Back-to-school season is here!

There are two types of parents when it comes to getting ready for school.

There are the ones who have the school supply list checked off, backpacks packed, and first-day outfits laid out weeks in advance.

And then there’s me.

The one who realizes the night before that I should probably check what’s actually in the backpack from last year. 😂

Getting ready for a new school year doesn't have to mean buying a whole collection of new lunch supplies or relying on disposable bags and plastic wrap. A few simple reusable lunch swaps can make packing school lunches easier, while also reducing the amount of single-use waste your family creates.

Here are a few of my favourite sustainable school lunch ideas to try this year.

1. Pack snacks in reusable snack bags

Grapes, carrots, crackers, trail mix, muffins, pretzels, little treats… somehow they all need somewhere to go.

Reusable snack bags are an easy swap for disposable plastic sandwich and snack bags. They're washable, reusable, and can be used again and again throughout the school year.

They're also useful beyond school lunches. Use them for snacks on road trips, picnics, after school activities, or even for organizing small items around the house.

2. Use beeswax wraps for sandwiches and snacks

3. Don't forget the reusable napkin

Here's a simple one that's easy to overlook: send a reusable cloth along as a lunchbox napkin.

Our reusable paper towels work beautifully for this. They're soft, absorbent, and handy for sandwiches, snacks, sticky fingers, and the inevitable lunchbox spill.

And unlike a paper napkin, you can simply toss the cloth in the laundry and use it again.

My favourite back-to-school tip: get the kids involved

And finally, my favourite back-to-school tip has nothing to do with products.

Get the kids to make their own lunches. 😉

Depending on their age, that might mean packing the entire lunch themselves or simply choosing their snacks and putting things into their lunchbox.

It's one less thing for you to do, it gives them some independence, and it can make them more invested in actually eating what they packed.

You don't have to completely overhaul your family's lunch routine to make it more sustainable.

Start with the things you use every day. If you're going through disposable snack bags every week, try a reusable snack bag. If you're reaching for plastic wrap every morning, try a beeswax wrap. If you're sending paper napkins in the lunchbox, try a reusable cloth instead.

Small swaps add up and once they become part of your routine, you don't have to think about them nearly as much.

And if you're heading into the new school year feeling slightly less organized than you'd like to admit…

Don't worry. You're not alone. 😂