At the OCSB, caring for creation is part of how we learn, grow and live our faith. Through the OCSB Eco-Framework and the work happening across our certified EcoSchools, students and staff are discovering that caring for our common home can start with the everyday choices we make.
Even lunch!
A boomerang lunch is a simple way to reduce waste at school and get students thinking about what they use, what they throw away and what they can use again.
The idea is exactly what it sounds like: what comes to school in a lunch bag comes back home in that lunch bag. Reusable containers return home to be washed and used again, while leftover food and packaging come home to be sorted.
And don’t worry. A boomerang lunch doesn’t require a brand-new collection of containers or a perfectly packed lunch. Use what you already have and start with what works for your family. Small changes count.
Here are three simple ways to get started:
1. Choose Reusable When You Can
Reusable doesn’t have to mean fancy. That container you’ve had in the cupboard forever works just fine!
Pack food in reusable containers when possible, fill a reusable water bottle and include washable cutlery if it’s needed. Beeswax wraps and reusable snack bags are other options, but there’s no need to buy something new just to get started.
Every item that can be washed and used again is one less item being thrown away after lunch.
2. Pack What Works for Your Child
A boomerang lunch can help reduce food waste too.
Think about portions your child is likely to finish and foods that are easy for them to manage during a busy school lunch.
One of the unexpected benefits of a boomerang lunch is that uneaten food comes home. That gives families a pretty good picture of what actually happened at lunchtime. The untouched sandwich tells you something. So does the empty container that held the strawberries!
Over time, seeing what comes back can help families adjust portions, try different options and figure out which lunches and snacks are actually getting eaten.
3. Bring It Back Home
This is where the “boomerang” comes in!
Encourage your child to put reusable containers, wrappers and uneaten food back into their lunch bag instead of throwing them away at school.
At home, containers can be washed and reused, leftovers can be dealt with and waste can be sorted into the appropriate recycling, green bin or garbage stream.
It also gives students a simple way to take responsibility for the waste they create and see what can be reused, recycled or avoided next time.
Small Choices, Lasting Habits
Nobody needs to pack the perfect waste-free lunch tomorrow.
A reusable container instead of a disposable bag, a water bottle that comes home every day or simply paying attention to how much food is being thrown away are all good places to start.
Those everyday choices help students build habits that can last well beyond the lunchroom and give them another practical way to care for our common home.
Pack it. Bring it back. Help make lunchtime a little more sustainable!
