No-Waste Lunchboxes

I pack my kids lunches to save money, so I’m not interested in dropping a bunch of cash on plastic sandwich bags, single-serving containers of foods and other things that are just going to get used once and tossed. With that in mind, I went to a no-waste lunchbox set up years ago. My kids get a healthy lunch from home, and there’s nothing to throw away when they’re done. Check it out:

These stainless steel containers from Kids Konserve are perfect for packing yogurt, fresh fruits and veggies and other messy items. The lids fit on snuggly, but are easy for kids to get off. I’ve been using these for several school years now, and they still look brand new. They were a bit more expensive then I would have liked, but they’ve proven to be worth the investment.

When I make sandwiches or wraps for lunch, I slide them in these reusable sandwich bags, called LunchSkins. I’ve tried four different brands of reusable sandwiches bags, and these are my hands-down favorites. They’re easy to clean; have sturdy velcro closures; and come in lots of fun designs.

These Re-Pac bags are a close second for me. I have both sandwich and snack size bags, and use them regularly.

Soup, pasta and other things that I want to keep hot travel well in these small Thermos containers. I picked them up for $.50 each at yard sales.

I let my kids go to school, but not my silverware. When I pack something that requires a spoon or fork, I toss one of these mis-matched ones in there. I picked them up at yard sales and thrift stores for next to nothing (some were even free).

This Klean Kanteen is on its seventh school year, and it’s still chugging along. Seriously, these things are indestructible. I like the eight-ounce bottles for lunchboxes, and I love that you can buy replacement lids for them. Neither of my kids chew on the caps, but they “mysteriously” need to be replaced from time to time.