My daughter is finishing her 2nd week of kindergarten this week. While her transition to a “big girl school” hasn’t been easy (both of us were in tears on the first day and she has nightmares about kindergarten almost nightly), I am having tons of fun with the boomerang lunch challenge at her school.
A boomerang lunch means any uneaten food or waste is returned home at the end of the day.
We practiced having lunch in reusable containers and water bottles over the Summer break to ensure she could open and close everything on her own.
via Pinterest
Because of this litter less lunch program, our freezer has been surprisingly very empty for the past few months as we have gotten into the habit of buying more fresh foods instead of frozen, prepackaged ones. I’m so used to having fresh fruit and vegetables readily available now that I’ve become a bento box lunch making mom.
OK, mine don’t look THAT good but I do use bento lunch blogs for inspiration.
This “make your food look cute” approach seems to be working as she has come home with empty food containers every day so far.
For drinks, she uses the Contigo AUTOSEAL cup. We’re a Contigo family – we all have our own cups and bring them with us everywhere we go. Our daughter has been using the AUTOSEAL for several years and it needs to be replaced soon because of everyday wear and tear.
Coincidentally, the Contigo AUTOSPOUT is on the PTPA Winners list – so I’m patiently waiting for them to be stocked in Canada. Still haven’t seen them but I know they are supposed to arrive some time this month. 
Contigo, if you are reading this, please let me know when it will be available – she won’t stop asking me when she can take her new water bottle in for “Show and Tell”.
I know it’s only the second week of school so the novelty of making cute lunches is still going strong. But there are 40 something more weeks left in the school year and I’m thinking my “make cheese look like an animal” enthusiasm will wear off in a few months. Help this new “mom to a kindergartner”out!
Does your child(ren)’s school have a litter less lunch program? If so, how do you plan and organize what to pack in their lunch boxes?
2 Responses to Boomerang Bento Box Lunch
What a fab post! We do waste-free lunches/bento box here! Little One’s school doesn’t have an official boomerang lunch program, but I do know if she has leftovers, it does return home and they did send out a letter saying that they’d like parents’ help in reducing waste. I think schools are on the right path and I’m so excited that parents and children are so excited to be treading lighter on the earth!
My daughters school will send home uneaten for. They want healthy options sent to school & they will inform you if the think you child’s lunch isn’t healthy. I am a Benito box mom too, but I also have to deal with a peanut free school. That makes things a bit more challenging.