My 9 year old hates sandwiches. Won't eat 'em (except for the occasional grilled cheese). So when it comes to packing lunch for school, I can't rely on the traditional PB&J or ham & cheese like so many other parents get to do. What do I do instead? I send him lots of little things to eat. Crackers, cheese, meat, fruit, nuts, hard-boiled eggs...and sometimes leftovers. To do this in a waste-free way, I stuff his lunch bag full of a variety of containers and snack bags each day.
That works just fine but I have to admit that it was really nice to get a sample of a Citizen Pip Soup-to-Nuts lunch kit to check out because everything matches and it is so dang cute! Citizen Pip was started by a Mom of 3 boys who wanted a lunch kit that was easy to use, safe and cool to carry. I'd say she managed to cover all those bases and then some with her thoughtfully designed lunch kits! Let me fill you in:
- The lunchbag itself is soft but extremely durable. When I first saw it I was afraid that it might not hold up because it was so soft but it's been through the ringer at our house (and at school) with nary a rip in sight. It is made from non-woven polypropylene (one of the safer plastics) with aluminum lined polyethylene insulation.
- The food containers are my favorite part of the kit. They are BPA-free, air-tight and leak-proof. Best of all they are super easy to open and close. The company did consider using stainless steel food containers but chose to use safe plastic containers instead due the ease of use for kids.
- The water bottle and the insulated food jar are both made with food grade stainless steel, polypropylene caps and silicone gaskets. As I've mentioned before, I LOVE the durability of stainless steel.
- The kit is completed nicely with a set/5 cotton napkins (one for each school day!) and a matching spoon and fork.
- ALL of Citizen Pip products are guaranteed "muck-free".That means that they have been tested by a CPSIA-accredited testing laboratory and are free of BPA, lead, PVC and phthalates.
If you are adamantly against plastic, then this kit isn't for you. But if you're like me and think that safe plastics have a place in your world, then consider giving Citizen Pip a try. If spending $40 - $50 on a complete lunch kit is not in your budget, then consider picking up just the lunch bag (a deal at 10 bucks) and/or a set of containers ($12). The ability to buy just what you need is another reason why I like this company.
Now for the giveaway!! Christina, the generous owner of Citizen Pip has offered to do donate a Square Meal Kit to one Mindful Momma reader. This suburb starter kit includes: an insulated lunch bag, a stainless steel water bottle, a set/4 BPA-free airtight containers and a set/5 cotton napkins. Would you like to win? Leave a comment on this post with your favorite waste-free lunch tips (or answer the question at the end of this post) and I'll automatically enter you in the contest. The giveaway will run through midnight, central time on Monday, February 8th. (only one entry per person please and you must have a US shipping address.)
Even if you don't win, you can get 10% off a $50 Citizen Pip purchase using the coupon code: mm10 (good through February 15, 2010)
My only caveat with buying nice lunch supplies is that you risk losing them. We've lost a bunch over the years and it hurts more to lose the nice stuff than the cheap stuff. My son lost the water bottle to this kit almost immediately and it never showed up in the lost & found. He's lost the lunch kit 3 times now and thank goodness it has been returned each time. That said, I think it's worth it to make sure you're buying SAFE lunch products, no matter what the cost. How do you balance quality, safety and cost when it comes to lunch products?
{full disclosure: Citizen Pip sent me a free Soup-to-Nuts lunch kit. This review is based on my true opinion of the product.}
And the winner is....tammy b who said "my tip? i don't send more than they can eat - thus cutting down food waste. we use a different, bento-type system currently which is my number 2 way to cut down on waste."




























