School Encourages Waste-Free Lunches

Photo courtesy of LunchSkins.

Since most kids are returning to school this week, I’m focusing on back-to-school topics all week – including school lunches, school pictures and more.

I love my kids’ school. The Montessori environment is perfect for both of them: my oldest is the chatty scientist and my youngest is the athlete who loves being able to move around the room when he works. The low teacher-to-child ratio is what sold me on it – as well as their strict policy on food. The don’t allow sugary treats, low-nutritious snacks or juice boxes in school lunches. And if kids bring in any food contraband, they send it home along with a note to the parents asking not to bring it back. For birthday celebrations, they ask parents bring in fresh-cut fruit, vegetable platters, or baked good with low sugar and no frosting. Honestly, it’s a healthy mom’s dream.

I recently got a note from the school about a new policy for school lunches this year. And I was thrilled. Check it out.

Dear Parents,

In efforts to be more environmentally respectful, we will be doing some things differently during lunch time. One way is to reduce our paper product consumption by eliminating paper cups and plates. You can help us by doing the following:

• Send your child with a reusable water bottle that can attach to their lunch bags or fit inside. Target sells clips especially for this purpose. Chilled filtered water is always available
• Use reusable containers only
• Pack a cloth napkin/place mat in your students lunch bag daily
• Rectangular lunch boxes preferred (PLEASE DO NOT FEEL OBLIGATED TO BUY ONE IF YOU ALREADY HAVE PURCHASED A NEW ONE, WE UNDERSTAND)
• Please label lunch bags and containers
• Send lunch bag daily with your students daily snack and supplemental food (EVEN ON DAYS THAT THEY ARE PURCHASING LUNCH)

Please visit www.kidskonserve.com. We greatly appreciate your assistance with achieving our goal of continuing to become more “Green”.

How awesome is that? I immediately sent the school a note and told them how proud I was that they were encouraging parents to go green. I feel like it’s such an important message for kids to get at home and school. For us, there was no change. I’ve been packing waste-free lunches for the last year.

If your school doesn’t have a waste-free lunch policy yet, maybe this will help to encourage you to get more parents and teachers on board. And check out my latest giveaway if you’re looking for eco and waste-free lunch box ideas.