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Packing School Lunch With Zero Waste

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Families that rely on single-use plastics and prepackaged foods for their children’s lunches often overlook the tremendous amount of daily waste they generate. With a few easy swaps, lunch packing routines can be fun, eco-friendly rituals for the back-to-school season. By replacing disposable plastics with reusable alternatives and adding a few homemade snacks, parents can save money and safeguard kids’ health while reducing landfill waste. Here are some excellent options.

 

Reusable Containers, Wraps and Cutlery

 •   Stainless steel lunchboxes

•   Compartmentalized bento boxes made of wood or stainless steel

•   Leakproof and dishwasher-safe silicone pouches

•   Cloth or compostable snack bags for dry goods such as nuts or pretzels

•   Repurposed glass jars with lids for drinks, hummus or applesauce

•   Stainless steel water bottles that keep liquids hot or cold for extended periods of time

•   Beeswax wraps or soybean-based “wax” paper to secure sandwiches

•   Reusable cutlery and chopsticks made of stainless steel and bamboo

•   Biodegradable and compostable cutlery made of renewable starch sources such as corn or cassava

 

Bulk Foods and Homemade Snacks

•   Nuts and seeds, dried fruits, trail mix, crackers, healthy chips and granola from bulk bins[1] 

•   Sandwiches on whole grain breads made from scratch with fresh, healthy ingredients

•   Locally sourced, seasonal produce and bread from the farmers market for a lighter carbon footprint

•   Easy parfaits made with milk- or plant-based yogurt, chopped fruits, nuts, flax or chia seeds and a drizzle of local honey

•   Wraps made with soft tortillas, lettuce or cabbage leaves, or nori sheets filled with yummy fresh ingredients such as sautéed or shredded raw vegetables, nut butters, bananas, Medjool dates, soft cheeses, olives or hummus

•   Homemade energy bars packed with healthy ingredients, including oats, protein powder, dark chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit and maple syrup

 

Eco-Friendly Totes

 •   Fun and colorful cloth totes purchased new or at thrift stores

•   Recycled insulated lunch bags[2] 

•   Organic cotton lunch bags


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Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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