I admit it, I'm a Resolutioner who started with a clean slate on January 1st. One of my main goals for the year (hell, let's start with the month) is to be more diligent about packing lunch. Buying lunch everyday is not only expensive, but also wasteful with packaging, bags, and extra food. Luckily the internet is ripe with ideas for people like me who are trying to be diet-, budget- and Earth-conscious.
My favorite idea is from
LunchboxBunch.com >> Salads in a Jar. Using mason jars, layer dressing on the bottom with the salad items you love and when it's time to eat, flip it over onto a plate and you've got a salad already tossed. It's portion controlled and the mason jar can be used over and over again. Plus, it's a great way to get more colorful foods into your diet. These salads can be made ahead for an entire work week, so you can just grab it and go in the morning. (I'm going to try that and see for myself. Consider me a little skeptical on the 5 day thing.)
Another great way to get out of the plastic habit is with reusable sandwich bags.
These bags are dishwasher safe, reusable and made of cotton. They come in cute patterns and the kids will like them, too.
Finally,
there's this >> a desk-sized portable Crock Pot. I had no idea this existed, but it's a good option if you don't like using plastic or using the microwave (or using plastic IN the microwave.) Looks like it just plugs in and slowly warms food at your desk. Not sure if your coworkers will love the gradual smell of food seeping into their offices, though...
I hope your new year has started off well! Good luck on your resolutions, if you have any, and if you have any other brown bag lunch tips, I'd love to read them in the comments!
