LIP-SMAKIN' SCHOOL LUNCHES: LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE STYLE
By Leslie Billera
Napkin
First off, you can bet that the girls packed a cloth napkin, gingham or otherwise. Most likely Ma made her own with whatever leftover fabrics were around the house. Why throw away the napkins you've had for years and you're sick of, when you can recycle them on the kids! This way, if they don't return, you won't be too bummed out.
Upgrade kids' cloth napkin option with adorable and colorful fabkins, which are sized for kids and save you money in the long run.
If you must use paper napkins, make them recycled.
Pail
It might be a kitchy, TV-land concept to send your kid to school with a metal pail, but most likely they won't get the reference. Laptop Lunches is a hip alternative for this century. Made in California from FDA-approved, food safe plastic, they're sturdy, and reusable. Or tap into your lunchtime prairie with organic cotton lunch sacks, care of Ecobags.
Fruit
Fruit has by-passed cookies as the number one snack for kids according to a recent study. Organic fruit is even better. Invest in organic for apples, berries, peaches, grapes, bell peppers, celery, nectarines cherries, and pears. Don't worry as much about buying organic for thicker skinned fruits and veggies like Bananas, avocados, pineapples, mangoes, kiwi, papaya. Consider a Community Supported Agriculture subscription so you're set every day of the week.