Lunchskins Eco-Baggies

I wish these baggies were named “Lunchkins” instead of “Lunchskins” because I just don’t feel that “lunch” and “skin” are words that belong together.  “Lunchkins” is cute and sweet; “lunchskins” rings a little too loudly of Silence of the Lambs for my taste…  (What a difference one little “s” makes, eh!?)

But I forgive the originator of the name, because the product is fantastic.  These reusable, dishwasher-safe, velcro-close baggies come in several sizes (snack, sandwich, and sub) and are made of thick cotton coated with a grease-proof, moisture-proof, food-safe polyurethane lining that is certified as lead-free, Bisphenol-A (BPA)-free, and phthalate-free.

And the fabric passes a favorite litmus test of over-educated, environmentally-conscious folks like me: it’s manufactured in Europe!  And as a bonus, the manufacturer is a family-run business!  (I’m thinking maybe these baggies belong somewhere on the list of Stuff White People Like.)

Lunchskins come in many lovely colors and patterns.  They are not particularly cheap, but so far we think they’re worth the price.

In our house, we’ve decided to eschew their true name and call them Lunchkins henceforth.

And we have high hopes that by using them, we will finally eliminate from our kitchen that pile of Ziploc bags that we mean to wash and reuse, but somehow just… don’t, because it’s so much easier just to grab new, clean ones!

I’ll report back!

[Update: Many folks debate the relative safety of polyurethane and nylon linings, particularly if hot foods are involved.  The jury is out.  If you want to go totally green, check out Plum Creek Mercantile, which offers 100% organic cotton natural-color snack bags -- they have no waterproof linings, but claim to contain even gooey PB&J just fine.  If the idea of nylon lining appeals to you more than that of polyurethane lining, check out WasteNot Saks on Etsy.  (Thanks, Suzanne, for the tip!)  A nice little summary of different eco-baggies and their specs can be found here.]