air). So, before you stock up on lunch bags, zip-lock bags and mini applesauce containers for Back-to-School, stop—and think about how you’ll pack lunches this year and what you want your children to learn about protecting our planet.

How-To Pack a Waste-Free/Reusable Lunch (vs. the Typical/Disposable American Lunch)
Packing a waste-free lunch may take more time, but, given the benefit, it’s well worth the extra effort. You’ll also find that it is far less expensive to pack a waste-free lunch. Besides, any second grader will tell you: a brown bag is no match for a Spiderman lunch pail. Here are some tips for making it work:
• Start with a reusable lunchbox, backpack, purse or brief case. Avoid disposable plastic bags.
• Pack lunches in the evening in reusable containers and store them in the refrigerator overnight. Avoid plastic wrap, plastic bags, aluminum foil, and prepackaged foods whenever possible.
• Maximize leftovers. Prepare extra servings for dinner. Pack the leftovers in lunchboxes in the evening while you’re cleaning up.
• Stock your kitchen with fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other nutritious foods. Many of these items (bananas come to mind) don’t need wrapping.
• Keep nuts and dried fruit on hand.
• Buy from bulk bins to reduce costs.
• Buy from a Farmers Market. (Fresh, local food requires less packaging.)
• Write your name on all your containers before leaving the house.
• Include a drink in a refillable bottle, and avoid single-serving juice boxes, drink bottles, cans and pouches whenever you can.
• Add reusable utensils and a cloth napkin.

Get the Goods
The following websites offer convenient, reusable products for packing a waste-free lunch.
• Kleankanteen.com offers lightweight, stainless steel, reusable canteens designed to fit in kids’ lunch boxes.
• Good old Tupperware has a great selection of containers. Call your local Tupperware lady or go online to Tupperware.com.
• Visit laptoplunches.com for a great selection of bags, thermoses, and lunchboxes with containers that fit neatly inside.

Encourage Others
If you’d like to make an even bigger impact than just your own family, go to www.wastefreelunches.org to find out how you can start a waste-free lunch program at your school. They have helpful hints, success stories and a free downloadable brochure you can share with other parents.

Our thanks to www.wastefreelunches.org for these eye-opening facts and helpful tips.