Today the boys went on a field trip. The teacher asked that the kids each bring a "disposable lunch". Hmmm.... Haven't I been trying hard to send them a lunch where they DON'T throw anything away?! Oh well. Above is the boys lunches - a sandwich, juice box, apple sauce, strawberries and chips. The chips are from a neighbor who gave them to me when her kids didn't like them. Now that I think of it, we got those Welches fruit gummy things that way too... Wonder if the neighbors think I'm depriving my kids of "junk food".. :) :) Anyway, I secretly hoped the boys would not like the chips but no such luck. :)
I was a chaperone on the trip and this is my lunch. Rice crackers, cheese sticks, pear, apple sauce and nuts with raisins. This was yummy but too much food. I think the boxes help with portion control.
Today the boys went on a field trip. The teacher asked that the kids each bring a "disposable lunch". Hmmm.... Haven't I been trying hard to send them a lunch where they DON'T throw anything away?! Oh well. Above is the boys lunches - a sandwich, juice box, apple sauce, strawberries and chips. The chips are from a neighbor who gave them to me when her kids didn't like them. Now that I think of it, we got those Welches fruit gummy things that way too... Wonder if the neighbors think I'm depriving my kids of "junk food".. :) :) Anyway, I secretly hoped the boys would not like the chips but no such luck. :)
I was a chaperone on the trip and this is my lunch. Rice crackers, cheese sticks, pear, apple sauce and nuts with raisins. This was yummy but too much food. I think the boxes help with portion control.
Oh I hate field trips for that reason. My son went to a nature conserve and they said completely disposable lunches which made me think "really? you're teaching them about conservation and want them to create waste? nice"
ReplyDeleteI can see how it might be harder for them to keep up with each kid's boxes, utensils, bags, etc. Next time you attend as a chaperone, you could just offer to take responsibility for your own and your child's non-disposable things.
ReplyDeleteOne way to make a disposable lunch have have less waste is to reuse a takeout box (and pack it tightly, just like you do with your bento box) instead of wrapping each item individually. I got the inspiration for this from Lunch in a Box:
http://lunchinabox.net/2007/09/26/disposable-lunches-for-airplane/
http://lunchinabox.net/2007/06/19/disposable-bento-for-airplane/
Very clever, thanks for the idea Amy. We rarely eat out but I'll be sure to be on the look out for any disposable type containers for this use. I'm sure some have passed through my recycle tubs... I wish I had received this message before I packed E's disposable lunch this morning for yet another field trip.
ReplyDeleteLast year I did offer to take care of my own kids lunches on a field trip but the teacher was a bit put out by it. Admittedly, the insulated bags with bento boxes and water bottles do take up quite a bit more space than a paper sack lunch. She wanted all the lunches together in a box before they were eaten so maybe that was part of the problem.
Bentoforkidlet - LOL! How sad to have to pack a disposable lunch for a nature conserve field trip!
These requests make me crazy! My sons teacher asked if I (everyone) could stop sending kidlet's snack in a re-usable container and send it in a ziploc bag isntead because they eat thier lunch outside right before they run off to play at recess.
ReplyDeleteI bought her basket, decorated it and labeled it the "Snack Basket", so the kids could just put thier reusable containers in there and she could carry it back easily. I'm not sure she was as appreciative as she expressed, but I felt a lot better about it. ;)