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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I’m so excited to announce that Green Planet Parties has launched!  As of today, we’re open for business.

What is Green Planet Parties (GPP) you ask?  Well, as one of the co-founders, I would love to explain.  For the past year, my partner for GPP and I have been trying to reduce waste, eliminate plastic, and think about ways to help the environment in small ways with our family and children.  With 6 kids between us, like all parents, we’ve become experts at sourcing birthday party supplies, decorations, goodie bag items, and presents.  We both hosted eco birthday parties this year and had such incredible feedback from guests and parents, we wanted to keep the education ball rolling with launching this company.  We are here to assist parents with sourcing sustainable, biodegradable, compostable, reusable party supplies.  GPP has done the work of finding these products - now they are a fingertip’s reach away.  Green Planet Parties has a web store and all sustainable decorations, tableware, and goodie bag items can be ordered online and shipped to your house. 

Imagine being able to eliminate the hours of work driving and researching party supplies to give your child the ‘perfect’ birthday party? Here are some sample images of what we offer:

Eliminate plastic at your party by adding cloth goodie bags as the perfect finishing touch to your give-aways!

Set the scene for your guests with our beautiful, biodegradable, compostable, cups, plates, cutlery, and napkins.

Customized 8 flag Birthday Banners to be reused year after year, long after the party is over.

Customized tile necklace package includes 11 necklaces - 10 for the guests and one for the birthday girl. A magical give-away for your guests with their name personalized!

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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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It’s time to start thinking about back-to-school and when possible, I’d like to add some green supplies to my list. The Laptop Lunchbox is first up….what a great product!  Here are some ideas to assist your back-to-schooler!

Green Lunch Boxes and Water Bottles:

The Laptop Lunchbox- This is the greenest lunchbox you’ll find and it’s practical.  If you have a child that eats sandwiches and enjoys an assortment of snack items, this would be a great back-to-school investment!  You can eliminate plastic bags, plastic wrap, and plastic containers by sending lunch in one of these American style bento box. They also come with real flatware and a cloth napkin can be put inside it too. Help yourself pack healthy and environmentally friendly meals for your children.

Klean Kanteen Bottles. Either the 12oz or 18oz bottles work great for school age kids.  The 12oz size can fit into even the smallest of lunch boxes. These stainless steel bottles are available everywhere and are my favorite water bottle because there is no plastic liner, no plastic replacement straws, and they can go into the dishwasher! 

For those extra pieces of fruit or snacks for after-school activities, send along a cotton lunch sack from Ecobags.  This company has wonderful products (including the Ecobag for produce) and have greatly assisted our world with helping to eliminate plastic bags by replacing them with these washable, certified organic bags.

Looking at all my picks for lunchbox and water bottles, I believe these products can be fundraised in your school by Green Hands. This company has assisted schools to become more green in their fundraising efforts and to eliminate excess plastic waste at the same time!

Online Canadian School Supplies:

Grassroots Ecojot Notebook / Journal made from 100% Post-Consumer Recycled meaning no trees were used. They go one step further by printing their ink with vegetable-based ink. Look at these awesome designs!

Grassroots biodegradable corn pen. Except for the ink refill, this green pen is made from  a revolutionary new material derived from cornstarch.  It is similar in look and feel to ordinary plastic with one important exception: it is completely biodegradable!

Online US School Supplies:

Green Apple Recycled #2 Pencils: These pencils are made from cedar wood scraps from the pencil manufacturing process. They are also not coated with laquer. Check out the adorable packaging.

Red Apple School Supplies also sells back-to-school packs, complete with most all the supplies your child will need. Check out this pack from Red Apple School Supplies.

Large US and Canadian chains have vowed to keep green supplies available to customers:  Staples, Office Max, and Office Depot.  Looking at the Staples website, I noticed a section marked EcoEasy Products. Within this section you can complete your list with binders, calculators, ink, and paper.