What it Means for
Your Lunch to Be Waste-Free

Waste-free lunches are the wave of the future. Even the smallest of changes can make a significant difference in reducing the overwhelming amount of waste our country produces. In addition to being environmentally friendly, waste-free lunches save parents money by replacing disposable bags, boxes, bottles and cartons with reusable alternatives that fit neatly in your child’s backpack. Pack a greener lunch this school year by following a few simple tips and tricks.

Ditch pre-packaged goods

Disposable drinks, plastic bags and prepackaged foods are all alluring with their grab-and-go convenience. But it isn't much more difficult or time-consuming to stash the sandwich, snacks and treats in reusable containers or to fill a reusable bottle with water, tea or juice. Waste-free lunches generate minimal trash by using reusable food storage containers in place of the throwaway convenience items. Not only do they reduce trash, but these components also help you save money on the number of bags and packaged goods you have to buy.

Pass on paper

Brown bagging it generates a lot of unnecessary garbage. Skip the brown bag and swap it for a waste-free reusable lunch bag. We carry a variety of styles and patterns that let your child’s sense of style shine through. Our insulated lunch sacks help keep foods as hot or cold as you need them to stay. We line our lunch bags with environmentally friendly, food-safe PEVA made without any plasticizers or chlorine, so you have one less thing to worry about. As an added bonus, the interiors of all our bags wipe clean for easy maintenance. We design our lunch bags to fit some of our most popular reusable food storage containers, making it easy and convenient to pack a waste-free lunch.

Ditch on plastic

Who needs plastic spoons and forks? Pottery Barn Kids carries a colorful collection of tabletop plates and other dining essentials. Some of our utensils come with carrying cases to keep lunch bags neater and more organized. Our stainless-steel utensils are dishwasher-safe and sized to fit neatly in our lunch bags. All of our utensils are phthalate- and BPA-free, so you can feel good about using them to pack waste-free lunches for the whole family.

Reduce food waste

Children frequently only eat a few bites at a time. Minimize food waste by using our tabletop accessories and by cutting fruits and vegetables into bite-sized pieces and packing them into reusable containers for later use. Additionally, many children become more enthusiastic about their lunch when they are involved in the planning process. Work together to create the menu and pack healthy snacks.

Recycle

Using packaged goods doesn’t automatically translate to waste. Many materials, including aluminum cans, paper bags, plastic bottles and glass bottles can all go into the recycling instead of the garbage. This lets you use some of the items that you love without turning your waste-free lunch into extra trash.