School lunches aren’t what they used to be. Gone are the days of a sandwich and piece of fruit tucked in a brown paper bag and securely zipped inside the school bag.
No, the school lunch has morphed into a work of art, a rainbow spectrum of sliced fruits and vegetables, sushi rounds, wraps and baked goods. But with added variety comes added packaging resulting in added litter, a necessity of sorts, but a nightmare for parents and schools alike.
How many times have you emptied a concoction of partially eaten soggy food and plastic wrappers from your child’s lunch box? It happens all too often.
As schools push to encourage litter-less school lunches, there also comes great need for parents to find food packaging options that keep food fresh, are free of harmful chemicals and toxins and that can be used again and again as a way of reducing litter and cost.
LITTER-LESS SCHOOL LUNCH TIP ONE - PICK THE RIGHT LUNCHBOX SO IT COMES HOME EMPTY
There are many lunchboxes on the market. The two we love are the bbox Lunch Box and The Little Lunch Box Co Bento 5. Choosing the right lunch box for your little eater is the key to successful lunch times.
The bbox Lunch Box suits children who prefer whole fruit, sandwiches, a more traditional lunch, not that it can't also hold just about anything including yoghurt! Just be sure the compartment you are using has the liquid drop on the seal.
The Little Lunch Box Co Bento 5 is the answer for all
fussy eaters who prefer a lot of
variety and nothing touching! I like to think of it as a grazing platter style lunch box. You won't have to worry about food touching (a serious offence in our house) it can also securely transport yoghurt as well.
LITTER-LESS SCHOOL LUNCH TIP TWO - FOR A COMPACT LUNCH OR AFTER SCHOOL SPORTS SNACK
Food waste is never great either so if you have a little eater the bbox Mini Lunch Box is a great option. I have found it is also perfect to pack as an extra. If the kids have sports right after school, rather than stopping at the shop pack them an extra compact lunch box to keep the hangry pains away. Same great features of the bbox Original Lunch Box just a little more compact.
LITTER-LESS SCHOOL LUNCH TIP 3 - HANDY FOOD POUCHES
Another wonderful solution to reducing all those plastic wrappers is found in our handy Snack Bags from Montii. Made from 100% food-grade silicon and free of other nasty chemicals, these incredibly versatile food pouches can be used repeatedly for all your child’s favourite snacks.
We love the way they press firmly closed yet are simple enough for little hands to open by way of their easy-grip handles.
Freezer and dishwasher safe, these semi-transparent pouches will work double-time eliminating the need for other disposable wraps and will keep foods super-handy and amazingly fresh.
LITTER-LESS SCHOOL LUNCH TIP 4 - LEFTOVERS FOR LUNCH?
If last night’s dinner was a big hit, you may have your little ones requesting leftovers for their next day’s lunch. Or perhaps you’ve made a favourite dish that needs to be served hot. There’s nothing better than comforting favourite hot foods on cold, rainy school days. And sending your little ones off to school with a hot lunch is a guaranteed good mum feeling too!
Our Montii Insulated Food Jars are just the right size for little hands to manage. The nifty carry handle makes them easy to transport into the playground and the silicon bumper helps them withstand little bumps and bangs along the way.
Insulated Food Jars will keep hot foods toasty hot and cold foods perfectly chilled, ready for lunch right when it is needed.
LITTER-LESS SCHOOL LUNCH TIP 5 - CUTLERY
Of course, these kinds of meals sometimes need cutlery to ensure every little morsel is enjoyed right to the very last bite. Rather than send items from the cutlery drawer, which may or may not return home, our Flork set and Mini Spoons make the perfect companion to send along with hot or cold lunches. Bonus is they fit right in the lunch box, so no digging around for them and ensuring children have mess-free and litter-free lunches every time.
SHOP MINI SPOONS
LITTER-LESS SCHOOL LUNCH TIP 6 - TOUGH DRINK BOTTLES
Finding a range of school drink bottles that was tough and loved by kids, was high on my back to school products list. As a family we have been through so many drink bottles, most not lasting a term.
Our Montii drink bottlesare made from stainless steel and are vacuum double insulated. So they're not only scratch and dent resistant, they keep drinks cold for up 12 hours and warm for up to 8 hours. Making them great in summer for icy cold refreshments and equally loved in winter for a warming hot chocolate at lunch time.
You can even grab a compatible sports lid, free pour or sipper lid, don't forget to add a straw for your sipper lid for your child's drink bottle if they prefer to sip rather than tip.
LITTER-LESS SCHOOL LUNCH TIP 7 - KEEPING IT ALL TOGETHER IN AN INSULATED LUNCH BAG
Keeping school lunches fresh is the key to having empty lunch boxes return home from school. The Montii insulated lunch bag has a handy pocket that you can pop an ice pack into, to keep your made with school love lunches cool and fresh.
Our lunch bag is a great size to keep all your child's snacks and sandwiches all together. Safe from floating around your child's school bag, getting crushed by books and stationery.
What I really love about the Montii Lunch Bag is that you can simply wipe it clean for a mess-less life and at the end of the term just throw it in the washing machine for a good clean. That's right, it's machine washable.
Don’t settle for soggy food anymore. Avoid the litter and waste. Our litter-less school lunch alternatives will transform your school lunches from mysteriously mediocre to evidently edible in no time!
