School has started back and it’s time for that age-old question; what to make for lunch? Yes, that is a hard question.
I scoured all the kid friendly health magazines to find cute little bento box creation ideas for healthy meals. But what will I send that healthy lunch that I am spending hours planning in?
I like to send my girls with a homemade lunch at least 3 days a week. I know the schools are trying to make healthier choices available to kids, but I also know that if I send lunch, my girls will get the rights amounts of the right foods and none of the stuff I don’t want them eating.
But if I am going to spend all that time planning their meals, buying the healthy organic food and preparing their food, wouldn’t it make sense to also send it in the most environmentally safe product that I can find?
Last year, I looked high and low for a bento box. I knew what I wanted to do but I could not find one that fit the bill and didn’t cost an arm and a leg. Honestly, I couldn’t find a great selection for the first grade set at all.
This year, I decided to find the product that I wanted and make it work. I discovered PlanetBoxes. Obviously, with a name like PlanetBox, they are environmentally friendly.
We ordered ours through Pottery Barn Kids, because I love them, but you can also buy directly from PlanetBox.com and save yourself a little money (about $10). Planet boxes with carrying case retails for about $59.00.
PlanetBox is made out of non-toxic materials, so it’s safe choice for our family. Stainless steel works for foods. It’s safe, non-toxic, BPA-free, non-leaching, recyclable, and doesn’t pick up nasty food odors or stains like plastic lunchboxes do. Using a reusable lunchbox means creating a lot less trash, which is green, and who doesn’t like green?
The only issue I have is that I cannot fit a drink in the enclosure, but that can be remedied one of a few ways; 1) your child can purchase a drink from school 2) your child can take a thermos with a drink and place in the outside pocket 3) like me, you can send your child’s drink, wrapped in a cold pack, in the outside pocket.
I was a little skeptical at first, but my girls love their PlanetBoxes. I love that it is a great way to pack them a healthy lunch and control portion sizes and it’s super easy to clean. My girls love that everything is kept separate (because you know how picky little people can be about food) and they love the magnets that attach to the front of the stainless steel container, which you can change the design of by ordering new magnets. That’s good to know, because I told the girls that for what I paid for those lunch boxes, they will be carrying them through 8th grade.
How do you make your little ones lunch healthier?
Photo Source: Pottery Barn Kids
