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Going back to work after having a day off for the national pig-out can be kind of a drag. The morning after Thanksgiving, your fridge probably looks a little like a battlefield, and depending on how well you get along with your extended family, you may feel a little bit like you've been in the trenches yourself.The good news is that with a little eco-savvy, you can turn the food-y carnage into portable, scrumptious workday lunches that'll really give you something to be thankful for. As for the emotional PTSD, you can get a good start on the road to recovery by feeling great about the environmental smarts of eating leftovers, which is a lot lower-impact than going out for lunch or making something new while the food you've already bought and cooked sits at home neglected.
Packing a Turkey Sandwich
Instead of thinking "disposable plastic wrap", think "reusable wrap that can be wiped clean for next time". You can make a reusable sandwich wrapper if you have a little bit of sewing know-how. If you're constitutionally allergic to making crafts, or are morally opposed to picking up a needle and thread, throw your slice of turkey-and-mayo heaven into a washable Tupperware, or plunder your trash bin for an old potato chip bag, give it a quick wash and dry, and thoroughly swaddle your sandwich in that. Even if you only use your makeshift chip-bag-turned-sandwich-armor once and then throw it away, at least you're stretching one more run from something that'd otherwise go right to the dump truck.
Packing a Piece of Pie
Instead of relying on a disposable plastic utensils, bring your own real metal fork for digging into that heavenly slice. As for what to carry the pie in, investing in some reusable Tupperware T or the equivalent is a pretty good choice, because it'll make it easy for you to sustainably pack lunch after lunch after lunch after lunch. If you want a real Do-It-Yourself green warrior kind of solution, though, why not salvage a plastic food container you've already got, like the kind that cottage cheese comes in? If it's got a lid and can be rinsed out, you can use it at least a couple more times before it's gotta go into the recycling bin.
Don't Fear the Microwave
Zapping your lunch in the microwave is more energy-efficient than heating it on a stove or in the toaster, so warm up that leftover butternut squash soup with a couple easy presses of the microwave buttons instead of firing up the range.
Remember to Label your Lunch for the Office Fridge
Keep middle management's greasy paws off your grandmother's patented super-secret cranberry sauce by putting your name on your meals. Grab a permanent marker and initial that reusable container, and you can keep using it for your lunches day in and day out. Or, keep your feast in a nifty vintage lunchbox that is unquestionably, non-negotiably, and obviously yours. When it comes to keeping co-workers from grabbing your stuff when you leave it in a communal kitchen, the less discreet your container is, the harder it will be for someone to get away with grabbing from it, so go ahead and make a strong statement with your midday meal container. The potential embarrassment that would result from being caught plundering a hot pink "My Little Pony" lunchbox can be a major deterrent for that hungry guy from accounting who always raids the office fridge.
Related Posts:
Go Green, Live Rich: Brown Bag Your Lunch
Pack your Lunch Sustainably
4 Steps to a Greener Brown Bag
How to Go Green: At Work
Salivating over sustainable eats? Learn how to make your own with help from Emeril Lagasse in Planet Green TV's organic cooking show, Emeril Green.
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