Switching to a less wasteful lunchtime routine is easier than you think! With our reusable products, creative tips, and easy swaps, you can enjoy delicious meals while doing your part for the planet and your wallet, too. 

REUSABLE LUNCH BOX 

This is a basic tool that will save you loads of money in the long run. The life expectancy is short for plastic, so you want to invest in a high quality stainless steel lunch box that actually lasts. You’ve come to the right place! 

In fact, after long term testing, the New York Times Wirecutter actually regards our Rover lunch box as “indestructible” and “survived over 500 trips to and from school over several years.”

Don’t forget utensils! There’s no need to send a flimsy plastic set everyday. The Dig In Utensils are contained in a silicone case so they’re kept neat and less likely to get lost.

DITCH THE SINGLE SERVE SNACKS

Pre-packaged snacks can seem like a convenience, however, it’s just as easy to buy larger portions and pack them into individual portions yourself. Grab and go snacks cost more than bulk items and they’re much more wasteful. Head to the bulk bin section of your market to stock up on nuts, dried fruit, granola, pretzels, crackers, or chocolate covered treats. Here’s a list of common lunch box snacks you can hack:

• Turn a block of cheese into your own cheese sticks

• Portion out a big tub of yogurt or hummus into Dippers

• Grab chips from a large bag throughout the week and pack into your lunch box or Snack Packs

• Create your own dipping snacks with a Day Tripper

COOK FROM SCRATCH

Homemade treats are often much tastier than store bought while eliminating tons of packaging waste over the course of the school year. You can batch bake muffins, brownies, and bars in Baking Trays and freeze them. 

When you’re planning your shopping list, think about the multiple ways you can use one ingredient to avoid food going bad or creating extra waste. For example, carrots can be cut up for snacking, used in soups, or tossed in salads. Yogurt can be used for parfaits, baked into muffins, or turned into dressing.

Get creative with your leftovers! Here’s a recipe for using up leftover protein, rice, and the veggies you need to use up before they go bad. It’s a stir-fry that’s full of flavor yet prepped and cooked in just minutes, making for a super easy meal. It fits perfectly in the Explorer lunch box for easy reheating, along with other leftovers for side dishes!

CHICKEN & RICE STIR FRY

Ingredients

 2 tablespoons sesame oil

 2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups leftover cooked rice

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 cup leftover cooked protein (such as shredded chicken, sliced pork, or crumbled ground beef)

2-3 cups leftover veggies (broccoli florets, sliced mushrooms, sliced red bell pepper, etc.)

Sliced green onions (optional)

Sesame seeds (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oil in a wok or deep skillet. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant.

2. Add rice to the wok and cook, stirring for one minute. Stir in soy sauce, water, and ginger until the ingredients are well mixed.

3. Add leftover chicken and veggies. Cook, stirring often until the veggies are crisp-tender.

4. Spoon the contents into one of the sections of your PlanetBox lunchbox and top with sliced green onions and sesame seeds (if desired). Add other leftovers and produce you need to use to the other compartments.