Disposable Containers are Out and Reusable is In

National School Lunch week during October 12 – 16, 2009 has placed the focus on two areas that are in need of attention by families.  First is on healthy food choices for lunches.  Second is the need for reusable containers in which to carry lunches, instead of the throw away products that are not reusable and have a long life in dump sites around the nation.

Fortunately, more and more businesses are manufacturing items that are eco-friendly and have money-saving properties in their use and implementation.  These companies stand to benefit from a world-wide emphasis on ‘green’ living by offering these products.  Many that have gotten on board are increasing their green product lineups, too.  As demand increases, they stand to profit as well.

Here are some suggestions for saving money by obtaining reusable, sustainable, and eco-friendly items:

Drink Containers
A good choice is those that are reusable over and over and come in stainless steel varieties, but there are other materials, too.  Aluminum is good because it helps maintain temperature consistency of the beverage that is placed into it.  Consider that plastic bottles which are priced at 50 cents each are costing around $100 per year for each child, so not only do you save the planet, but money as well.

Food Containers
Cloth is ‘in’ and you can find a variety of wraps that are made just for sandwiches and other snacks.  Also, there are cloth sacks that are large enough for a complete lunch.  These wraps offer convenient Velcro that helps keep them closed until you are ready to open them at lunch time.  They are also good at keeping your food fresh until it is time to eat.

Eating Utensils
Bamboo is becoming a popular choice for utensils which makes a good replacement for plastic.  It is strong and resilient even in liquid and temperature extremes.  You will even find bamboo stirring sticks for coffee and other drinks that require mixing.

All of these options are wallet-friendly choices because of the reusability and prevention of additional pollution by the purchase and disposal of plastic which has a high resistance to bio-break down over long periods of time. Going green includes the components of saving money as well as saving the environment.  Even if you do not feel inclined to be ecologically responsible (and who wouldn’t be?) you should feel good about saving money in the long run.