Get More Greens in Your Lunch

When I think of cafeteria food, I think of the hair net ladies in my old grade school serving less than appetizing, far from healthy mystery meals, most of which ended up in the trash cans.

Fortunately, due to a more informed public, parental pressure – oh and a child obesity epidemic only a twinkie could be proud of – today’s cafeteria meals are hinting at more balance.

Personally, I pack a daily lunch for my daughter so I know what she’s eating and where it’s been. This opens up a whole new can of worms (I think that’s on the cafeteria menu on Thursdays). Paper bag, lunch box, pvc-free, lead-free, plastic bag, plastic container…? I recognize that panicked feeling from my nightmare when I show up for class only to find there’s an exam. Or is that the dream in which I’m naked in class?

I want to reiterate that we don’t have to go from 0 to 60. Easing into change is perfectly acceptable. Every little bit helps, and change leads to easier change. If you have never considered your child’s daily landfill contribution, then hopefully the next meal gathered will be a bit more green. If you already make make eco-friendly choices, perhaps you’ll share them with a friend, or come up with another brilliant green choice – and share it here.

There’s nothing wrong with a handy zip-lock bag if you can work with your little sprout to ensure it comes home each day so it can be washed and reused. In my home, we have several bags with a healthy shelf life.

Here’s some great info posted by The Green Schools Initiative to help you go to the head of the Eco-sCool class:

It has been estimated that, on average, a school-age child using a disposable lunch generates 67 pounds of waste per school year. That equates to 18,760 pounds of lunch waste for just one average-size elementary school! There are 9,000 schools in California alone! And did you know that many vinyl lunchboxes have poisonous lead in them at dangerous levels?

Find out how you can pack a healthy, waste-free lunch:

· Waste Free Lunches - gives information about how to pack a waste free lunch and where to get a "laptop lunch box" with reusable containers that neatly fit into a lunch box.
· Reusable Bags - provides many alternatives to help reduce the waste of disposable plastic and paper bags.
· Lead in Lunchboxes - Learn about how to test your child's lunchbox for lead, find alternatives to vinyl lunchboxes, and join the campaign to stop the manufacture of toxic lunchboxes at Center for Environmental Health.
· Healthy Lunches - Get ideas for packing your own healthy lunches from Chef Ann at Lunch Lessons or transform the school lunch offered at your school with this guide at Rethinking School Lunch.