As August approaches, slowly not quickly, the return to work and school is making itself felt!
Like it or not, the holidays are over and routine will return to normal. With this routine, it is time to question some of our daily habits in order to make more ecological choices that are easily integrated. And with this routine, come lunches... the famous lunches.
Well, we have to eat well and the lunch box is perfect for questioning our consumption habits. Casually, the lunch box can be an environmental burden! We have also met many teachers and they all agree: lunch boxes are terribly full of single-use items.
Here are some tips and tricks to make your way to an eco-friendly lunch box easier.
You will see, there is nothing rocket science in all this. The stuff itself is relatively easy to put together, what may be a challenge for some will be a matter of organization!
To have an eco-friendly lunch box, you have to be ready to cook at least a little! In this way, we will avoid meals on the go which are often overpackaged, therefore bad for the environment, the wallet and our health!
And to cook, it takes a minimum of organization, if only to have the ingredients on hand and the necessary time! For the rest, here's how you can adapt.
Containers
Attention ! Above all, do not throw away the containers you already have to replace them... They must be used until the end of their life, otherwise, the new containers will be part of overconsumption since they are not necessary! Most of us already have plastic containers. When the time comes to replace them, you can first look in your cupboard or in your recycling bin if you don't have any Mason jars that could be used for something liquid like soup or compote. If you need to buy new containers, it becomes more interesting to buy glass for their durability. These will also be much better for your health if you have to heat your meal. Plastics put in the microwave, even if the packaging says it's okay, even if it's PBA-free, doesn't inspire us war and are certainly a health risk (toxic release).
Napkins
The need for these is rather rare. Most of the time, we have access to a water point to wash our hands.
However, if this is part of your habits and you want to have some, you can simply slip a piece of fabric (cut from an old t-shirt for example) into your lunch box. This way, you avoid single use and you will only have to put it in the wash. And if it’s in your child’s lunch box and they misplace it, no worries!
Utensils _
We agree there, plastic utensils are not only most of the time non-recyclable, they are really unpleasant to eat and so, so useless. It's then a matter of slipping the necessary utensils into our lunch box and having your little kit in your bag or in your work bag at all times. In this case, you have the choice of using those that are already at home, getting a set with a pouch or getting multifunctional ones.
Watch the story of the plastic spoon here. She will convince you by herself!
The drinks
Do we really need to address the issue of single-serve, single-serve beverages here? If there's something we can easily avoid, it's this!
This involves having a glass, plastic or stainless steel container, taking 15 seconds to fill it and 30 seconds tops to wash it. Don't we have 45 seconds of a day to avoid so much waste? You can even take a 250 ml Mason jar which fits very well in a lunch box and that's it.
For hot drinks, we can have a reusable cup with us and use the filling now offered in many cafes. Some even offer us a small discount!
Snacks
We live in a heavenly age of individual servings. Who says individual portion, says overpackaging. Who says individual portion also says a lot of single-use and disposable material. This therefore means a lot of non-recyclable waste and a lot of pollution. Can we fill small pots with yogurt, compote and hummus? Can we still cut our own cheese? I think so... think about it!
Here is a video to give you a little inspiration:
Sandwich bags
We end up here with the cream of the crop. The famous ''Ziploc'' style bags are literally an aberration of this century. Designed for single use, they should be avoided. You can put your sandwiches and snacks in much more durable items like your plastic dishes and ideally glass.
However, glass being heavy, you can also use very pretty and light little waterproof bags that can be reused endlessly! Ultimately, it is a profitable investment from both an ecological and economic point of view!
Having an ecological lunch box is not witchcraft. This requires a little effort and perhaps a small investment that is within everyone's reach.
When we say investment, it means that it becomes profitable later. You will benefit from not buying individual portions for example.
Then, when these little habits are acquired for you, you will be able to look at what you include in terms of food quality and diversity and promote the integration of a local and organic eating habit if you have not already done so!
Ecologically yours,
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