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Sick of PB&J? 3 Delicious Organic Lunchbox Lunch Upgrades

September 29, 2015 1

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Sometimes making a simple sandwich is just the easiest, but if your student is sick of seeing the standard PB&J in his lunchbox (or you’re sick of making it!) it’s time for a box-lunch upgrade! Read on for three new lunchbox standards that we love in our home and think you will too.

#1 Wraps and Burritos
Wraps are a great way to get a few servings of healthy vegetables into your kid’s day. I like to make extra chicken breast at dinner the night before and combine it with cucumbers, avocado, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots—you name it!—into a hearty wrap the next day. Make sure to include a healthy fat like avocado and a protein like garbanzo beans or feta cheese so that your student gets a balanced meal. Burritos are one of my all time favorite lunch foods and I haven’t met a kid yet who didn’t like them, too! Create a healthy version by combining black beans and brown rice and a sprinkling of cheese. Send some avocado slices, lettuce, or tomatoes in a separate container and the meal is complete.

#2 Homemade Soup
Hearty, homemade soups and chillis are a great winter lunch to send to school with your kid. The next time you make a big pot for the family, portion some out into jars or Pyrex containers and freeze or store the portions in the fridge. On lunch morning, simply heat up the soup and pack it in a thermos. Add a slice of seedy, whole grain bread and the meal is complete!

#3 The Re-done Lunchable
Instead of serving your kids the highly-packaged, preservative-laden lunchables that come from the grocery store, create your own using healthy ingredients. Put together whole grain crackers and cheese with fruit and nuts or hummus with carrots, celery, pita bread, and almonds for a more filling, much more nutritious alternative.

What are your favorite organic lunches to send to school with your little ones? What’s the new PB&J in your household?

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!

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?

7 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Recycle

July 17, 2015 2

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It’s no secret that our landfills are filling up, and fast. Each person in America generates approximately 4.5 lbs of trash each day—with a population of 317 million people, that’s a LOT of garbage! We all know about the obvious ways to reduce solid waste—donating old clothes, recycling containers, composting, and choosing biodegradable when possible—but it turns out that a lot of other commonly used products can be recycled or reused, too. Here’s a list of 7 you may not have known about.

#1: Markers

Crayola’s ColorCycle initiative takes old Crayola markers and re-uses and recycles the barrels and caps in the production of new markers. As a bonus, Crayola also uses 100% reforested wood to make their colored pencils as well as other eco-friendly practices.

#2: Corks

If you needed an extra reason to buy that bottle of wine, Recork turns used corks into building insulation, shoes, and more. Find out where to recycled your corks.

#3: Pantyhose

No Nonsense, a manufacturer of tights, panty hose, leggings, and socks will take back used pairs pantyhose and tights and make them into things like park benches, running tracks, and playground equipment—how cool is that? Find out how to recycle your used pair on No Nonsense’s Recycling page.

#4: Bras

Bras are a highly sought-after item in shelters and transitional programs. While most women trash their used (or poorly fitted) bras, thinking perhaps that no one would want to purchase a used bra at a second hand store, companies like The Bra Recyclers are more than happy to accept used bras and other textiles. Their mission is to reduce the amount of textiles in landfills by recycling and reusing textiles in an effort to support people and the environment.

#5: Old CD’s

I’ve always wondered why CD’s couldn’t be recycled—turns out they can! The CD Recycling Center of America accepts CD’s and DVD’s and recycles them into plastic for automotive and building materials in an effort to reduce oil consumption (plastic discs are made from oil), eliminate the toxic fumes produced when CD’s are incinerated, and keep CD’s out of landfills.

#6: Crayons

Each year, the National Crayon Recycling Program keeps more than 94,000 lbs of unwanted crayons out of landfills. The program has nation-wide drop off bins that accept used crayons that will be recycled into new ones. They accept all crayons but as a bonus sort and discard crayons manufactured in foreign countries before 1995 that may contain questionable materials.

#7: Apple Products

Apple accepts old iPods, iPhones, computers, and more and recycles or reuses the product or its parts. If your old product qualifies for reuse, Apple will give you a gift card for the monetary value of your old product. If it does not qualify for reuse, Apple will safely recycle your product free of charge.

This list of 7 is just the tip of the iceberg! From batteries to eyeglasses, there are many more household items that can be recycled, and the number of products and materials is growing all the time as more and more companies spring up hoping to reduce consumption and waste.

YOUR TURN: Do you have other inside info on lesser-known recyclable or reusable products or materials?

The Impact of Recycling: Making a Difference

February 17, 2015 3

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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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