Lunch Boxes Should be Safe & Environmentally Friendly

   As if we parents didn't have enough to worry about! Not even the kids' lunch boxes are safe!! What do you need to know -- and what's my secret tip for getting kids to actually reuse a safe, environmentally friendly lunch box like the one pictured here?

What You Need to Know: Research commissioned by the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland, California showed that the lining in some kids' lunch boxes contained high levels of lead. Lead can harm children even in minute amounts because it hinders brain development and can cause a variety of behavior and other developmental disorders. Children may be exposed to the lead in lunch boxes if they eat food that's been exposed to the box directly or if they handle the boxes and then put their hands in their mouths.

Because you can't tell by appearance whether a vinyl lunch box may contain lead, CEH advises parents to avoid buying vinyl lunch boxes altogether. You can test any vinyl lunch boxes you already own using a hand-held lead testing kit. If your hardware store doesn't carry one, you can find one from LeadCheck. Better yet, pack your kids' lunch in a safer alternative:

Alternatives: