Green Tips for Back to School Lunches

Do you want to save money, help the environment and produce a healthy and attractive meal for your child? We all do. Each day thousands of us waste valuable time, money and resources. Just think of all those baggies and brown paper bags being thrown out every day. In addition to the home generated waste, there is also the infamous school lunch. That precious lunch money sent in on a daily basis is often tossed into vending machines purchasing oodles of soda, Gatorade, chips , ice cream and various other types of junk food. Not to mention the percentage of children who actually buy the standard lunch and quickly dispose of it. If this is something you'd like to change then keep on reading.

Bento Boxes are the answer for parents all over the country. They are fun, colorful, compact and easy to use.They are lunch boxes with either compartmented trays or boxes filled with smaller size boxes. The idea is great and simple. Each item has its own compartment and there are several compartments for variety. Kids find them fun and attractive and even some of the pickiest eaters enjoy preparing them and disassembling them.

The foods are presented in such a way so that they do not touch each other and are in small quantities, both of which are enticing to kids of all ages. There are even compartments made specifically for condiments. When you fill them up with noodles, rice , cheese, fresh fruits and vegetables they provide an appealing alternative to a plain old sandwich and probably much more nutritious.

Using multiple varieties, shapes and sizes of rice and noodles keeps the kids guessing and excited to see what's next. Cheeses and breads can be cut into different shapes and sizes, some people use small cookie cutters to make it even more fun. You can even have your child help fill the Bento Box the night before. It will make him more aware of nutrition and teach him to make healthy choices.

Bento Boxes are widely available everywhere in stores and online.Let your child go with you to pick it out. An outing to Chinatown can be extremely fun and educational and the selection and prices are awesome. What better way to start off the school year with new healthy and fun ideas. Hey, you can even send chopsticks instead of a fork and spoon like a true Japanese Bento Box.