Top Tips for a Zero Waste Lunch


If you pack a lunch for work, here are some ways you can minimize garbage and support small businesses!

Beautiful mug rug from Third Little Pig Studio in Medicine Hat!

I work in Vancouver's thriving animation industry. Having spent many a late night at the studio, I’m very familiar with the ‘overtime dinner’ and ‘only-five-minutes-for-lunch’ routine. While this can be a drag in and of itself, the one thing I caught myself fixating on was how wasteful these ‘quick and convenient’ meals can be. This led to thinking of how I could possibly introduce some positive changes to my routine that could reduce this wastefulness.

 Think about an OT dinner or take out, which might include all or some of the following:

  • Packaging for the meal itself (i.e. a cardboard container or plastic soup bowl)
  • The bag the meal might come in (paper or plastic)
  • Napkins
  • Cutlery/chopsticks (and whatever packaging might be around said cutlery)
  • Condiment packages
  • Individual cups for sauces/dressing
  • If the meal itself is not appetizing, it also might become garbage :(


Cloth napkins by spaghettis in Beloeil!

I have worked in many different office and work environments, each with completely different recycling and composting programs. This means there is more or less I could do to offset the garbage coming from meals while on the clock; I have been known to take home an unsatisfying OT dinner home so I can compost it at home rather than throwing it in the office garbage if there are no composting bins. 

Reusable bamboo cutlery set from East Van Bees, xoxo to AC for the idea!

So what’s the solve here? In the animation industry, I know I can’t avoid OT or days when I simply don’t have time to bring lunch and need to run out for something fast. Fortunately I have found a couple ways you can do some good here. First is stocking up on reusable products to offset the waste that can come from these meals. The second is in buying these products, I would strongly suggest to purchase them from Canadian vendors on Etsy (support small businesses!) or even local craft fairs. 

 Here are some items you might consider.

 To reduce use of paper towels…
There are dozens of beautiful lunch mats from LABOBINE7HEURES in Quebec

  • Have a stash of cloth napkins on hand
  • Did someone bring treats to share with the team? Use a cloth napkin instead of paper towel or a snack mat (which can also double as a coaster for your mug!)
  • Did your lunch overheat in the microwave? Try carrying your meal back to your desk in a bowl cozy instead of a mess of paper towels
  • Consider a travel lunch mat like this one if you are a messy/distracted eater like me! You can roll up your cutlery in the pouch on the one side to bring to and from work, and before you it set it down on your desk/table to catch spills instead of laying down a paper towel 
To reduce use of disposable cutlery…
Cutlery/Utensil keeper by Eco Rebelle in Drummondville!

  • Invest in a back up cutlery set! A wooden set like this one can be used instead of whatever flimsy plastic comes with your meal and in case you forget to bring utensils to work with lunch
  • Bring your own cutlery to work in a utensil keeper - you’ll remember to bring it home again if there is a specific bag for your to fill up at the end of the day


 Other good zero waste lunch items 
Bento bag by EcoMamaCanada in Sault Ste. Marie!



 Other tips:
Microwavable bowl cozy by Judy's Homemade Handicrafts in Kimberley!

  • If your workplace uses a food delivery service like Doordash, Lazymeal, etc, try to leave a comment on your meal asking them to package as much together as possible
  • Keep empty containers for last minute lunches out - some restaurants will package your sandwich/soup/pizza/etc in your container if you bring a clean one for them to use 
  • Actually return cutlery, dishes, and glassware that belongs to the studio (and put in the dishwasher!) after you use it so that its available for public use 
  • Do you have a set of microwavable dishes that you aren’t going to need anymore? Ask your Facilities Manager if you can ‘donate’ the dishes to the office for shared use!
  • For me personally, the key to remembering and using reusable lunch items is convenience and quantity. Have a few napkins around so you have some on hand at work still while others are taken home for washing. Have a reusable coffee sleeve in each purse/bag you take out rather than one you try to remember to bring everywhere, etc. Plus, be realistic - how many meals do you eat at work a day? How often do you go out for coffee? Buy the relevant amount of reusable items so you can run out quickly instead of quickly rewashing, etc. 
  • Ultimate commitment points: have an empty container on hand, if your office doesn’t have composting, take your food to a nearby facility that does (food court, mall, etc) or bring it home with you to compost



A version of this was originally posted on my LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/zero-waste-lunch-ot-dinners-emily-yakashiro

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