TL; DR: Scroll to the end for a summarizing checklist.
Story Time!
Story Time: When my kiddo started kindergarten, one of the bits of information that was sent home – amongst the overwhelming amount of info on everything to do with this new experience – was that our school district encourages students to bring reusables to school with them so that they can have litterless lunches. Anything that is considered waste, including organics and recyclables that they do not have the capacity to process, will be sent home. Great! Amazing! I was SO happy to learn this since reusable containers, utensils, and napkins are an easy switch that can help to create lasting change by normalizing these items for our little humans. Litterless lunch kits for everyone!
But where do you even START to make litterless lunches the new normal? Here are a few ideas to help get you started:
Containers
The absolute first thing you’ll need to do if you’re putting together a litterless lunch kit for a small child is to find out what your school or childcare facility expects in terms of kids opening up containers by themselves. At my child’s school, the kids are expected to be able to open up whatever containers their lunch and snacks come in. If this is also true for you, MAKE SURE that they can open up the containers by themselves. Practice, if needed.
We’re still working on this at my house as my kiddo loves yogurt but still needs help to open the insulated containers we have. We only have those insulated containers is because our childminders several years ago opened them for the children in their care. Perhaps that is also the case for you. If not, let your kids practice every now and again with the containers they can’t quite manage on their own. They’ll get it eventually.
You’ll also want to find a water bottle that your child can open to drink on their own.
What to Put In the Containers
Next, carefully consider what sorts of foods your kiddo will take to school. Some kids love sandwiches or wraps. Other kids love things cut into small pieces. Some kids have lunches that involve sauces. Choose containers and eating utensils appropriate to the foods in your child’s lunch. We have two multi-compartment lunch containers that are relatively watertight. I wouldn’t put soup or the previously mentioned yogurt in them, but juice from cut fruit seems to be fine. Other families I know have multiple containers for whatever their kids will eat. Do what works for your child, the food they will eat, and if you can manage it, with the containers that you already have.
Important (especially for little kids):
The time it takes to open a container takes away from the amount of time they have to eat whatever is IN the container. And it is often not that much time.
Consider the size, weight, and durability of the containers as well. Look at what you already have and buy only those things that you NEED to make lunchtime easy for your kiddo. To keep things manageable without being too costly, choose beeswax wraps, containers from other food, and the like.
A note about temperature:
Depending on where you are and/or the foods your child will take to school, it might be easier to keep lunches and snacks either all warm or all cold. If that’s the case, an insulated lunch box or bag might work for you. Separate insulated containers may be the way to go for your household if your kiddo’s lunch will have some hot and some cold or room temperature items.
You’ll also need a cloth napkin or multipurpose cloth or two. Fun prints and soft fabrics are the way to go here. Involve your child in choosing them to increase the likelihood that they’ll actually be used. We’ve got some great prints in the shop. Click here to go straight there!
But what, you might be asking yourself (and me through the screen), about the fun lunch boxes or bags that all kids seem to want? If they’re old enough, ask them to help choose one that will last for a few years. The containers for the food do not need to be included here. Fun prints on napkins and the bag that keeps it all together is more than enough. Really.
Switching to a litterless lunch kits for older kids:
If your kiddo really enjoys opening packages that pre-made food comes in, have them help pack their lunch by opening the packages and putting them into the reusable containers that will go to school. Packaging can then be dealt with appropriately at home (flexible plastics can be collected and taken to a recycling centre rather than being trashed, for example). Or experiment together with new recipes that eliminate some of that packaging altogether. Homemade granola bars and fruit leather are some of the easiest treats to start with. Explain WHY you’re working to move away from packaged snacks.
Even better: take them to the bulk food store and let them have some say in choosing what they’ll have in their lunches.
A comment about reusables for a school cafeteria lunch or hot lunch day:
You are so very lucky if your school provides reusable metal utensils! If this isn’t the case, you can avoid single use by normalizing reusables and sending them to school with your child. Model this behaviour by having a reusable utensil kit that YOU take with you. Let your child see you include them in your daily routine. This includes putting the reusables in the bag you take with you and then removing them to be washed at the end of the day. Not sure what goes in a zero- waste or litterless lunch kit for grownups? Click here to read about how to make one with things that you probably already have at home, or here for a post about how to incorporate a zero-waste or litterless lunch kit into your everyday life.
Speak up if you feel that your child’s school is not doing enough to encourage litterless lunches! Let the folks in charge of this part of school life know that you think more needs to be done to encourage reusables. Talk to the school’s environmental club or committee. Ask if the kids could make posters to put around the school encouraging all members of the school community to bring reusables, for example. And make sure your kid takes reusables with them! Talk to other caregivers and encourage them too!
Checklist For a Litterless Lunch for Elementary/Grade School Kiddos:
- Reusable containers to hold the food that they will take for snacks and lunchtime. Make sure the kiddo in question can open the container themselves if your school requires it.
- A refillable water bottle. It may not be necessary that the kiddo can open this to refill it themselves but they should be able to access the spout on their own.
- Reusable cutlery/utensils, if necessary for the food that you will send. I prefer that these can be placed inside one of the empty containers once lunch is done, but it isn’t necessary. Make sure your child can comfortably use the cutlery/utensils. If all of the food can be eaten with their hands, there is no need to worry about this!
- A reusable napkin or two. Our napkins and multi-purpose cloths are great for litterless lunch kits!
- A bag to transport all of this in. Let your kiddo’s personality shine on this part of their litterless lunch kit if they are old enough to choose. Something that will keep the food at an appropriate temperature (if desired), is easy to clean, and can last a few years is best but aim for at least two of those.
Does your child take a litterless lunch to school? Please share in the comments: what’s your favourite tip for making reusables work for your family?