During the lunch break in company cafeterias, we often hear the question: “Have you planned your lunch today, or do you have to go pick something up?” What if cooking a homemade meal served in a reusable container became the norm? Here is a quick guide to help you achieve this.
First, equip yourself with a large, good-quality water bottle that is easy to clean. Choose a double-walled steel one that can keep drinks hot or cold. Drink your coffee or tea in a ceramic mug (as you would at home) instead of using cardboard or Styrofoam cups. If there are no mugs available at work, bring your own.
Next, keep small containers or cloth snack bags on hand. They are perfect for snacks such as nuts, dried fruit, cookies, cheese cubes, or raw vegetables. Get a reusable container. Ideally, choose glass or ceramic dishes: they withstand microwave heat better than plastic ones. But the key to success is to use what you already have in your cupboards. If you have plastic containers, bottles, or bags, do not throw them away: wash and reuse them! To complete your lunch bag, simply bring utensils from home. And why not opt for cloth napkins instead of single-use paper ones?
For meal preparation, buy your ingredients in bulk or large formats, then portion them out yourself into reusable containers. Cook your meals and snacks at home and freeze them in portions. This way, you’ll build up a reserve of homemade meals and snacks without too much effort and be less tempted to buy granola bars, store-bought cookies, or prepared meals that are certainly less healthy and more heavily packaged!
Compost lunch leftovers at the office. If your workplace does not collect compost but you do at home, bring home the food that was not eaten and compost it there.
Finally, get yourself a sturdy reusable lunch bag in which you can fit your water bottle, containers, snack bags, lunchbox, cloth napkin, and stainless steel utensils, etc.
Would you like to encourage zero-waste practices in your workplace? Contact a counselor at SADC Arthabaska-Érable, who can guide you and offer practical solutions!
