It’s back to school time! Back to school means back to the sometimes arduous chore of packing school lunches. Save yourself (and the environment) repeated trips to the store in search of plastic baggies, “snack size” convenience foods, and water bottles. Think zero-waste lunches instead. Have a variety of reusable storage containers on hand for sandwiches, fruits, and veggies.

If you find a plastic baggie to be necessary, then keep in mind they may be washed and reused many times. By following these general guidelines, you are single-handedly helping to reduce the average of 67 pounds of packaging thrown away by American school aged children each year.

The biggest waste producers come in the form of plastic water bottles, juice boxes, sandwich baggies, yoghurt and fruit cup containers, and foil-type packaging of “snack size” convenience foods.

Contain all of your child’s culinary delights in an insulated, (lead and mercury-free) reusable lunch bag paired with an eco-friendly (BPA-free) water bottle and cloth napkin. The good old-fashioned thermos and reusable ice pack should be used for keeping foods hot or cold. No need to pack unnecessary utensils, as those are usually made available by the school cafeteria.

Buying foods in bulk, not only avoids the excess packaging of convenience type foods, but also will save you money in the long run. If your child is like mine, there is just one thing that I will not be able to help you with, and that is actually finding something your child will eat!

This article was written by Lori Alford from The Treehugger’s Party Guide, a site full of eco-friendly party tips!