introducing my green lunchbox and a giveaway

When I came across My Green Lunchbox I knew there would from that moment only ever be one place I'd purchase my eco containers and packed lunch supplies.  For EVERY My Green Lunch Box product sold, $2.00 cash back is returned to your school (through or during a school fundraiser-not for those making individual purchases online).

I interviewed Lindy Cook- the owner and creator of this magnificent concept!

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In a 'nutfree' nutshell how does My Green Lunch Box Work? 
My Green Lunch Box is an on line store with a 'green' focus for all things food-on-the-go. We run a fundraising program for schools, kindergartens and the work place with a difference - it's good for the environment AND it promotes healthy eating for children.

Money is raised through the sale of lunch boxes, drink bottles and sandwich wraps. For EVERY My Green Lunch Box product sold, $2.00 cash back is returned to your school. Australia is the second highest producer of waste per person in the Western World and simply sending your kids to school with a rubbish free lunch can make a massive difference.

A healthy lunch box guide is included with every purchase to help with packing easy, tempting, nutritious lunches every day. Research shows that an amazing 43% of Australian primary school children aren't getting the daily recommended amount of fruit and vegetables. With a third of your child's food intake being consumed at school, it's important that the food in their lunch box provides optimum nutrition.

The best thing is, parents and schools know they are not only raising money for their school, but helping our environment as well.

We also offer Nutrition Talks for children and parents for schools and kindergartens to further encourage healthy eating.

What is required of the fundraiser- time, investment etc.?
The fundraiser is incredibly simple to administrate. A catalogue and order form is sent home to parents. They just need to to select the products they would like to order and return it to school by the set date. Alternatively, parents can visit our website and order their chosen products on line. The school will be issued their own, individual code for any on line purchases, ensuring no postage fees are included. The great thing about purchasing on-line is it cuts out the need for a 'middle man' -  the school does not need to handle money at all, really reducing the time, effort and energy required from those running the fundraiser.  Goods are then returned to the school for distribution on a specified date.

The most important thing is that the fundraiser is promoted in school; talk about it at assembly, advertise it in the school newsletter and get the children interested in class. It is a great opportunity to educate about the importance of rubbish free lunch and discuss what foods can be included to pack a healthy lunch.

What kind of waste-free lunch boxes and containers do you have on offer? Are there BPA-free options, bento boxes etc.? Sandwich wraps?
We stock a range of lunch boxes for to suit different ages and needs. The retro inspired So Young Mothers Insulated Lunch Bags come with zips, so are easier for little hands to open and close at kinder or school. We also stock lunch boxes with numerous compartments and space for a drink bottle to make packing a sandwich, along with fruit and all of those extra little snacks really simple. Otherwise we have a great range of insulated lunch sacks that everything can go into, our containers fit perfectly. I am personally loving the stainless steel containers with the bright lids and dividers at the moment, its so easy to include a serve of fruit in one and some crackers in another. For these hot summer days Melbourne has been experiencing we have ice packs made from recycled plastic bags.

Our reusable sandwich and snack wraps are one of my favourite products. We have a number of different styles and they completely cut the need for glad wrap, plus the designs are pretty cute too!

My Green Lunch Box is committed to the health of our children and our planet. All of our products are BPA free and, when possible, made from recycled products and organic cotton. I handpicked all the products on the site for their environmental credentials but also because they are practical, functional, durable and think they look pretty good too!

Can you tell us a little about yourself personally and professionally Lindy? How did you come to develop and launch My Green Lunch Box?

I have worked as a Naturopath and Nutritionist for over 15 years. Over this time I have lectured at Endeavour College and worked in private practice. My great passion has always been educating my patients about the importance of eating a balanced, 'whole food' diet and how it impacts on their health, both present and future.

As a mother of two girls I am only too aware of the dilemma most parents face in the daily grind of weekday mornings – standing at the fridge door, hoping some inspiration jumps out and into the kids’ lunchboxes! I aim to provide practical tips to make packing school lunches less of a chore.

My Green Lunch Box combines my passions in life. I want people to eat well – I love inspiring those around me with simple recipes and nutrition tips – and caring for our environment is also something that is incredibly important to me.  I love knowing that My Green Lunch Box is playing its part in getting schools, parents and kids on board the environmentally friendly nude food movement via our fundraiser. It's the perfect alternative to those traditional chocolate drives and sausage sizzles that contradict the healthy eating goals recommended by schools.

Insulated Lunchbox- Red Scooter

You have some gorgeous lunch box recipes on your site. Can you share one of those and/or give some tips about packing lunches that are simple, healthy, green and delicious?

Thank you so much! Making lunch day after day can be quite tiresome so finding new, simple kid friendly recipes can really help. I try and share these these on my Facebook page regularly to give parents a wide range of options.

There are a few fundamental tips for packing a healthy, tasty lunch:
- Always make sure water is the drink of choice, children need to stay well hydrated to maintain concentration throughout the day. Fruit juice contains high amounts of sugar and is best left as an occasional, at home treat.
- Include protein (legumes, tofu,eggs, chicken, tuna, cheese, meat, nuts*) at lunch. We have all seen our kids go a little loopy when they are really hungry. Including some protein with wholegrains is a great way to regulate their blood sugar levels and avoid this.
- Try to avoid the temptation of purchasing any foods in a packet. Compared to fresh foods, pre-packaged food often contains more kilojoules, fat, salt and sugar.
- Include two serves of fruit and two serves of vegetables (as a minimum) to help your kids meet their daily dietary nutritional requirements. Fruit and chopped vegetables make the perfect snack food.
- Think wholemeal/wholegrain bread not white. The lower glycaemic index means they are digested more slowly than their white, refined counterparts, keeping kids full for longer.
- Most importantly, get your kids involved in the process from beginning to end. They are much more likely to eat a healthy lunch if they have helped with the cooking. You could even get them to choose a new recipe once every week or so to try out

* The majority of schools are now nut free, so always check before including them in the lunch box.

Lindy's Superfood Muesli Slice

This slice is a total nutrient powerhouse and makes perfect snack food fodder for the lunch box. It's so jam packed full of superfoods, anti-oxidants and protein, you just know it will give your kids the energy they need to be fired up for an action packed day of play and learning.
It's also a really great one for those on the run days when you need to grab a snack for you and the kiddliewinks as you race out the door. You can pop this one into your My Green Lunch Box container, knowing you have something healthy and nutritious to nibble on later in the day.  I have even been known to munch on one (or two) for breakfast!
Have a bit more of a read below the recipe and find out about the incredible nutritional benefits of so many of the goodies in this slice. Talk about getting the good stuff into your kids without them even knowing!

Ingredients
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup quinoa flakes
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups organic coconut oil
8 pitted dates
2 tlbsp hemps seeds
2 tlbsp chia seeds
2 tlbsp pumpkin seeds
1 tlbsp sunflower seeds
2 tlbsp goji berries
4 tlbsp honey
2 tlbsp xylitol

Method
Preheat oven to 160 degrees
Combine oats, quinoa flakes, xylitol, chia, hemp, sunflower and pumpkin seeds in a large mixing bowl.
Roughly chop goji berries and add to mixing bowl
Give the eggs and dates a quick whiz in the blender, until dates are finely chopped. Add to mixing bowl.
Melt coconut oil and honey over low heat. (I just scrape the oil from the jar with a knife and then measure in cup).
Once the coconut oil and honey is completely melted, add to the mixing bowl and combine well.
Pat ingredients onto a baking tray, level top with a spatula
Cook in oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it just turns a light golden brown.
Cool for 15 minutes

Sandwich Wrap and Snack Set

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Today Lindy is giving away a gorgeous pineapple coloured Goodbyn lunchbox valued at $39.95. 

To enter please leave a comment (with your email address) below. 

For a second entry 'like' My Green Lunchbox' on facebook.

The winner will be selected with the random number generator on Friday, March 8th. 

Entries Closed:  The winner is number 13 Ashley. Please email me at meagan [at] thiswholefamily.com with your postal address and I will have Lindy get in touch with you! Thanks to everyone for entering!

Thank you so much to Lindy from My Green Lunchbox for sharing her vision, passion and knowledge with us and for hosting this generous giveaway.