saving money, saving the earth | SIMA

In an effort to save money and eat more healthfully, I’ve started bringing my lunch and an afternoon snack to work rather than buying. (I’m sorry, but even though Subway is quasi-healthy, it’s still fast food in my opinion.)

The food I pack is not very exciting. Typically I’ll eat a sandwich on wheat bread with some Baked Lays or pretzels around 1pm and then 1 oz of almonds around 4pm. I dump a single-serving packet of Crystal Light iced tea mix into a reusable water bottle to wash it all down.

I’ve realized, however, that I go through quite a few plastic baggies now that I bring my lunch, which got me thinking about reusable sandwich and snack bags. Sure, I could reuse my Ziplock bags, but an even better alternative would be a washable, colorful sandwich bag.  I found a bunch that I like from Wrap-n-Mat, WasteNot Saks, ReUsies, Kids Konserve and LunchSkins. Even Tupperware makes a sandwich container–perfect if you’ve got a delicate PB&J to transport. Plus, nearly all of the above-mentioned companies also make snack-sized bags, so I could pack my almonds in (environmentally friendly) style.

But which to choose…