Tips For Zero Waste Lunches

As we discussed previously, ditching the disposable lunch is a great way to integrate green living into your everyday life. Now we’re going to take a look at some tips to help you on the quest to reduce your household waste. 

Start Slowly 
"We don't need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly, we need millions of people doing it imperfectly"

This photo collage made by Kingston area Earthub volunteers shares an important message. We need many more people making small, achievable, and maintainable changes to our daily routines and consumer habits in order to create a wave of transformation for the betterment of our environment.

It can be a bit daunting to start changing your current routines. But there’s no need to start with anything too drastic. Beginning slowly, with a few staple items and new routines and building upon them is a great way to get started.

Make Meal Plans

Avoid the morning rush by making your food plans in advance. Having lunches planned before you wake up will make busy mornings move that much smoother, so it’s all worth it in the end. 

Batch Cook/Use Leftovers

In order to maximize your time, you may find it easier to cook your lunches all at once in batches. This way you can keep everything in the fridge for the week to come. Another way to reduce your workload is to make extra dinner and use the leftovers for lunch.

Stock Up

Spend some time thinking about the staples you eat most, buy them in bulk and always make sure you've got some on hand. Having a few staple items easily accessible will help to make lunch prep a breeze.

Pack Only What You Know You & Your Kids Will Eat

No one knows what you and your family likes to eat better than you. Shop with this in mind, and only pack the things you know won’t be coming back home. 

 

Include Kids In Meal Planning

Preparing lunches should not be solely the domain of the caregiver. Make it a family activity, by asking kids what they want to eat, going shopping together, and even doing your batch cooking as a family. This engages everyone in the process, and gives everyone a meaningful role in the meals being prepared. Involving your child(ren) in meal planning is a great gift to your child's future self!

Reducing your household waste and/or going zero waste is a journey; one that we are happy to help with! Stop by the shop to chat with us for ideas, tips and advice. We’d love to hear about your journey!