You’re barely through shopping for sunscreen, swimwear and sand castle supplies when you spot it out of the corner of your eye: sprawling aisles of backpacks, folders, crayons, markers and pencil cases. It’s back-to-school time, yet again. You’re weeks away from busy mornings chock-full of sports schedules, missing socks and, of course, the lunch bag assembly line.
While it’s fast and easy to throw pre-portioned food items into a paper bag and send your child on his merry way, think about all the trash you’re creating five days a week, nine months out of the year. According to the U.S. Energy Information Association, a school-age child generates 67 pounds of garbage each school year—that’s at lunchtime alone.
Plus, do you know exactly what’s in a Fruit Roll-Up or a bag of Doritos? Sugar, corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, artificial coloring and flavoring and preservatives with names we can’t even pronounce.
This fall, pack your child a greener, healthier midday meal. And feel free to steal some of these tips when preparing your own lunch as well. There’s no shame in starting a chocolate soymilk or thermos trend at the office.
1. It’s all in the bag. Don’t send your kids to school with something that will hit the cafeteria trashcan as soon as the bell rings. Opt for a reusable bag or sack, an insulated drink container, washable snack and sandwich bags, cloth napkins and reusable silverware. Leave behind plastic zipper bags and juice that comes in boxes or pouches. It takes kids minutes to enjoy these handy items but hundreds of years for their packaging to decompose. These picks are just as earth-friendly as they are fun to use.
- Laptop Lunches bento-box style lunch containers
- Colorful, reusable Green Street cloth baggies
- Wrap-n-Mat sandwich holders
- BPA-free water bottles
2. Round things out. Nutritionally speaking, a balanced school lunch should be packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber that won’t leave your child’s stomach growling during his afternoon math quiz. Aim for the following items and buy organic when possible.
- A serving of vegetables
- A piece of fruit
- Whole grains (sandwich bread, cereal or crackers)
- Lean protein (eggs, beans, tuna, chicken or turkey)
- A source of calcium (cheese, yogurt or milk).
3. What to always buy organic. Not all healthy foods are created equal. Even when you’re avoiding empty calories, saturated fat and sugars, you could be packing your kid’s lunch box with pesticides and other harmful chemicals. When you hit the grocery store, make sure these key items are purchased organic and you’ll be doing Mother Earth a huge favor .
- Milk and dairy: Regular milk comes from cows fed conventionally grown grains. This means that their food contains pesticides and fertilizers, substances that make their way into the cow’s milk—and then into your child’s body. On the other hand, organic milk comes from cows fed organically grown food and those not treated with growth hormones or antibiotics.
- Meat. The organic milk logic applies here, too. Any chemicals consumed by the farm animal can end up in the meat-eater.
- Produce. Fruits and veggies can be a little tricky. Those with thin, edible skins, like apples, berries, bell peppers and lettuce, should be organic. It’s okay to stick to conventionally grown pineapple, kiwi, watermelon or other produce with thick or inedible skin.
