7 ways to make your child's lunch plastic free

For some of us, school lunches can be a bit of a challenge. Kids can go through phases of disliking certain foods or sometimes wanting what their friends have. It's not easy trying to please all the time! One thing I try to do is to offer options and to vary lunches from week to week. Also, considering the negative impact single-use plastic has on our environment I thought I'd share 7 ways to make your child's lunch plastic-free. So instead of using clingfilm, snack packs, and plastic yogurt pots which all contribute to polluting our landscapes, oceans, and rivers, here are some alternatives:

1. Swap single-use water bottles for reusable water bottles. Keeping two reusable bottles per child is a good idea to use for school and sport activities. Also, in case they forget to bring home!

2. Use a lunch box with compartments for chopped vegetables or fruit. Vegetables such as carrot sticks, cucumber, and sliced sweet peppers make great healthy snacks too!

3. Instead of plastic yogurt pots use recycled small jars (best for older kids) or smaller reusable tubs. You can fill these with chopped or stewed fruit, granola, rice pudding or even hummus (for dipping with bread or vegetable sticks)

4. Swap plastic utensils for stainless steel, BPA free plastic, or bamboo cutlery.

5. Make your own granola bars instead of using individual bars in plastic packaging. 

Try this delicious zero waste oat bar recipe from Sinead Delahunty. 

7. Swap clingfilm for beeswax food wraps. Beeswax food wraps are ideal for wrapping lots of foods such as sandwiches, wraps, scones, fruit, or vegetables. You can even make beeswax wrap sandwich pouches for lunch on the go!

6. Make homemade snack packs and save on single-use packaging. You can buy food in bulk and fill with kids preferred snacks. Dried fruits, nuts, seeds, pretzels or even breakfast cereals such as cheerios will make an ideal snack pack. Check out Millbee's video below to learn how you can make a snack pack from beeswax wraps. 

If you would like to try Millbee's beeswax foods wraps to help create a plastic free lunch you can get 10% OFF using the code SCHOOL10 at the checkout. Offer ends 10th September 2022.