Reusable lunch packing is easier than you think

Packing a no-single-use-plastic lunch is easier than you think: grab a few good containers, one or two reusable wraps, and a cloth napkin, and you’re done.

The trick is matching the container to the food. Wet stuff like yogurt, dips, or saucy leftovers goes in a stainless steel or glass container with a tight lid. Dry stuff — sandwiches, crackers, fruit — works great in a beeswax wrap or a simple cloth wrap folded around it. Honestly, a clean cloth napkin tied around a sandwich works as well as anything.

Don’t overbuy. You don’t need a drawer of specialty bags. One bento-style tin, a small glass jar, and a couple of wraps cover most lunches. A thermos handles soups and rice dishes, and then your options open way up.

The only real rule is to bring the empties home. That’s the habit, not the gear.

Future you will also be glad you’re not scrubbing melted plastic out of a lunch box.