Frugal Living Tip #40 - Reusable Containers

Reusable Containers

First Day of School Lunch

I have an entire shelf in one of my kitchen cabinets devoted to plastic storage containers. I use them primarily to store leftovers from a meal. This summer when I was getting my oldest daughter ready to start first grade I had a great idea. (Ok, really I saw something similar on Pinterest.). Use a reusable container with multiple sections to send her lunch to school in place of plastic bags. You can save money and "be green" from using reusable containers instead of plastic baggies for lunch and snacks.

I found a set of Ziploc containers that had three compartments. We were also looking for a new lunch box at the time so we made sure that that container fit inside the lunch box. We have now made it over half way through the school year and we are still using the two containers I bought back in August. She takes her lunch four days a week and gets a hot lunch once of week when they deliver pizza to the school. I also noticed that she is eating more of her lunch because she sees it all at once versus opening up multiple baggies and containers. I purchased a pack of silicone cupcake cups that I use to add a small item, like grapes, to the large section. The only thing disposable right now is her paper napkin.

I purchased a three pack of cloth snack bags that I send snack to preschool for my other two kids. They like to take some sort of dry cereal or crackers mixed with Craisins so all I have to do is dump out the crumbs and wash the bags once a week.

All three of my children take water in a reusable water bottle to school for their drinks.

Do you use reusable containers for lunch and snacks? Do you use them for things other than good storage? I would love to hear the ways that you repurpose them.