Many people have heard me “eeeeeeep” before. It’s a high pitched scream that comes out of my mouth after finding an amazing new discovery; beautiful children’s clothing, awesome new toy find, new product for GPP, you get the picture.  Well I had an “eeeeeeep” moment yesterday after receiving a stainless steel lunch carrier in the mail. I have seen these 2 and 3-tier lunch systems in many stores online, but assumed because of their size and design, they were strictly for adults to use.  Well thanks to the incredible store called Healthy Kitchenware, I’ve tried out the 2-tier with Francesco at soccer camp today, and my younger son was in tears that it couldn’t stay home with him.  <smile>  Let’s just say it’s a hit!

Picture source: Healthy Kitchenware site

Firstly I want to point out that the estore Healthy Kitchenware has been finding better alternatives to plastic before the BPA scare and before it became ‘trendy’ to use stainless steel and glass.  The co-founder, Cynthia, was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2005 and she decided to change her lifestyle and completely eliminate all plastic her food and drink came in contact with.  When trying to remove any traces of the plasticizers within products, she couldn’t find many stainless steel or glass alternatives.  This is how the company was born.  I found this very inspirational and wanted to share this about the company’s start-up.  Okay now back to my “eeeeeep”…

Healthy Kitchenware sent us a 2-tier lunch carrier.  Before I saw the product in my hands, I assumed it was for adults because it’s hard to tell the size or measurements from pictures.  Well - it is adorable for young children, FUN (they think it’s time to camp with this lunch-kit), and a great size.  I would recommend getting the 3-tier system for school lunches, but the 2-tier is great for sports or snacks.  Kids love their food being separated into different compartments:  sandwich/salad, fruit, cheese/crackers, etc. I saw the buckles and latches and thought this might be an issue for my preschooler and 6 year old.  Nope!  They loved using the system which involves undoing the latch, removing the stainless steel bowls, then stacking them back, replacing the lid, and doing the latch back up.  It’s like using the camping equipment we had as children.  Funny that modern day ‘must have’ products for kid’s food and drink could have been purchased at camping equipment stores 30 years ago.  Here is an image of the 3-tier system:
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Parents with children returning to school need to get ready to pack roughly 200 lunches for school days this year. That doesn’t include snacks for after school activities or sports.  The website Waste Free Lunches can help with it’s emphasis on packing healthy, well planned lunches, as well as helping the environment by eliminating single use plastic bags and wrapping. 

The two moms behind this website and the creators of the laptop lunchbox also wrote a book that is included with your purchase of these bento-style boxes.  It was written to help guide parents and inspire nutritious, earth-friendly lunch ideas.  There is a sampling of these ideas on the Laptop Lunches site. Sending your child back-to-school with a waste-free lunchbox is a great way to start the school year and go the extra mile by reducing waste and renewing your commitment to your child’s health.   In light of the recent issue with traditional lunch boxes testing high for lead and other toxic substances, this custom solution with bisphenol-A-free polypropylene square boxes and lids, and a phthalates-free carrying case is wonderful to ease your mind that your child is eating from a non-toxic product.

I noticed something on their web site that inspires parents with taking the waste-free concept to a higher level. Looking to make a difference in your school and help the planet - what about starting a waste-free lunch program at your school? I would never suggest a concept that is incredibly difficult to coordinate or manage, but this seems pretty easy!  This would be an incredible school initiative! 

“A waste-free lunch program is a process of educating students, parents, and school staff about where our trash ends up and how we, as individuals, can reduce the amount of trash we generate. Waste-free lunch programs favor the use of reusable food containers, drink containers, utensils, and napkins. They discourage the use of disposable packaging, such as prepackaged foods, plastic bags, juice boxes and pouches, paper napkins, and disposable utensils.”

Source: Waste Free Lunches  Read the comparison between a disposable lunch vs. a reusable waste free lunch.
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It is one of those visuals that you quickly see and think huh?  You pause, and then gasp “that’s brilliant!”  I had one of those moments when I tripped onto the website called Smart Mom.  Two moms started this company and created ‘teething bling’ for moms.  

Parents know that children put everything they shouldn’t into their mouth - keys, money, and jewelry to name a few items.  I can remember Francesco knawing on my collar bone to try and relieve some teething discomfort as a little guy!  Well now you can multi-task looking good and soothing your child’s aching mouth.  Enter Teething Bling that is a product that can only be described as cool!  This product combines an attractive piece of jewelry and a safe alternative for your baby/toddler to play/teeth with and it stays clean hanging around mom’s neck.  Check out this visual and read more…

Not only are these pendants totally safe and non-toxic, but they look very hip!  They are made from phthalate-free, bpa-free, latex-free, PVC-free and lead-free (wanted to cover all the bases) high quality silicone and are even dishwasher friendly!  For added safety the pendants come with a breakaway clasp, although they state these are for moms to wear, not children or toddlers.

You are able to order directly from the Smart Mom website or you can check out their retail partners list…there are stores all over North America that carry these ‘practical and pretty’  shower or baby gifts.

After a school or your group of friends have eliminated their plastic water bottles and made the switch to stainless steel, it’s just a sea of the same water bottles during a play date or in the cubby room at school. When my friends and I all have our kids together, we are always asking each other “is that your Klean Kanteen or mine?” It’s amazing to me I still have all my bottles from purchasing them months ago.  Well check out this solution from the smart folks over at H20×2!  A picture is worth a thousand words…

They have Klean Kanteen bottles in stock, ready for back-to-school lunches, with an option for personalization. The 12 oz is a perfect fit in any lunch box. Klean Kanteen bottles are made from food grade stainless steel and have a wide mouth that allows for ice and easy cleaning. BPA-free and dishwasher safe!
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Wow - a surprising week when the FDA decides to ignore their country’s best scientists and what other Countries (Canada being one) have agreed that the chemical BPA should be declared ‘dangerous’ to use in the production of baby bottles and children’s products. Food and Drug Administration scientists said the trace amounts of bisphenol A that leach out of food containers are not a threat to infants or adults. The agency acknowledged that more research is needed to fully understand the chemical’s effects on humans, and noted “there are always uncertainties associated with safety decisions.” I’ll say it again….WOW.

For parents and back-to-school consumers that are concerned and educated about plasticizers and chemicals that may be lurking in products used by children, here is a timely report on Back To School Lunch Boxes 101 from:
SFKids.org, Laure Latham

These tips about lead, PVC-free, vinyl-free, and phthalate-free lunch labels surrounding your child’s lunch box/bag is extra timely for Mommy Footprint readers because alternatives to traditional lunch kits will be the upcoming prizes for our back-to-school contests. Stay tuned for details - you don’t want to miss out on these contests!

Back to School: Lunch Boxes 101
Six things you’ll want to think about when it comes to lunch:

• Check for “lead safe” or even better “lead free” labels.

• Check for “PVC-free”, “Vinyl-free” or “phthalates-free” labels.

• If you find none of the above, avoid soft vinyl bags and avoid bags with additional chemicals such as anti-bacterial claims (Microban is one of them).

• If your chosen bag offers no labels, store or wrap all your child’s food individually to avoid contact with the interior lining. Remind your kids to wash their hands before and after lunch.

• To reduce waste, choose re-usable containers and use your own silverware and napkins.

• Don’t refill disposable water bottles. The best choice are stainless steel reusable water bottles.

More details on these nasty chemicals?  Read on…
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