Rubbish Free Lunchbox Tips
Did you know that the average Australian throws away 200 kilograms of packaging rubbish each year. That’s 200kg of wrappers, bottles, foil and other items that are not always needed. Have you seen the fruit departments at the supermarkets lately? Bananas on a plastic tray, wrapped in plastic. Pre cut fruit and vegetables in their own packaging. Lettuce leaves in individual plastic bags. Not only is our processed food coming in individual packets, but so is our food that has its own natural packaging.
I took note of the amount of packaging we used as a family of four for a week and it was staggering. As a family we try to avoid too much processed food and eat reasonably healthy and yet we still accumulated so much packaging. It was an awakening task to see how much rubbish we used, and it has been great to combat that with a challenge.
Did you know that October is Nude Food Month? It’s the month where Nude Food Movers challenge everyone to have a rubbish free lunch box. This year over 4 million Australians are taking part and over the last week we have made a huge effort to have rubbish free snacks and lunches. If you follow us on Instagram you will have seen some of our rubbish free days.
I have to confess that I am often a bit slack with the rubbish free lunch idea, even though I love the concept. My eldest daughter’s kindy has always encouraged a rubbish free lunch, and she is always reminding me to reduce, reuse and recycle. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for doing my part for the environment, but I’m also a busy mum and sometimes convenience gets in the way. Once I came across the statistics about the amount of packing litter that Australians produce each year, it really made me stop and change my behaviour. We have jumped on board the Nude Food Month challenge. This month has encouraged us to focus more on the ways we can achieve our rubbish free lunch and snacks and we’ve discovered a few tips along the way.
Buy quality lunch boxes and containers
One of my downfalls was using zip lock bags because we didn’t have any suitable containers. We’d end up with a few strawberries in a huge container, or trying to fit a lot of crackers in a large one. Since Nude Food Movers is running the Nude Food Challenge, we’ve been testing out their range of products and it has made things so much easier. One of the items I have really loved using are the snack trios and duos. I love that I can add crackers or cucumber in one part and dip in the other. We’ve also used them to have crackers, strawberries and blueberries in them. These are the perfect size to take on short outing or to places like swimming lessons.
Buy in bulk
Lately I’ve fallen into the terrible habit of buying those convenience size packets of things and as well as being a ridiculous waste of money, they are creating so much rubbish. This week I’ve gone back to what I used to do and have started buying in bulk and portioning out items. I’ve been buying a large tub of greek yoghurt and mixing them with berries to make a healthy snack that is so much cheaper than the small containers and pouches. We’ve been using the Nude Yoghurt Mover containers, which stay cold with the freezable gel inserts and have been very impressed with them – so far no leaks or spills! I’ve even been using these for my own lunches.
Pre Pack your Snacks
Another one of my downfalls is buying lots of snack items and then forgetting about them. This week I’ve been portioning out the strawberries, crackers and other snacks into smaller containers ready to grab and go in the mornings. This is saving lots of time (and money) and eliminating the need to buy food while we are out.
Use Refillable Bottles and Cups
While the kids lunches may account for a lot of the packaging rubbish, it’s generally the parents that are responsible for contributing to the estimated 1 billion coffee cups thrown away in Australia each year and the staggering number of plastic drink bottles that end up in land fill each year. A good quality reusable drink bottle and coffee cup easily solves this.
Get Your Kids Involved
Kids are the first people to correct you when you make a mistake. By telling the kids about our Nude Food Challenge they have been policing our lunches and snacks all week. I’ve been involving my girls in the lunch and snack packing and talking to them about why we are doing this challenge. They have loved being involved and now are actively thinking of ways we can reduce the amount of rubbish we use.
Nude Food Movers believe in saving the planet one lunch at a time. Reduce, re-use and recycle with a handy range of products to help you on your ‘nude food’ adventures. Available at Coles, Big W, Officeworks. Product and colour availability will vary by retailer.
For more information on the Nude Food Movers range by Smash visit www.nudefoodmovers.com.au | Facebook: Nude Food Movers | Instagram:@Nudefoodmovers
Nude Food Movers is the brand behind Nude Food Day, an educational program and event held in primary schools nationwide during the month of October. Whether you are a parent, carer, school or simply want more info on how you can do your bit for the environment sign up today at www.nudefoodday.com.au or on Facebook.
Win a $100 Nude Food Movers Pack
We would love you to take part in the Nude Food Month challenge too! To get you started Nude Food Movers are giving one lucky reader a $100 Nude Food Movers prize pack. To enter, comment below with your best rubbish free lunch box tip. Winner drawn October 30 and notified via email. Australian residents only.
Rachael D says
I love to bake muffins & freeze them…take one out of the freezer in the morning place in lunchbox-thawed for lunch time!
Margaret Hollis says
Place fruit in their skins in the lunch box, so no wrapping. Obviously need fruit that small hands can manage
Sacha Pech says
Kids are such visual little creatures; making something into a fun shape/ using cookie cutters or making cucumber spirals will encourage them to eat healthily.
Ali says
Buy bulk packs of snack foods: sultanas,popcorn etc instead of the snack sized ones. You are not doubling up on wrappers. They are also much cheaper to buy – search as the snack packs are at eye level in shops
Elisabeth Martins says
Containers are handy so you come back with no wrappers,
put a mixture of chips in one container,
mixture of cut up fruit in the other,
and so on.
Ashley Beech says
Cook your own things in bulk so save time and wrappers in the long run. My favourite is the 3 ingredient 100 biscuits recipe….can change the flavours and keep those lunchboxes full!
Melinda Bolitho says
There are so many fruits that have their own natural “wrapper”, kids only need to give them a rinse and tuck in! The new air tight bento style lunchboxes make it so easy to limit rubbish! Even yoghurt can be bought in bulk and spooned into them!
Scott Crumlin says
Take any wrappers off before placing the food in that way little ones in the race to play with friends after eating won’t be tempted to just throw anything away.
Dean Davis says
I place my daughters raisins in a small sandwich bag to prevent them spilling everywhere !
Candice Milner says
Get some great, kid friendly containers that make food fun – especially if it’s in their favourite colour! So versatile, you can put just about anything in them, the possibilities are endless.
Melissa D says
Use a great re-usable lunch box and water bottle to minimise waste and send stainless steel cutlery 🙂
inthegoodbooksblog says
With some preparation and thought, it isn’t difficult to create some package-free choices. Homemade treats like muffins, biscuits, and popcorn can be put into containers. Also, buy in bulk (yoghurt, etc) and then use smaller containers to store in. I have recently bought some reusable zip-lock bags that are more durable than the regular ones, and I rinse them out and they are used over and over again.
Justine Drake says
Keep it fresh.. its always best
Leanne white says
Vegetables… cooked jacket potato, washed raw baby carrot, cooked corn re-wrapped in the original leaves which can be tied on with string or secured with a toothpick or elastic band. The vegies can be cooked and cooled the night before ready for the morning lunch.
Mikaela C says
I love to bake my own treats; muesli bars, muffins, cookies. It saves money, the environment and you know what’s in them!
Lynnette Bull says
Baking and cooking with the kids on a Sunday afternoon keeps us NUDE. Always make foods that can be frozen so it lasts the whole week. I also allow the kids to choose what they want to bake so I know it will get eaten
laureneve says
At childcare I made some little water-proof pouches that I keeps blue-berries and strawberries fresh and away from rice-crackers and wraps which can make them go soggy and get squashed.
lynne lillington says
Use lunch boxes the seal tight to save on wrap, the same for smaller container to serve out smaller portions of fruit and snacks
Emma Puszkar says
Fruit comes in natural wrappers, generally a great guide to packing lunches.
Ronda moll says
I pack smaller foods such as nuts and berries in small silicon patty pans and place them in the lunchbox to keep everything separate
Sandy Wallace says
The Nude sandwich boxes are great for cutting down on rubbish. Pasta salad works in them as well as sandwiches. Also good for veggie sticks.
Chanel says
I pop my own pop-corn, that way there is no unnecessary packaging and I know it’s natural, having a child with allergies I often make a lot of my own snacks and the kids enjoy helping so it’s a win-win!
Anna says
“Cling Wrap” we refuse to use,
Environmentally friendly homemade packaging we desirably use,
Fun and games draw my children in,
“Creativity” is always an instant “WIN!”
We purchase 100% cotton (canvas) and sew until our little hearts are content,
Different sizes and shapes we do invent!
Catering for a pineapple to a banana size,
Easy to wash! Environmentally friendly! Safe for kids! ALL a welcomed surprise!
Belinda says
hardboiled eggs that have been shelled are delicious little parcels of goodness that can be packed as a snack, or, pack a bread roll and some salad and let your little one make their own sandwich. Kids loving putting things together so if you can make it at school, they’re more likely to eat it.
sonya says
Simply include healthy food your kids will eat… sandwiches and fruit or carrots and hommus are always a great idea!
Laura Scriven says
The Nude trio tube is my saviour for no wrapping. It’s fantastic to have three different snacks sealed and easy to pack on every trip!
Alicia L says
If I make a sandwich, I will use Iceberg lettuce as the “bread”, put fillings inside and pack in a small container.
Kerryanne Bourke says
I bake in bulk then freeze ‘nude’ in large tupperware containers. When popped in lunchboxes ‘nude’ and frozen it defrosts by the time the kids are ready to eat and is still nice and fresh!
Even works with sandwiches!
Shannon Wotton says
I love using the Nude Food Movers lunch boxes with the compartments to pack healthy school lunches. I let my kids choose from a selection of fruits, vegetable sticks, homemade granola, popcorn, yogurt or dips to fill their little compartments and add a sandwich, roll or wrap and water. They are more likely to eat their snacks when they have been involved in choosing and packing them.
Tania Cargin says
I get my kids involved in the growing, picking, baking and making of their lunches. When they are involved and invested in the whole process, their decisions automatically lean towards nude food.
Natalie Stoute says
When buying strawberries, raspberries or blueberries, keep the plastic packaging, rinse and re-use for lunchboxes. They are great for keeping muffins from getting squished and crackers getting cracked!