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6 Eco-Friendly Lunchbox Essentials for Green Kids

August 26, 2015 0

Now that the kids are back at school – you are probably testing out the new lunchbox. If you are like me, it can be hard to find the perfect lunchbox essentials. We have had a hard time with the lunch bag being too small, containers leaking, water bottles that won’t fit inside the lunchbox and even worse, the lost lunchbox. Over the years, we have fine tuned Eben’s lunchbox and have found 6 essentials that we highly recommend – all of them are eco-friendly too, read on to check them out!

1. Large Reusable Insulated Lunch Bag $35
Over the years we have tried out quite a few eco-friendly lunchboxes, the key is a lunchbox that is insulated and large enough to hold everything including a water bottle. For Eben it also helps if it has a handle to carry it by – since adding another bag to his shoulder isn’t an optimal option. I love this one printed with EAT on the front. Such a fun statement at lunchtime!

2. Hen House Lunchbox Napkins (6) $25
Reusable fabric napkins are a must for the lunchbox – these fabulously designed ones from Hen House Linens add a pop of color and whimsy to the lunchbox. We loves our and have found them to be super durable too.

3. Contigo Reusable Water Bottle $25
I adore Contigo products – I am a huge fan of the reusable water bottles and coffee mugs. These are large enough to hold a sizable lunchbox drink for Eben, keep his drink cold and they don’t leak! They also have a fantastic kids line with insulted food jars perfect for soup or chili on a cool fall day.

4. Island Picnic Reusable Organic Cotton Snack Packs $17
Pretzels and Popcorn and Nuts – oh my! These organic snack packs are the perfect size for packing those back to school treats! I pack Eben a couple of snacks every day and these are perfect for keeping the snacks together!

5. Wean Green Reusable Glass Lunch Cubes $6-12
These are by far my favorite reusable lunch containers, we use them every-single-day. They come in an assortment of sizes that fit perfectly inside a lunchbox, are made from non-leaching glass and the lock seal means no leaks EVER.

6. SwaggerTags $4
Never worry about a lost lunchbox again – Swaggertags are a fantastic way to identify your child’s lunchbox without giving too much information away (you have to open them to see the identification – the outside is customized by you with any photo!) They come in a selection of fun colors too and are guaranteed to not fall off. Perfection!

What is a must have for your child’s lunchbox? I would love to hear – leave your comment below!

Back to School: 3 Reasons to Let Kids Pack Their Own Lunch

August 25, 2015 1

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Back to school time is here which means busier mornings and evenings.  Finding the time to prepare and pack nutritious, homemade lunches every morning or evening for your kids can be challenging with homework, family dinner, extracurricular activities, and social time all packed into a few hours before bedtime. Some parents may feel frustrated to see half their carefully prepared lunch return home in the lunch box, too! There are so many reasons to teach your kids to pack their own lunch for school; read on for our top 3.

#1: It’s a Time and Energy Saver
In the beginning, especially with younger kids, you’ll put in extra time and effort while you supervise your child in the kitchen as she learns to use new utensils and skills. Once she gets the hang of it, though, she’ll take pride in the responsibility and the fact that she gets to make decisions about what to feed herself. After the confidence and excitement set in and her lunch-making skills solidify, you can sit back and relax while the lunches seem to make themselves!

#2: It Teaches Your Children Good Nutrition
One of the best parts about letting your kids pack their own lunch is letting them decide what they’ll eat tomorrow. In the beginning, it’s wise to let them choose just one item, like a side or drink, and work up to total decision-making power about lunch. During this process, try to let go a little. Kids who choose cookies over carrots time and again will eventually learn that they don’t feel as good come afternoon as they did when mom was packing a healthier option, and will begin to attune to their own bodies and intuitive cravings.

#3: It Gives them a Green Perspective
Kids who are involved with the entire lunch process—from preparing and packing to bringing home, emptying, and cleaning containers—are more able to notice the amount of waste produced by packaging and uneaten food. If they’re responsible for cleaning out their lunchbox before making tomorrow’s lunch, they’re also likelier to choose foods and portions that they know they’ll be able to finish the next day to save themselves the trouble of dealing with the stinky remnants they didn’t eat today.

Allowing your children to prepare their own lunches empowers and teaches them. If you stick with it, in time you’ll have raised a very healthy, efficient, lunch-making machine! Has your family passed off lunch-making duties to the kids?

6 Time Saving and Eco-Friendly Back to School Organizing Tips

August 17, 2015 0

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As a parent, I feel that one of the most important tips for back to school is being organized. I have shared a lot of my tips in the past, however, there are still so many other tips that I haven’t mentioned. Most of these tips are very simple and will save you time, energy, money – and in the long run will save the environment too. Read on to learn my 6 favorite back to school organizing secrets – get organized now so the first day of school will run smoothly!

#1: Get Yourself Ready First!
Tip number one is the most important tip that I can give you – get yourself ready first! If you try to get your children and yourself ready at the same time each morning – you are going to be overwhelmed. When Eben was younger, I would get up a couple of hours before he did – while it may seem early, I was able to exercise, tidy up the house, shower and get myself ready – all before he woke up. I never felt stressed when something popped up – because I was ready, and I could jump in to help fix any of the morning mishaps. (and believe me, over the years, there were plenty!)

Back to School Tip #1 – get yourself ready before your child gets up!

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#2: Build Chores In!
All children should have chores. Chores are great on so many levels, they teach children responsibility, pride of ownership, it builds character, and what Mom couldn’t use a little extra help around the house. It doesn’t have to be a long list of chores, instead it can consist of making their bed, feed and take care of animals, tidying their bedroom and packing up their supplies for school. After school, you can add in a few more – walking the dog, unloading and loading the dishwasher, setting the table and helping pick up the house.

#3: Snack Station!
Giving your child easy access to the best, healthy snacks for school is easy when you incorporate a snack station in your pantry and refrigerator. When Eben was younger,  we had a pantry snack station and a refrigerator snack station (you can see the lunchbox packing station here). It helped a lot too – because now that Eben is a teenager, he is pretty good at picking healthy snacks on his own.

Give your child easy access to healthy snacks by incorporating a snack station in your fridge.

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#4: Breakfast is Ready!
Eben is not a cereal type of kid – he doesn’t like cereal, any cereal. Period. However, we don’t always have time or feel like whipping up a hot breakfast in the morning. Our solution, we make them ahead of time and either refrigerator or freeze them. This way he always gets his choice of his favorite breakfast items (these items are always healthier than a boxed cereal anyhow) and it makes for a quick and yummy breakfast time, with foods he will actually eat. And of course I also keep the refrigerator stocked with his favorite fruits and organic yogurt to go with breakfast too.

#5: Lunch is Ready!
If you have a lot of lunches to pack in the morning and find yourself spending too much time on it, consider packing your lunches the night before. Consider making a little more dinner, and packing the leftovers for your child’s lunch. Eben always loved this because he would have much rather had shish-ka-bobs, or a homemade soup for lunch over a sandwich any day! It is also a great way to give your child’s lunchbox menu a lot of diversity, the lunch is ready to go and your child is more likely to eat their lunch everyday.

#6: Bag the Equipment!
When Eben was younger, he had swimming as his P.E. activity – instead of running around every Friday morning looking for his swimsuit, swim shirt, goggles, sunscreen, and towel – I packed everything together in a bag and it stayed there. When he brought home the wet clothes on Friday afternoon, I would toss the entire bag in the laundry room and wash and repack the swimming bag for the following week. Then, it would go on a designated hook in our mudroom and would be ready to go. This same tip can be used for any sport or activity that your child has particular clothing for – just pack it and forget it.

What eco-friendly and time-saving secrets do you have for back to school?
Please leave your comment below – they support us all in living a greener lifestyle.

Eco Families: 6 Green Activities to Enjoy as a Family Before the End of Summer

August 13, 2015 1

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Summer break is almost over and many parents may be wondering how to turn those last few days of summer into fun family memories. Summer is a great time to get out of the house and enjoy the weather, nature, and your local community as a family. And if you haven’t made as many summer memories as you would have liked – don’t fret, there is still time to get a couple of great summer activities in. Read on for 6 summer activities are sure to be educational and fun for all ages—and green to boot! Try to sneak a couple of these fun, bonding experiences in, before those school bells begin to chime!

  1. Nature Walk
    From hiking trails to beaches, just about every city and town across the US has a beautiful, accessible outdoor park or trail to enjoy. If kids can learn about the wildlife and flora in their environment beforehand and will be excited to spot local birds, animal prints, and native flowers. Because I live in Colorado where hiking in the afternoon and evening means possible run-ins with bears and thunderstorms, my favorite time of day to hit the trail is early morning—though there’s nothing like a balmy, summer evening walk through the neighborhood with my family.
  2. Visit a Farm
    Farms are rich educational resources for kids. Local farms give children the opportunity to learn about where their food comes and witness the amount of land, resources, and effort required to raise livestock and grow and harvest produce. Some farms allow children to meet goats, cows, and bunnies, and many CSA farms invite families to pick or dig their own fruits and veggies.
  3. Volunteer at a Community Garden
    Community gardens have popped up in many cities across the US and allow families to learn about plants and the local ecosystem while connecting with and serving members of their community.  Plus, gardening gives kids a much-needed chance to slow down and notice the little things.
  4. Botanic Gardens
    While your local botanic gardens offer beauty and educational information year-round, summer is a great time to bring little ones because most of the flowers will be in full bloom, green plants will be the most lush, and trees will be in flower or fruit. A visit to the botanic gardens is a delightful, relaxing experience for the senses and teaches families about native plants and the environment. Many botanic gardens offer both youth and adult classes, and provide ample outdoor space to sit and enjoy lunch or read a book.
  5. Geocaching
    Geocaching is a great activity for little adventurers to get out and explore their community. Geocaching is a real-world treasure hunt where participants follow clues and use GPS tracking to find hidden messages, toys, and souvenirs. When a geocache is found, the finder must leave a new object for the next seeker. Kids absolutely love the feeling of connection and excitement they get when they discover a tiny treasure hidden in plain sight in their community. Part of the creators’ mission is to maintain an open and welcoming community and forum for responsible stewardship of our lands—what a great message for kids! I recommend that an adult accompany school-aged kids on this activity since new and unfamiliar parts of your neighborhood or town will be explored.
  6. DIY Scavenger Hunt
    If a high-tech treasure hunt doesn’t appeal to you (or you’d just like a break from your smartphone for a day!), put together your own scavenger hunt. Route an area that you feel safe with your kids exploring and make a list of landmarks—both big and small—to be found. You can get really creative by adding clues or making a story whose plot is revealed as each item on the list is discovered. Scavenger hunts make for a great rainy-day game too—just pick out forgotten or hidden treasures at home!

These are only a handful of the many outdoor activities to enjoy with your family for the rest of the summer (don’t forget your kids’ regularly scheduled sports games and outdoor activities!). What eco-friendly and educational fun has your family enjoyed this summer?

The Impact of Recycling: Making a Difference

February 17, 2015 3

recycle

Did you know that the average American household generates more than 11 pounds of waste every day? Wow! That is a lot. That adds up to 251 million tons of waste each year nationwide. Approximately 75 percent of that waste is recyclable, but more than 135 million tons of it still ends up in landfills. If every American household doubled the amount of waste added to the recycle bin instead of the trash bin, 71 million tons of waste could be kept out of landfills each year.

Reducing household trash has other positive effects on the nation besides keeping waste out of landfills. Recycling also benefits the environment and the economy. Recycling products reduces the amount of fuel needed to produce new materials. Americans recycle 87 million tons of waste per year, and the amount of greenhouse gas emissions saved is equivalent to removing 33 million cars from the road. Just the number of aluminum cans saved from American trash bins annually saves enough gasoline to fuel more than 722,000 cars for over three years. Recycling is a big deal! To learn more about the benefits of recycling, and how this simple act can make a huge impact, check out the infographic below!
The Impact Of Recycling: Making A Daily Difference

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