Eating On-The-Go Guide When you throw things away, where exactly do you think "away" is? Exactly! No. Such. Place. Are you aware that taking or buying a disposable lunch to school or work each day creates a total of 30 kilograms of waste every year? (fyi - that's about the weight of a grade 2 student) Packing a litterless lunch can save you money AND time (now we've got your attention!), and it's certainly healthier. So, get flipping through our guide and get packing!
Content, product testing and layout by Borden Communications + Design
Change the way you pack lunch Making your lunch at home and taking it each day to school or work is not about carving love notes into a banana peel or cutting sandwiches into cute little shapes, it's simply about being better to our bodies and better to our planet. Follow these 6 shopping suggestions to help you navigate the aisles, build a great pantry and be a lunch trendsetter. 1. Buy in Bulk...or avoid all individually packaged items. Try a full size container of organic yogurt over conventional single servings. It's only a myth that it's easier and quicker to pack an individual granola bar over a handful of pretzels. It's not only healthier, but you will be surprised when you add up the savings. 2. Buy Fresh...and organic and local if you can. It improves the nutritional quality of your food and tastes better also. Let your spouse and kids shop with you. (Many of you are probably rolling your eyes and are ready to dismiss everything written at this point, but stick with us). The real trick is to shop the outside perimeter of the grocery store...think about what you buy from the middle aisles (packaged foods, food wrap, chemicals). 3. Read your Labels...because a long list of ingredients often indicates the presence of questionable chemicals - MSG (yuck!) has so many ways of disguising its name, you would not believe the products it is found in. Take extra time to think about each item before you put it in your shopping cart even if you are in a rush to get to carpool or home to your couch. If you can't pronounce the ingredient, you shouldn't be using it, and certainly shouldn't be ingesting it. If you spend the time, you will find a healthier option, with fewer ingredients for all of your favourites (if not, find a new store!). 4. Resist the Marketing...Virtually all foods marketed to children and adults alike are low in nutrients and high in calories, salt, saturated fat, and refined sugars. As parents, we don't have Dora, Scooby-Doo, pop celebrities, sports stars, contests, prizes, surprises or the latest market research tools to help us persuade our kids to eat their fruits and vegetables. As shoppers, we are also programmed to look at what is not in our packaged food, over caring about what is in it. Trans fat free? Why was there trans fat in there to begin with? And, just because something has a green health seal on it, does not mean it's certified healthy by anyone but the company making it. 5. Stop Making Garbage...This is even more important than recycling…why use in the first place? A waste-free lunch means you have no packaging to throw away when you're done -- nothing other than apple cores, banana and orange peels or cherry pits. 6. Find a Champion…or be one. Inspire your workplace to institute rules about take out. Ban the disposable coffee cups and bottles of water to start. Take action at your school to reform the food served and the way food is brought into schools or workplaces. A passionate, informed, persuasive and committed champion can be an effective cheerleader and major force in creating healthier and happier communities. You are making an impact with your choices whether it's negative or positive. Choose to make a positive impact and watch how others follow. We know that you will set a trend in lunches for 2010-11 by choosing your lunch profile (or a combo of multiple ones) over the next pages!
SURF
READ Food Rules, by bestselling author Michael Pollan, is an indispensable handbook that lays out straightforward and simple rules for eating healthy. Read one page and you’ll be hooked by the content & tone.
Want to participate or start a waste-free lunch program at school or at work? (we knew it!)
The Conscious Kitchen, by environmental journalist
Visit these favourite sites of ours: (and let us know if you have others)
Alexandra Zissu, walks readers through the kitchen
www.wastefreelunches.org
decisions based on what's good for you, our planet, and what tastes great! It’s really what we all need to read.
Both must-read, simple, easy to digest books are available at www.indigo.ca
Are you feeling as if you want more information or inspiration? (we knew it!)
www.greenmylunchbox.com www.takeoutwithout.org
Fill your stomach, not our landfill Did you know that the American population tosses out enough paper bags and plastic cups, forks and spoons every year to circle the equator 300 times (www.cleanair.org). Don’t you believe that it would be better to fill our stomachs and not our landfills? It takes approximately 20 seconds to put our food into take out containers. Convenient? No, it's actually extremely inconvenient. The packaging can remain in our landfills forever, causing continued damage to us and our world. While it's obvious that our own personal actions are not enough to clean up the world-wide mess we've made, they are an essential starting point for everyone, and that's why Borden Communications launched TOWO. The campaign invites restaurants to encourage their customers, to bring their own containers and urges patrons to cut back to what is only necessary. Lisa Borden, owner of Borden Communications + Design Inc. knew action could be taken to make a big difference. Her and her team were committed to creating an outlet to educate others and share information, volunteering their full scope of services to branding and driving TOWO, this non-profit campaign dedicated to reducing waste. “Our actions can be powerful and every little bit counts. We can't aim for perfection, but we can aim for improvement by saying NO to unnecessary packaging and toting our own reusables. TakeOutWithOut-enjoy your food, save your money, improve your health and help our planet!" says Borden. ReFuse Unnecessary Stuff When taking out, refuse the unnecessary packaging! Think about the spoons, forks, straws, and napkins that you get served (why do they give you enough for a family of 20 when eating alone?). Ask yourself before accepting all these items, "Do I really need all of this?", "Am I going to be eating this right away?" (If so, why take the bag or the napkins?)... just enjoy your muffin - and be neat so the napkin isn't needed! ReTake Your Own Reusables Bring your own reusables (BYOR) and you won't need to use the can - garbage, that is. You can bring your own containers, straws, cutlery, mugs, bottles, and even your own bag - there are so many easy to find options that you'll love to use!
What you can do: (and get others to do too!) ReConsider Your Habits It's easy to fall into a routine, so why not choose to create a new one? Reconsider and readjust your habits and adopt healthier eating strategies - it might be challenging at first - but it will save you time, money, your health, and our world. The bonus? You'll feel like an eco-hero and will inspire others around you to follow suit. Together we can change the outrageous amount of unnecessary waste we create everyday as well as drastically reduce it. Eat up and fill up, but leave our landfills as empty as possible. Together, we can make a difference, we always do.
FUNDRAISE
JOIN Change comes from without
Join the campaign to reduce
Forget cookie dough and magazines - It's time to start
restaurant waste. Say NO to
fundraising with a purpose. It doesn't matter if you're a school,
unnecessary packaging and start
day care, sport team, club, camp, community group, or anyone
bringing your own reusables from
wanting to raise funds - making great choices and buying
home. Join the campaign on
litterless lunch products will save you time, money, your health,
Facebook or Twitter - it’s free and
and our planet (now that's something worth considering!).
you’ll find lots of helpful tips and products to get you TakingOut fill your . stomach not the landfill.
WithOut!
takeout without
Join the campaign to reduce restaurant waste! www.takeoutwithout.org
Ask your fundraising companies about using all of the wonderful products you’ll find over the next pages. You can also be in touch with our offices at 416-484-6489 or info@bordencom.com, and we will connect you with options for your school or organization.
Takeout + On the Go Clever essentials that makes you say "hmmmmmmm".
Insulated Kanteen You only need to use it once to know you'll never leave home without it again. It keeps your hot drinks toasty for up to 6 hours and ice drinks frosty for up to 24 hours (you have to drink from it to believe it). www.kleankanteen.com
Repeat Utensil Set Visit www.takeoutwithout.org to learn how you can eat away from home, and do it responsibly. Fill your stomach, but not our landfills.
takeout without
Dig in with this small and compact utensil set by To-Go Ware, perfect to keep attached to your bag, in your desk or in your purse. www.to-goware.com
Beautiful Glass Straw Glass with a lifetime guarantee…seriously. How many straws do you think an average restaurant throws out per meal? Sip your part with a Strawesome straw! www.strawesome.com
Pyrex Containers The clear choice for take-out (fabulous for sushi pick-up) and picnics (nothing better for pasta salad). These go from oven to table to fridge and back again - great for groups or just for you. www.pyrex.com
People Towels Personal and reusable hand towels that make a statement. Made with 100% organic fair trade cotton, these eco-chic towels come armed with hang tags for easy attachment to purses or backpacks. It also makes a great gym towel! www.peopletowels.com
The Luncheonista The Luncheonista brings her sense of style to the table... literally. Using these fun, fashionable and unique items you'll be sure to draw some attention - just the way you like it!
Built NY Gourmet Getaway Unlike brown bags, you'll want to use this lunch bag over and over again. Naturally insulating and very stretchy with a colour or pattern to match your eating style. www.builtny.com
The RuMe Snack Pack It's the fashionable and functional replacement for disposable zipper baggies. Since they are grease-proof and dishwasher-safe, your snacks and sandwiches will attract a lot of well deserved attention. www.rumebags.com
Justenbois Wood Utensil Set You know what they say about having your own handcrafted wood utensil set?! Definitely a status symbol and guaranteed to last for years. www.justenbois.com
Greentainer Sleek and stainless, reusable + reliable‌sounds like the perfect match. www.greentainer.ca
Sessen Glass Water Bottle Fill your own glass bottle made in Italy. Don't advertise a plastic bottle brand, you know you've always deserved your own label anyways.
Marni Wasserman (www.marniwasserman.com) suggests adding these foods to your daytime meals to stay slim, boost your energy and positively impact your mood. Could it be that easy? Just you try it.
Clean George Hand Purifier
Oatmeal Walnuts Sprouts Brown Rice Spinach Tofu
Clean George is a 2-in-1 hand moisturizer and cleaner. It’s completely free of alcohol and nasty chemicals. It applies like a spray, but rubs in like a moisturizer, so you can ditch the sticky hands.
Lean Wild Fish Organic Poultry Meat Eggs Figs Soy Beans Brazil Nuts
Organic Yogurt Chocolate Almond Butter or Almonds
www.sesen.ca
www.cleangeorge.com
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Small (no) Fry Just because you're small in size doesn't mean your meal has to be. Not to worry, these tools will ensure you have a significant lunch - easy to pack too!
Laptop Lunch System 2.0 (not just for kids!) The insulated carrying case (free of lead, pvc, phthlates, bpa) keeps all food fresh & the sturdy and safe containers prevent squishing. No loose containers, which means your child will see all of the yummy-ness packed at lunch and snacktime - huge bonus (you’ll see). The new carrying case is designed with a big front zippered pocket to store extras - hand sanitizer, extra snack perhaps, and a water bottle holder too. www.laptoplunches.com
Ice Pack Keep your non-toxic ice pack for your meals on the go that can even be used on boo-boos. www.wholefoodsmarket.com
Bento Buddies Transform the bento each time you pack it - different configurations and extra lids for you to be as creative or boring as you want to be! Watch this short video for ways to pack lunches for everyone. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XO4Vag9zsY www.laptoplunches.com
Fabkins Cloth Napkins Made from 100% organic cotton in fun colours & designs to match every kid’s personality. www.fabkins.com
Quash Hand Sanitizer You can quash a lot from one little bottle. In a spray that’s easy for kids to use! Extra Bonus - it moisturizes your hands, there's no long lasting scent, and it's made with manuka honey! Www.quash-me.com
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The ‘tweener Lunch doesn't need to be awkward (even if the teenage years are)… use your favourite combo of the below to build the best lunch and confidently grab your grub to go!
Solar Yellow Klean Kanteen Top quality, lightweight, and available in so many new colours (no more mistaken identity syndrome), this 27 ounce stainless steel bottle will definitely remind them to hydrate, or us parents hope! www.kleankanteen.com
Fuel Cutlery As mothers, we teach our kids not to play with their food, but what about cutlery? Stack and snap this practical, colourful fork, knife and spoon set. www.fenigo.com
LunchBots Duo The stainless steel duo is the ideal snack container. Its handy divider makes it easy to pack all your faves! www.lunchbots.com
Stainless Steel Vacuum Insulated Food Jar Stainless steel container for your hot or cold foods lightweight and durable…unfortunately, we also know that portable for teens also means “lose-able and leave-able,” so label it well! www.thermos.com
Organic Cotton Lunch Bag Easy to love - serves an eco-purpose, and eco-lunch, and is made from an eco material (100% organic cotton canvas)! Don't worry about spills because you can throw it in to the washing machine or wipe clean (with eco soap of course!). www.mimithesardine.com
The SuperMan Skip the boring brown bag - we have great things for the guy's guy too. When they pull out their lunch, some may steal some glances, but we promise it's not because of the mess left on his face! Stainless Steel Cutlery We would suggest just taking cutlery from your drawer at home, but in case the man of the house just doesn't want to be responsible to return it, pick up a cheap stainless set from Ikea, they are a steel (pun absolutely intended!).
To-Go-Ware Set The self latching top container gives you the flexibility to pack either one course, or three (so don't be afraid to stack up and eat up!) The sidekick container is perfect for toting dressings or sauces on the side. www.fenigo.com
Stainless Steel Klean Kanteen Drink responsibly and in style with this 40oz Klean Kanteen. It can hold more than enough of your fave fluid to quench your thirst all day long. www.kleankanteen.com
Mini Black RuMe Finally, a reusable bag that's cool for a man to carry. It's big enough for lots of good eats from home, and even small enough to stash into a pocket or briefcase when empty. www.rumebags.com
Wysi Wipes Okay guys, we know you can be messy at times, and that's okay, but don't rub it in, wipe it away! These highly absorbent towelettes expand from a dime-sized disc into a full-size wipe with a tiny bit of liquid. Made from 100% pulp fibre, naturally scent free, and biodegradable! www.canawipe.com
Where's the “FOOD” Certification Symbol?! THIS IS REAL
FOOD Instead of organic or all-natural, shouldn't we really brand a label that simply defines something as “FOOD”? Author, and Activist Michael Pollan recommends that we create a Federal Definition of "food”. "We need to stop flattering nutritionally worthless food-like substances by calling them "junk food"and instead make it clear that such products are not in fact food of any kind.” If your grandmother wouldn't have immediately recognized it as "food" there's a good chance it's less food and more a manufactured “product”. Who wants to eat a manufactured good? There's a reason that Cheez Whiz has a shelf life to rival the jar it's in! So, read labels and look for those foods with the shortest, most direct list of ingredients. And keep in mind that the items in the produce aisle don't have labels because they are as real as it gets.
GREAT SANDWICH IDEA
You never outgrow some childhood favourites, but since the PB & J sandwich that we grew up on is no longer allowed in schools due to the increase in allergies, we created the SB & S (sunbutter & stuff). Take two slices of Ezekial bread (we adore Sha Sha breads) and spread both with Organic Sunbutter, add some Manuka honey and Canadian made hemp seeds on one side. (Or, of course you can use jam or your favourite fresh fruit, too) Close and cut any way you like…crust on or off?
Sunbutter
Ezekiel Bread
Hemp Seeds
Manuka Honey
www.sunbutter.com
www.shashabread.com
www.upayanaturals.com
www.wedderspoon.ca
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