Packing school lunches can be a mess of foil, baggies, and plastic wrap. When lunch is over, there’s a small mountain of garbage left behind.

Waste Free Lunches gives the following tips for packing your child’s lunch (or your own):

• Start with a reusable lunchbox, backpack, or briefcase
• Pack your food in reusable containers
• Include a drink in a refillable bottle
• Add reusable utensils
• Use a cloth napkin

Laptop Lunches has a great waste free lunch system based on the Japanese Bento Box. It’s lead free and top rack dishwasher safe.

If your kid is too cool for a lunch box, try a simple organic cotton lunch bag and a Wrap-N-Mat sandwich wrapper.

Another Eco-Friendly Tip from Allie.