Awhile back I was at Rocket's school during lunchtime and I was stunned by the amount of disposable items, therefore trash, packed in every other kid's lunchbox. Lunch boxes were stuffed full with juice boxes and individually wrapped food. Forget the unhealthy ingredients and the cost, I was stunned by the trash. Each kid dumped a good deal of garbage into an overflowing trash can. I saw few reusable materials and tons of waste.
Reusable stuff is really, really easy and much of it is cute too. I know that getting started can be the hardest part, so I wanted to share what Rocket's lunch bag looks like:
A Star Wars napkin, made by me, that we've largely stopped using because
Rocket's theory is why dirty a napkin when you can conveniently wipe
your hands on your shirt? The shirt is right there, asking for it, after
all.
A metal snack canister from Daiso.
Reusable snack and sandwich bags from Snack Taxi.
Lunch bag from Mimi the Sardine.
Mabel's Labels are on everything. They are virtually indestructible. They will outlast the product on which they were stuck.
Everything is either run through the dishwasher or quickly rinsed by hand and ready for use the next day.
I've acknowledged that I suffer from Catholic guilt, and each time I use a plastic baggie, like a Ziplock, I always feel bad, even though the use may be justified and I recycle the bags. But that's my own issue. I hope my kids are learning that while disposable is sometimes necessary, it's not always good.
Disclosure: While I paid for everything pictured, I am a Buzz Mama for Mabel's Labels because I love their product that much. We've used their labels for years and even our oldest ones are holding up beautifully despite daily (ab)use.
