Lunch is something many of us have to take to work or school on a daily basis. Unfortunately, typical brown bag lunches are generally not very friendly for the environment. With the majority of a lunch being disposable (the paper bags, the plastic bags and plastic wrap, the napkins, etc.), it makes me wish there was something that would make taking lunch a little bit friendlier on the Earth. Finally, there is company taking this seriously.
Kids Konserve manages their company with the following motto in mind, "Choose to REUSE." Kids Konserve creates and sells lunch kits and accessories that are complete, 100% waste free.
Here is what Kids Konserve had to say about how their company came to be: "The Kids Konserve waste-free lunch kit and other reusable products were the natural outgrowth of what two women saw as a big need that required immediate attention. With the premise that any business they undertook had to help the environment in some way, it didn’t take much imagination to see how they, as parents of young children, were contributing to garbage landfills, pollutants and sending the wrong message to their own children. How could they set an example of conservation for their children and empower them to be the examples of change for the future?
Focusing on how school lunch programs operate opened their eyes and propelled them to create Kids Konserve. Calculating the amount of trash being produced each day at their own schools during the lunch hour alone, shocked them enough to begin more research into reusable products that dramatically cut down on Earth’s ever growing garbage pile."
Review
Kids Konserve gave me the opportunity to try out one of their
Waste-Free Lunch Kits. This lunch kit is their version of an eco-friendly brown paper bag lunch; instead they are using fabric. This lunch kit includes a recycled cotton sack (lunch bag), a recycled aluminum name tag, 1 - 16 oz. Stainless Steel Bottle, 2 round stainless steel containers with lids, food cozy, and a cotton napkin.
The eco-friendly sack that comes with this kit is made from 100% recycled canvas. This sack measures 7.5"w x 10.5"t x 5.25" gusset. Not only is this sack perfect for lunches but it can also be used later as a gift bag, for treasure hunts, etc.
The name tag that comes with this kit is fantastic. Not only is it great because it will make it easier to find your lunch kit and avoid yourlunch kit from getting lost, but it is also great because it is made from completely recycled aluminum. This adorable foot shaped name tag says Kids Konserve "Choose to REUSE." The tag is very easy to remove and could easily be used for other items, such as backpacks, gym bags, and Kids Konserve's Stainless Steel Bottles, etc.
The Kids Konserve Lunch kit comes with 2 - 8 oz. round stainless steel containers. Both containers come with a BPA free plastic lid that is fairly easy to remove for little hands.
Even though these lids are plastic, don't let that fool it; the Kids Konserve lids are recyclable. In addition, Kids Konserve lids are leak proof. This means you can put your mind at ease when you pack items that are a bit more liquid based, for example: fruit salad. I think these containers are the perfect size. They are big enough to store lunches for children and adults and are great for portion control. The only downside of these containers is that you cannot reheat your lunch. Since these are made from stainless steel, they cannot be put in the microwave. However, for most lunches, I don't think this would be a problem; most schools that I know of don't allow children to bring lunches that need to be microwaved. In addition to using these containers for your lunch, they are also fabulous for food storage at home. They are great for storing snacks, spices, or even leftovers. Finally, because these containers are stainless steel, foods like salad will stay crisp and colder for longer periods of time.
The Food Kozy that comes with the lunch kit is a great way to avoid using plastic bags, plastic wrap and foil. These Kozies are made from recycled plastic and are BPA-free. The FDA has approved the Food Kozy. It is completely non-toxic, non-leaching and can be recycled when it starts to wear out. The Food Kozy is round and decently sized. Each Food Kozy comes equipped with Velcro which makes opening and closing them a breeze. They can be used for a variety of items such as sandwiches, bagels, cheese slices, slices of apples and vegetables, etc. These kozies can be used for pretty much anything that you normally store in plastic wrap/bags or foil. Because of the type and the weight of the plastic, the Food Kozies are extremely easy to wash. When I tried out the Food Kozy for myself, I found that it best fit items or sandwiches that were square and about the size of a standard piece of bread.
Everyone seems to be using the stainless steel bottles now-a-days, so I think that it is quite fitting that Kids Konserve includes one in their kits. Not only is this bottle great for the environment but it is also an economically friendly choice. By using a reusable bottle, you can fill it with milk, juice, or water from home instead of having to buy individual cartons of milk, juice boxes or bottles of water. These bottles are fabulous for lunches and everyday use. They are great to bring on walks, picnics, car trips, etc. Also, because they are stainless steel, they keep your beverages cooler for longer.
Sending a reusable napkin with your own or your child's lunch is an easy way to reduce the amount of trash in your child's lunch. The napkin included in this kit is 17" x 17"x and made from cotton. It can easily be used as a napkin or even as a placemat. Using it as a place-mat is a perfect way to avoid all those germy surfaces.
Overall, I found The Kids Konserve Waste-Free Lunch Kit to be a great lunch kit. I love all that it is fully waste-free and that it comes with a wide variety of items. Plus, I think it's versatility is fabulous! I really like that these kits come in more than one design: standard, butterflies and caterpillars. In addition to lunch kits, Kids Konserve also sells all the items I have mentioned individually. On their website you will also find thermoses, mini stainless steel containers, child's Tiffin, large Tiffin, drinking lids (with spouts) and reusable drawstring bags!
The owners of Kids Konserve have been kind enough to offer all my readers a specific discount for a limited time only. Until March 31, 2009, quote the coupon code 'upclose' during checkout and save 10% off your entire purchase!
**Are you looking for a unique fundraiser for your school? Kids Konserve now has a fundraising program that helps you school go green and raise funds at the same time. For more information, visit here.**
Kids Konserve
