19 June 2008

Reduce what you use: Picnic lunches with no plastic baggies

Summer is here. Picnic season is upon us.

I don't know about you, but during the summer months, we end up eating a lot of lunches and dinners on blankets at parks. I love to eat on the go, but I hate all the waste that comes with packing a picnic.

Here's a fun solution:

  • For the kids, these awesome partitioned containers that I found at Wal-Mart for 97 cents (in the kids section, by the sippy cups).
  • (All food seems to be more appealing when it is served in these individual sections. Seriously, they love it every time.)
  • For me and the hubby, any kind of plastic container that will hold food that isn't a ziploc baggie. Packing this way does make more work later (since you have to take home and wash all the containers), but it is cheaper in the long run and better for the environment.
Even if you just do this at one picnic this summer, think of all the baggies that won't end up in the trash. Now, I'm not anti-plastic baggie. Sometimes they are a wonderful option. I'm just suggesting we consider reducing the amount we use.

3 comments:

Lis said...

97 cents is a sight cheaper than what I paid for my Laptop Lunchbox, which is super fun but like 20 bucks.

Every time I put cheese in a baggie, I think of G&G M's cheese & meat Tupperwares and feel a little guilty.

Lizzy said...

What a good idea! I'll have to look for them the next time I'm at Walmart. Thanks!

Lima Bean said...

Yeah, your laptop lunchbox inspired me long ago when I bought these. I also want to find a permanent container for cheese. There has to be a good one out there somewhere. I've finally started using a ziploc container for sliced cheddar, but I don't know what to do about the big block.