Leave it to kids' TV to further my green education. It was while watching Olivia, based on the witty books by Ian Falconer, that I learned about bento boxes. This nifty green lunchbox alternative crossed my radar just in time for back-to-school season.
Scene from the show I watched with my son, Matthew: School cafeteria. Lunch time. Olivia and her pal Julian open their lunch pails to compare today's menu. She concocts a cream cheese, pickle, and raisin sandwich, while Julian munches on a peanut butter calzone. Enter Olivia's self-important friend Francine, carrying a slim purple box:
Olivia: "Hi, Francine, what's that?"
Francine: "It's a bento box. From Japan. (spears and brandishes first exotic morsel) Star fruit. (pause) Chicken sate. (pause) Itty bitty baby corn. (pause) Pudding. (looks around for full effect) Chocolate!"
Julian: "Whoa, cool spoon."
O: "Cool fork."
F: "It's both. It's a spork."
O: "Oh, wow. Cool spork."
Whoa, I thought, cool bento box.
Of course I went online and quickly discovered Goodbynlunches, an über-cool version here. Since they're recyclable, come with a drink bottle that eliminates the need for juice boxes, and are lead-, BPA-, and phthalates-free, they're good for your peace of mind. And with their bright colors, "animal ear" openings, three sets of stickers, and compartments that keep food from -- horror of horrors -- touching, your kids will eat them up. (Confession: I was equally annoying about food as a kid, though I never made my mom remove the crust.)
Goodbynlunches also get a big seal of approval from The Inkslinger, my esteemed fellow blogger here at Seventh Generation. See "Back to School, Green to School" for other great options, including the Rainbow Reed fair trade lunch box and the economical, machine-washable organic cotton canvas lunch sack, which you can find at ReUsies snack and sandwich bags and Reusable Bags.com.
Of course, Nation members have plenty of great tips, too. Felice Farran suggests swapping cloth napkins for paper; or if you must use paper, a good option is Seventh Generation napkins made from 100% recycled paper. According to Seventh Generation, if every household in the U.S. replaced just one 500-count pack of virgin fiber napkins with the company's 100% recycled version, we could save 2.4 million trees.
Meanwhile, campmom loves the green lunch-packing offerings at www.onesmallstep.com. The myriad selection include stainless steel straws, BPA-free food containers, and alternatives to plastic bags and wraps, including snackTaxis, which come in fun, funky prints.
Have any more green lunch-packing ideas? It's your turn to show and tell!
