Reduce waste – buy a lunch box

There are many great reasons to buy a lunch box.  One of the best reasons is that it helps reduce waste.

• • There is no need to wrap sandwiches in cling film or foil,
  • There is no need to protect fruit, veg and snacks in plastic bag,
  • You can buy in bulk and portion out rather than buying individually wrapped portions of everything,
  • It also helps you create a cheaper and healthier lunch.

Firstly I worked out what I wanted from my sustainable lunch box.

I wanted a lunch box to put my sandwiches in, have room to put fruit and veg (including space for a whole apple) without it squishing the sandwiches and be able to dispose of it through the recycling collection system once I had finished with it.

Then I did some research and found 2 main contenders for a sustainable lunch box that would fit my sustainable lifestyle. Below is the result of my research.

Green Tulip Metal Lunch Box

Price: £20-£30 (2 boxes would be needed to fit my lunch)
Materials: Stainless Steel
Disposal: Can be recycled in kerbside collections
Care Instructions: Dishwasher safe, not microwave safe
Health: Made from food grade metal
Sustainability Guide Rating: 9/10

Comments: It is a square metal lunch box that could fit your sandwiches in. You need a separate box for fruit, veg and snacks.  It also cannot be used in the microwave, but would be perfect for cold lunches. It is not watertight if you like taking soups for lunch, but there are options with a silicone seal.

Nude Movers Mini Rubbish Free Lunch Box

Price: £7
Materials: Polypropylene Plastic 5
Disposal: Can be recycled in some local kerbside collections
Care Instructions: Dishwasher Safe and Microwave Safe
Health: Phthalate and BPA free plastic
Sustainability Guide Rating: 7/10

Comments: It has compartments for your fruit, veg and snacks separate from the sandwich compartment and comes with 2 snack pots.  It is not watertight if you like taking soups for lunch, but the snack pots are, which is great for yoghurts.  The lunch box is made from plastic, but it is one of the safer ones and can be recycled in my local collection (Check to your local collection).

Result

Comparing the 2 lunch boxes I went with the plastic nude movers lunch box.  With this lunch box I could have all my lunch in one unit, the price was reasonable and I could dispose of it responsibly.  I really did want the metal one, but it was not practical having 2 boxes.

Review

I was disappointed to find the lunch box wrapped in plastic wrapping, but was very happy with the product.  I wrote an e-mail to the nude movers company to find out why they decided to use plastic and here is the result.