Lunch time is part of your natural daily routine and most of us don’t think twice about it. However, did you know that it could be one of the most wasteful times of your day? If you’re forgetting to take a packed lunch to work with you every day, you might be thinking that you’re doing the right thing, because you’re then spending money in the local stores. Support small businesses, right?
The thing is, there are plenty of opportunities right in front of you that you can use to make your lunch more sustainable, you just have to find the opportunity and go for it. The world is not green enough and you might not think your actions matter, but they do. We’ve got some tips to help you to make lunchtime more eco-friendly without sacrificing the convenience or flavor.
Photo by Vanessa Loring
1.Plan your lunches ahead. A lot of people like to batch cook on a Sunday before the working week, and they it for a good reason. One of the easiest ways to make lunch more sustainable is to prep lunches ahead of time and wrap them in brown paper bags and seal them in the fridge. You can then transfer them from paper bags into Tupperware containers that you can take to work with you, and you can use cloth lunch bags or insulated lunch totes. Brown paper bags are super handy as a reusable option, but only if they are recyclable. Remember to check the labels!
2. Reuse, reuse, reuse. The easiest ways that you can reduce waste during lunch time is to keep reusable boxes in your desk at work. If you all the team decides to get a take out for lunch but on one particular day, you’ll then have available Tupperware boxes for you to carry leftovers home worth. You don’t have to rely on Styrofoam or single use plastics, either not when you can get metal Bento boxes, glass or BPA free plastics. You can then wash these containers and use them over and over again, keeping your food fresh and organised. You can use the brown paper bags to keep everything fresh in the fridge, but the boxes that you keep at work will help you to bring leftovers home.
3. Go for zero waste. Did you know that there is such a thing called a zero waste lunchbox? These typically come with compartments so you can store different food items separately without needing to use plastic bags or foil. There are some that even come with built-in utensils like Bento boxes. When you choose to use a zero-waste lunch box you could even have your breakfast in it, packed with muesli, yoghurts and fruit.
Photo by Vanessa Loring
4. Bring your own utensils. Another effective but very simple way to make your lunch sustainable is to bring your own utensils instead of using disposable plastic forks, knives, and spoons. You can use travel friendly utensil sets made from bamboo, stainless steel, or even biodegradable materials. This is a lightweight and easy to carry option for on-the-go lunches.
Photo by Vanessa Loring
5. Avoid individually wrapped snacks. Snacking is so easy when you’re at work, isn’t it? When it comes to snacks, we will often find ourselves reaching for individual options like chips, granola bars or crackers. Sure, they’re convenient and they can give you a much-needed energy boost, but they are a source of excess plastic waste. Instead, by party sized bags or a large bag of chips and divided into smaller and reusable containers. You can do the same thing with nuts, trail mix, and even fruit. Keep a bowl of fruit on your desk and you can pick all day long!
6. Plan ahead. Look for businesses around your workplace that are sustainable in their practices of cooking, and packaging. When you plan ahead like this, you know that on the days that you’re caught without a lunch or you left it at home, you can still be sustainable by supporting ethical businesses with the same views that align with yours.
7. Choose local and sustainable ingredients. Speaking of growing local, try to pick ingredients that are sustainable from your local area. This way, you will always have the best of the best in your pantry and you’ll be able to open your lunch knowing that you’ve chosen to support smaller businesses with purchases.
Lunch time is part of your natural daily routine and most of us don’t think twice about it. However, did you know that it could be one of the most wasteful times of your day? If you’re forgetting to take a packed lunch to work with you every day, you might be thinking that you’re doing the right thing, because you’re then spending money in the local stores. Support small businesses, right?
The thing is, there are plenty of opportunities right in front of you that you can use to make your lunch more sustainable, you just have to find the opportunity and go for it. The world is not green enough and you might not think your actions matter, but they do. We’ve got some tips to help you to make lunchtime more eco-friendly without sacrificing the convenience or flavor.
1.Plan your lunches ahead. A lot of people like to batch cook on a Sunday before the working week, and they it for a good reason. One of the easiest ways to make lunch more sustainable is to prep lunches ahead of time and wrap them in brown paper bags and seal them in the fridge. You can then transfer them from paper bags into Tupperware containers that you can take to work with you, and you can use cloth lunch bags or insulated lunch totes. Brown paper bags are super handy as a reusable option, but only if they are recyclable. Remember to check the labels!
2. Reuse, reuse, reuse. The easiest ways that you can reduce waste during lunch time is to keep reusable boxes in your desk at work. If you all the team decides to get a take out for lunch but on one particular day, you’ll then have available Tupperware boxes for you to carry leftovers home worth. You don’t have to rely on Styrofoam or single use plastics, either not when you can get metal Bento boxes, glass or BPA free plastics. You can then wash these containers and use them over and over again, keeping your food fresh and organised. You can use the brown paper bags to keep everything fresh in the fridge, but the boxes that you keep at work will help you to bring leftovers home.
3. Go for zero waste. Did you know that there is such a thing called a zero waste lunchbox? These typically come with compartments so you can store different food items separately without needing to use plastic bags or foil. There are some that even come with built-in utensils like Bento boxes. When you choose to use a zero-waste lunch box you could even have your breakfast in it, packed with muesli, yoghurts and fruit.
4. Bring your own utensils. Another effective but very simple way to make your lunch sustainable is to bring your own utensils instead of using disposable plastic forks, knives, and spoons. You can use travel friendly utensil sets made from bamboo, stainless steel, or even biodegradable materials. This is a lightweight and easy to carry option for on-the-go lunches.
5. Avoid individually wrapped snacks. Snacking is so easy when you’re at work, isn’t it? When it comes to snacks, we will often find ourselves reaching for individual options like chips, granola bars or crackers. Sure, they’re convenient and they can give you a much-needed energy boost, but they are a source of excess plastic waste. Instead, by party sized bags or a large bag of chips and divided into smaller and reusable containers. You can do the same thing with nuts, trail mix, and even fruit. Keep a bowl of fruit on your desk and you can pick all day long!
6. Plan ahead. Look for businesses around your workplace that are sustainable in their practices of cooking, and packaging. When you plan ahead like this, you know that on the days that you’re caught without a lunch or you left it at home, you can still be sustainable by supporting ethical businesses with the same views that align with yours.
7. Choose local and sustainable ingredients. Speaking of growing local, try to pick ingredients that are sustainable from your local area. This way, you will always have the best of the best in your pantry and you’ll be able to open your lunch knowing that you’ve chosen to support smaller businesses with purchases.
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