Goodbye brown paper bags, hello lunch boxes and reusable sacks! You’re probably already trying to cut back on lunchtime waste by sending your kids to school with reusable containers, so here’s how to make the most of your green efforts:

Make Sure Everything Comes Home with Your Child

Got a label maker? Stick a “This comes home!” label on the various lids and bags that you don’t want tossed in the garbage by accident. Or, put a little reminder note in the lunch bag (“Don’t forget to bring your napkin home. Have a great afternoon!”). Better yet, have your kid pack his lunch himself: He’ll figure out pretty quickly what he needs to get that food to school.

Go for Better Disposables

For field trips or days those stainless-steel containers didn’t make it to the dishwasher, opt for compostable cutlery, biodegradable sandwich bags, and napkins made from recycled paper.

Make Your Own Snack Sizes

Eliminate excess packaging by buying big bags of popcorn and cartons of juice and filling kid-size bags and bottles. Great for portion control, too!