Each year, GreenUP encourages students and families to consider how they can incorporate litterless lunches — lunches with little or no packaging — into their daily routine. This practice means thinking about what we take to school and what we bring home.
Since most schools send lunch garbage home with students (these are called ‘boomerang’ lunches), getting into the habit of reducing waste in the lunchbox will not only make garbage day easier for the whole family, but choosing products that can be reused time and again will save money, and give back to the environment.
Single-use plastics such as straws, wraps, bags, and cutlery (forks, knives, spoons, sporks, chopsticks) were prohibited from being sold in Canada and phased out of production at the end of 2023. Single-use plastic bags alone can take over 1,000 years to degrade in the landfill. It is now essential — and mandatory — to choose reusable.
Let’s explore creating a litterless lunch by reducing waste created from food storage containers, compartments, and utensils.
Get started with a sturdy reusable lunch container which can be used again and again for many years. One child switching to a reusable food container can saving up to 180 single-use containers per year!
An example of a more sustainable lunch container is Planet Box, a U.S.-based company that carries storage containers for appetites of all sizes. Planet Box products are designed to be durable. Not only are they loved by kids, more adults are purchasing their containers for their own lunches.
Looking into compartmentalizing your lunch box? Divided containers and two-layer lunch boxes are available for your zero-waste litterless lunches and snacks. GreenUP carries stainless steel Onyx containers of all sizes — from large all the way to small condiment container size.
Beverage and juice boxes are known for creating a lot of waste. Consider using what you already have at home, like mason jars, to reduce waste, or purchasing a small reusable water bottle or container that you can refill instead of buying disposable juice boxes.
Planet Box water bottles are catered to young hands and can even be refilled at school. You can also purchase reusable leak-proof lids for mason jars, making it easier to use the jar for multiple purposes, like for food or a beverage. When it comes to your straw, reusable metal straws are alternatives to single-use plastic straws.
How about wraps and bags?
A great substitute for plastic sandwich wraps are reusable beeswax wraps. Beeswax wraps can last up to a year or more with proper care, after which they can be composted. By choosing products that will compost naturally, we can decrease the amount of waste that ends up in a landfill. You can find 100 per cent zero-waste beeswax wraps locally via the Apsley-based Swift Acres.
Silicone bags can also be used to eliminate the use of single-use plastic sandwich and snack bags. Not only are they reusable, but they are dishwasher and microwave friendly, too. These bags come in several sizes and colours, so kiddos can feel creative while at lunch, too! GreenUP carries silicone bags sourced from a small business in Steinbach, Manitoba.
Canadian brand Colibri also makes 100 per cent zero-waste bags which are very popular, hold all kinds of lunch snacks, and come in several sizes and colourful patterns.
For utensils, bamboo utensil sets can replace single-use forks, knives and spoons. Bamboo is known for its durability and versatility, and is a fast-growing plant making it a renewable and sustainable resource.
When it’s not possible to avoid packaging, you can check up on the recyclability of specific items within the City of Peterborough through an excellent online resource located on the City of Peterborough Waste Management webpage called What Goes Where. There, you can search a particular item or material to find instructions on how and where to properly dispose of them.
By examining your containers, wraps and bags, and utensils, you and your little learner(s) will be well on your way to preparing affordable and environmentally friendly litterless lunches, and will be reducing waste that you put out on your doorstep too!
To learn more about litterless lunches and find products to create them, visit the GreenUP Store at 378 Aylmer St. North in Peterborough or contact Eileen Kimmett, Program Coordinator, during the week at 705-745-3238 ext. 222.
You can also visit the GreenUP online store at shop.greenup.on.ca.
