Mom Must-Haves: 5 Non-Toxic Lunch Packing Essentials
Welcome, Moms! As the kids go back to school and the days become busier, it’s important to remember that packing healthy and eco-friendly lunch boxes for our kids is more than just choosing the right foods. To make life easier for busy moms, I’ve rounded up a selection of non-toxic lunch packing essentials.
Our kids’ school lunches can be a reflection of our commitment to their well-being and the environment.
With these products, we can make sure our kids eat well and leave a positive impact on our planet. Let’s get started!
Stock Up on These 5 Non-Toxic Lunch Packing Essentials
1. Choose a Non-Toxic Lunch Box
You need to decide what type of lunch box is right for your kids and look for materials that are easy to clean. Non-toxic and food-safe materials are my top priority.
I also make sure that my pick for a non-toxic lunch packing essentially fits into my child’s lifestyle. You may want to consider looking for something durable to survive for a long period of time or maybe a soft bag for extra portability. Also, check for sizes that match their eating habits.
Organic cotton bags are the perfect choice for your child’s soft bag, moms! Not only are harmful pesticides not used in the growing or processing of these materials, but you don’t have to worry about the hidden ingredients that often come with plastic bags. Plus, most organic cotton bags are totally machine-washable! Just remember to check the instructions before throwing it in.
If you’re looking for an easy, safe, and durable way to store your kids’ lunch for school or other activities, stainless steel is the way to go!
Stainless steel is not only incredibly durable, but it also can keep food either hot or cold, depending on the proper sealing.
2. Pack Reusable Utensils
Are you tired of packing wasteful plastic cutlery for your children's lunches every day? I get it! A great way to reduce waste and still make sure your kids have cutlery for their meals is to use regular stainless steel flatware from your kitchen.
However, if your kiddos are prone to losing the cutlery, then I recommend the
bamboo utensil set from EarthHero as the perfect reusable solution!
Check out how LeafScore rated the set
here!
These utensils are the perfect solution for your kids’ lunch or snack at school or just on the go! Not only are sets lightweight and easy to pack, they also contain everything they need – a fork, spoon, and knife. They’re also stain-resistant and dishwasher-safe so they’ll stick with you for years.
3. Invest in Organic Napkins
Rather than using traditional paper napkins, consider investing in organic reusable cloth napkins.
I consider this as one of my non-toxic lunch packing essentials because not only will you save money on buying paper napkins, but you'll also be helping the environment by reducing waste. Talk about eco-friendly!
You can use the reusable napkins multiple times and just pop them in the wash when they get dirty. Organic reusable napkins are also excellent for everyday cleaning as they are made from 100% organic cotton.
4. Swap Plastics to Reusable Snack Bags
Moms, if you’re packing a full meal, stainless steel or bamboo lunch boxes are the perfect option, as I have mentioned above. If you’re just packing sandwiches or small snacks like crackers or cheese, then reusable snack bags are a great alternative to plastic.
I'm so thrilled to have discovered silicone snack bags - the perfect eco-friendly alternative to wasteful single-use plastic bags.
Stasher's Silicone Snack Bags are the world's first self-sealing, airtight, non-plastic bags and allow moms to pack full meals in a stainless steel or bamboo lunch box, or just sandwiches in these reusable snack bags. Plus, you can use these silicone bags in the freezer, microwave, oven, and dishwasher - making them way more versatile than regular plastic bags.
Here’s Stasher’s snack bag size reference:
5. Switch to Non-Toxic Water Bottles
When it comes to choosing the right drinkware for our little ones, stainless steel is the safest option without BPA, PVC, or phthalates.
This is made with high-quality food-grade insulated stainless steel, it fits perfectly in your little one's hands while the chip-resistant exterior ensures that this bottle will make it through those long days of play.
These bottles also come with either flat caps or sports tops, both of which are leak-proof.
Best of all, the stainless steel vacuum insulation keeps hot drinks hot for 12 hours, and iced drinks ice cold for 40 hours - they won’t complain about bland, lukewarm beverages ever again!
Bonus Non-toxic Lunch Packing Essential: DIY as much as you can!
If you’re looking for more ways to reduce waste while also saving time and resources, one great way to do this is to make your kids' lunch items from scratch at home.
Instead of buying pre-packaged lunch items, why not make them yourselves? From cookies to smoothies, you can make all these items at home in large batches to save time and resources
My go-to simple snack for my kids is slicing up apples, carrots, and celery and putting peanut butter in a little glass-lock container. Yum!
It may seem like a lot of work at first, but with a little bit of research, creating and preparing for your kids’ lunch can be relatively easy.
Try involving your older kids in the process by having them help with tasks such as recycling, composting, and packing their own lunches.
In no time, you can replace those wasteful plastic baggies with an eco-friendly and non-toxic lunch solution.
And you can rest assured that your kids are getting a healthy and safe meal every lunchtime!
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