I was b l o w n a w a y by the participation in last month’s challenge! I got so many responses from family and friends and random Instagram followers about everyone’s plastic bag-free journey. I updated the original post with everyone’s questions, comments & experiences with links to plastic bag alternatives like compostable trash bags, doggie bags and produce bags.
I am SUPER excited to launch this month’s challenge: snacking sustainably. Reflecting on my own plastic use last month (and over the last year), I realized how much I rely on ziplock bags for bringing snacks on the go. Inspired by my last challenge AND the fact that July is #PlasticFreeJuly, I thought my snack/lunch routine would be the next best thing to tackle on my journey to creating less waste and using less plastic.
When I knew I would be packing lunch for myself every day this summer, I invested in reusable stainless steel tupperware. I ended up buying this two level Cal Tiffin tupperware, so I could fit a meal and some snacks on the upper level. I took my tupperware when I went to the beach on July 4th and fit a PB&J and some organic cherries (which I bought in plastic-free packaging!!). Cal Tiffins (also called Bento Lunch Box) come in various different sizes and shapes, but I liked this size best. Gluten-free bread is incredibly small, so my sandwiches fit perfectly in this one. I love this lunchbox because it is spill-proof and dishwasher safe. I wouldn’t quite put soup in there, but I’ve put my favorite chicken with the sauce on the top and it didn’t spill in my work bag. Also knowing how often I was going to use it, it was important for me to be able to give it a good deep-clean every once in a while in a dishwasher.
After the first week of my internship, I remembered how much I rely on snacks throughout the day. Ziplock bags were one of those things (like trash bags and doggie bags) that I did not immediately realize were plastic and now I feel incredibly guilty for all of the ziplock bags I used and wasted and threw away. I am low-key obsessed with mason jars and have grown a pretty good sized collection of them at school, so when I saw these mason jar reusable ziplock bags I knew I had to get them. They are made from BPA free PE and are non-toxic. They can be refrigerated, frozen, and can even handle warm food up to 230˚F. Though they are not dishwasher safe, knowing I could seal the leak-proof/airtight seal with hot water and soap and shake it up made me feel good about buying them. These reusable ziplock bags are not the perfect solution to going plastic free, but so far I have not used a single ziplock bag since being back in California. I was skeptical of getting cloth bags, as I feel like they would just turn my snacks stale, so these reusable bags were my best bet.
If you’re just beginning your less-plastic (or plastic-free) journey, I’ve linked some of my favorite plastic-free tupperware and reusable ziplock bags below.
I’ll be talking all about how I am participating in this challenge on my Instagram and Facebook page all month long, and definitely DM me on social or comment on this post if you choose to participate, too! Just like last month, I’ll be wrapping up this month’s challenge at the end of July with all of your comments, struggles & recommendations! Good luck 🙂
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3 Responses
Great post. Thanks for sharing.
This is so helpful! So good for the environment and budget-friendly. Question: Do you have to worry about the steel products rusting around the creases/edges? I had that issue with a steel lunchbox once, so I’ve avoided it like the plague since. 🙁
I haven’t experienced that but definitely will be aware of that happening now! I think even if my stainless steel box begins to rust I would still feel better about being able to recycle it, whereas with plastic Tupperware the materials are often mixed and cannot be recycled!