A plastic free lunch box helps reduce the demand for plastic in our world, as well as reducing your exposure to the toxins found in many plastic lunch boxes, such as lead, BPA, phthalates and PVC.
For those trying to achieve a plastic free lunch box, it can be difficult to find lunch containers and lunch bags that do not contain any plastic parts, nor fabrics made from petroleum such as neoprene, polypropylene, nylon and PVC vinyl coated polyester.
However...Biome has sought out the best plastic free lunch boxes to help you be plastic free, every day. So read on as we share how to put together a plastic free lunch box.
How to Put Together a Plastic Free Lunch Box
To assemble a lunch box without any plastic, you will need to consider:
- Which type of container suits you best? Your choice depends on whether you prefer one bento style lunch box with multiple compartments, or a combination of small and large containers. In some cases, you may only need a wrap for your sandwich or food.
- Does it need to be leak-proof? To be leak-proof, the container or bottle needs to have a silicone seal and clips to hold in place, or a screw top closure. Some people use a large stainless steel lunch box and place small leak proof containers inside for dressing and dips. With containers that are not completely leak proof, you can still use them for dips that are thick and not watery. Note: most leak-proof containers have seals made from silicone. Silicone is a type of plastic, being a synthetic polymer, but the thin silicone seal is a minimal component and does not touch your food.
- What material? Instead of plastic, your options are metal or glass. As for metal, we recommend stainless steel of 304 or 316 grade as the safest for storing food. 201 stainless steel will rust more quickly. Other metal options include tin or aluminium. Most glass containers on the market have plastic lids, but Biome offers glass Ball Mason and Kilner jars.
Planetbox Lunch Boxes
A popular brand for kids and adults, PlanetBox lunch boxes are designed to hold a lot of food without different dishes touching each other. Not suitable for wet foods, but the PlanetBox complete kits also come with leak proof dippers, which can hold runny liquids (the dippers do have lids made from silicone). The high quality latches on the lunch box are designed for children 3+ years to use.
Browse our PlanetBox varieties here
Sustain-A-Bento Trio (2.0)
A simple bento box that separates the deliciousness of each dish and is easy to clean. This deep bento can hold a good amount of food to sustain you for the whole day, it has three compartments and is now fully leak proof (with a minimal silicone seal). Great for foods with dressing, sauces or juices.
Buy our Sustain-A-Bento here
Green Essentials Leak Resistant Lunch Box
Similar to the Sustain-A-Bento above, but without the compartments. A stainless steel lunch box with a food-grade silicone ring in the lid that prevents leaking and keeps food fresher for longer. A great plastic-free alternative for lunch boxes and take-away containers.
Buy our Leak Resistent Lunch Box here
Tiny Tin 100% Stainless Steel Container 150ml
If you're just in need of a container for small snacks, the tiny tin is what you need! Perfect for nuts, dried fruit, cherry tomatoes, carrot, celery or thick dips like hummus. 100% stainless steel, no silicone seal, not leak proof.
Buy our Tiny Tin here
The Sandwich Box
Medium sized, square shaped stainless steel container for snacks and sandwiches. Latch free, compact size and ideal for those looking for a simple lunch container for up to two sandwiches. 100% stainless steel, no silicone seal, not leak proof.
BeesWax Food Wraps
A great alternative to plastic cling wrap, these 100% GOTs certified organic cotton wraps are coated in beeswax and coconut oil, tree resin and jojoba oil. This makes them flexible, reusable, and completely natural. They're perfect to wrap snacks by themselves, or for food in your lunch box that needs a bit more protection.
Shop beeswax wraps here.
Some Accessories for your Plastic Free Lunch Box...
Bamboo Cutlery
Bamboo cutlery made of 100% bamboo - not only is it reusable and made of a renewable resource, but it is also compostable, so the ultimate zero waste accessory.
Buy our Stainless Spork here
Klean Kanteen Bottle with Bamboo Lid
For a truly plastic free lunch box, your water bottle has to be plastic free too. Our favourite material for water bottles is glass as it is easy to clean, see inside, and leaches absolutely nothing into your drink. This being said, you may be after insulated bottle or something with some other functionality better supported by a different material.
Check out a few of our water bottle collections here: glass, stainless, insulated, ALL.
No matter how you choose to build your plastic free lunch box, Biome has the tools to help you.
We also have gathered some excellent tips to help you pack a waste free lunch box here
