Waste-free Lunch Gear for Those in Need - How You Can Help

Summer is nearly over and many of us in the office are signing our kids up for their first year of school. Not surprisingly, but sad nonetheless, many of our school supply lists included optional donations of items like back packs, lunch bags and water bottles for children in need.

It really got us talking - with so many affordable waste-free lunch items in our Summer Sale, why not pick up an extra lunch bag or set of utensils for our kids' classmates? We have recycled cotton lunch bags as low as $2.25 and sets of reusable sporks for $4.95. These are durable, sustainable waste-free lunch items made to last all school year while taking it easy on the wallet. 

We encourage our customers to consider adding an extra lunch bag, spork, or set of napkins to their back-to-school purchases this year, making waste-free lunch options available to all kids. In addition, we're looking for suggestions of classes and schools in need of waste-free lunch gear. Visit our  leave a comment on this blog or visit our Facebook page & tell us about a class or school that could benefit from a $500 lunch gear donation.

We'll consider your suggestions over the week end and pick a winning school or class early next week. We'll post about the recipient of our donation on our Facebook page.

Giving back is part of what we do - to date, we've donated more than $200,000 to like-minded non-profits. Click here to check out just a handful of other organizations and schools we've donated to over the years. 

Help support our efforts - Please visit our store and help spread the word.

Top Tips for Waste-free Take Out

Despite our best efforts to pack healthy lunches every day, we do know a thing or two about take out. Our office is located smack in the middle of downtown Chicago, surrounded by hundreds of places to get lunch to go. Rick Bayless has three restaurants right across the street! How could we resist?

Just like in our Starbucks Survival Kit post, we've found ways to make our weekly Thai to-go a waste-free indulgence, so here are our tips for a eco-friendly lunch on the run.

1. Figure out which take out joints near you are willing to cater to your waste-free requests and frequent them! If the sandwich shop in your building refuses to pack your snack the way you want it, march over to the one down the street that will. Of course, there might be some basic food safety issues that prevent certain restaurants from accepting a customer's containers so pick up the phone and ask, "If I give you guys a container can you pack my food in it?" If they say yes, go there!

2. If your favorite cafe gives you a disposable, ask them if you can reuse it on your next visit. We've actually seen some yogurt stands offer incentives to bring your clean container back for reuse. It's worth asking! (See the video below for more great ways to reuse disposable take out containers.)

3. Say no to plastic utensils and paper napkins. When you place your order, let them know you don't need a fork or napkins. If your office kitchen is well-stocked you might not need ketchup, soy sauce or salt packets either. You can keep reusable napkins, utensils and even straws in your bag or at your desk so you never need disposables. 

4. BYO...bag. Your favorite lunch spot might not be BYOB, but it'll certainly allow you to bring your own bag. Keep an ACME Workhorse in your purse or pocket and carry your food away with the confidence that you've spared the planet one more plastic bag. Or, have your lunch packed in a tiffin box with a handle and skip the bag altogether. 

5. Bring your own cup or mug! Whether you get a soda or a hot drink with your meal, there's no reason not to bring your own beverage container to cut back on plastic bottles, paper and Styrofoam cups and all those plastic lids and straws. A lot of cafes will even knock a few cents off your total for not taking a disposable cup.

6. Make it a sustainable sammich. You want to cut back on waste, but you won't want to haul a bulky container all the way back to work when you grab a sandwich. Take a reusable sandwich bag with you! Once they get to know you, the sandwich makers won't think twice about it and it's a guaranteed way to get other people in line talking about ways to create less waste.

Also, check out this awesome video from Grist about reducing your "carbon forkprint." There are lots of great tips - and you can find all the smart products in the video on our site, along with tons of other reusables for every part of your life. 

So what are some of your favorite ways to "take out" without all the "throw out"?

5 Steps to a Waste-Free Lunch

The average American child generates 67 pounds of lunchtime trash per year! Creating a waste-free lunch kit is smart - it cuts back on consumption, saves money and it can even help you mind your portion sizes. Check out our video below and our top five picks for a waste-free lunch kit and you'll be throwing away less garbage (and less money) in no time.

Wall Street Journal - Gear for Luncheonistas

The Wall Street Journal recently ran a piece about lunch gear for grown ups entitled Gear for Luncheonistas. We were happy to see a few items we've been carrying for years get the WSJ stamp of approval, including Laptop Lunches and To-Go Ware 2-tier food carriers.

We thought we'd add to the items they highlighted in this article with a few other suggestions for a waste-free lunch kit any adult would be proud to take to work. 

Grown-up lunch bags. Built makes stylish, insulated bags that are built to last. The stretchy material means there's lots of room inside and the array of colors, sizes and shapes means there's something for everyone.

Reusable bottles. Whether you like lightweight aluminum, durable stainless steel or safe plastic, a high quantity reusable bottle will help you to never buy bottled water again. Buy big bottles of juice and save on disposable juice boxes, or keep some flavor tablets at work and make your own sports drinks for pennies. 

Snack and sandwich bags. Check out our newest offerings from Lunchskins - funky patters, durable fabrics and even a place to write your name. Looking for something totally natural? Try some organic cotton snack bags to replace your disposable baggies and plastic wrap. 

Stylish and safe food containers. Cut back on waste and control portion sizes with some great reusable food containers. Pack a salad with all the fixings without breaking the bank with Nalgene food jars. Keep soups and stews hot in a vacuum food jar. Snacks and side dishes won't get crushed in a small stainless steel container from Lunchbots. 

Utensils and more! Stop wasting paper towels, pack a cloth napkin and class up your packed lunch. Never get caught without your fork and knife with a stainless steel cutlery set by SIGG. 

We have lots more suggestions for brown bagging it in style here, and keep checking back as we're constantly adding new lunch items to our store!

Summer Sale - Up to 50% Off!

Our Big Summer Sale is going so well, we just decided to add a bunch of new items! See them all and remember: Sale ends next Wed., July 15 at midnight (CST)!

It's your chance to get great deals on outstanding reusables including bags, bottles & lunch items. Overstocks, closeouts - plus dozens of customer favorites from:
 from Klean Kanteen, ACME Bags, Reisenthel, SIGG & more!

Limited quantities on overstocks & closeouts. Shop early for best selection!

4 ways to green your kids' lunch boxes

MSN/Thedailygreen.com  09.03.08

If lunch sacks made from organic cotton or recycled plastic soda bottles are more your children's bag, reusablebags.com offers a cool selection too — some even come with nontoxic reusable freezer packs.

Link: 4 ways to green your kids' lunch boxes