Plastic-Free Lunch Ideas to Help You Reduce Waste

We all know how urgently we need to ditch the plastic, but we appreciate that sometimes it can be harder said than done. If you need a little inspiration for plastic-free lunches just in time for back-to-school season, we’ve got it covered.

Do You Need to Wrap Those Sandwiches?

An airtight container is usually all that’s needed to keep sandwiches fresh, rather than needing to use plastic wrap. If you do need to wrap them in something, beeswax wraps are a more environmentally friendly alternative.

Perhaps sometimes an alternative to sandwiches would be fun? A selection of crackers plus slices of cheese and salami is easy to add to lunchboxes without the need for plastic.  

Whole Foods

One of the best ways to completely get rid of plastic in lunchboxes is by sticking with whole foods as much as possible. Not just better for the planet, whole foods are so much better for you than processed food and don't come wrapped in an abundance of plastic packaging.

There are so many ideas of whole foods to add to lunchboxes, and many of them provide a fun dose of colour too. Here are some ideas:

• Fruit (so many options!)
• Dried fruit
• Veggie sticks
• Avocado sticks
• Cherry tomatoes
• Sticks of celery (spread some cream cheese in the sticks for a yumy twist)
• Boiled eggs
• Nuts
• Seeds

Make Things Fun

Using colorful combinations is going to appeal to kids and so are fun shapes! Berries are a great way to add a dose of bright color, as are strips of pepper, carrot sticks, and cherry tomatoes. Make cucumber pieces more fun by cutting them into star shapes using cookie cutters. Cutting cheese into cubes instead of slices is another way to switch things up.

Bake Some Goodies

Have some spare time on your hands? Baking is a great way to get the kids involved in making their lunches. Plus, there are plenty of healthier options too, so you can make some treats that aren’t packed full of sugar. Making them yourselves also means you'll know exactly what's going into them. Not only that but of course you’ll be helping to save the planet too by saving on packaging that ready-made items would arrive in. You could try making muffins, cakes, or healthy bars.

Banish the Plastic Cutlery

If cutlery is needed, try using your regular stainless-steel cutlery instead of disposable cutlery. If you’re concerned about your best cutlery going missing, perhaps getting another small set would be best!

Reusable Tumblers

Every lunch needs a drink to go with it and our reusable tumblers are so much kinder to the planet than single use plastic bottles. Our tumblers come in a whole host of designs to brighten up their lunchtime, plus they’ll keep their drinks cold for up to 12 hours.

We hope these ideas provide some inspiration for plastic-free lunches. Looking for more back-to-school apparel? Our kids shirts are available in loads of nature-themed designs and colours to brighten up their school days. We hope the back-to-school transition goes smoothly for all involved.