Nic and Elli Reusable Snack Bag Review

According to Reuseit.com,

* Lunchtime trash is second only to office paper, as the leading source of school waste, according to Green Teach Magazine, 2004

* RecycleWorks.org estimates that an individual using a disposable lunch generates 4-8 ounces of garbage each day, which can add up to as much as 100 pounds of trash per year.

We’ve primarily tackled reusable snack containers at home and I usually put resealable containers in the diaper bag.While my family transitioned to reusable lunch bags a long time ago, we still have a long way to go to reduce our lunch time waste. I hate to admit it, but far too many resealable plastic baggies leave our house on a regular basis.

So, when Nic and Elli offered to let our family try a Reusable Snack Bag, I was eager to see how the Nic and Elli reusable snack bag worked. I loved the adorable pattern we received and could immediately see that the bag is well made. I also appreciated the addition of a zipper, as opposed to aplix, because this seems like it would require less care after multiple washings. My primary concerns have been investing in bags and having my children throw them away or lose them. I was also worried about having enough on hand to fill our needs.

Our toddler, decided to be our first tester. I try to discourage walking around with snacks, but every mom has some food along for outings such as play dates, school pick ups, and shopping trips. I appreciated how the bag has a handle a little one can hold onto or that can be clipped onto a stroller or shopping cart handle. We both like the zipper – he liked it because it made the snack fun and me because it kept food neatly sealed when he just wanted to carry the bag with him.

My older son took carrots in the bag to preschool, where I knew the teacher would be more alert about sending a reusable bag home. Once again, it worked well and was just the right size for half a sandwich, fruit slices, or cut up veggies. He wasn’t so crazy about the flower pattern, though, so we’d need to select some different options from Nic and Elli’s shop, including fun prints in sandwich bags.

I also liked the idea of personalizing bags with the kids names, making them feel special and easy to find in lost and found. In truth, I think my concerns about the bags being easily tossed were primarily unfounded, though. These bags come in fun, vibrant patterns and I think they add to the lunch or snack experience. The only change I might make is using a washable fabric on both sides to make the bags last longer between washings or maybe even dishwasher safe.

The bags run from $7 to $12 and, while it is a big initial investment, the fabric and PUL is durable and a stash of snack and sandwich bags will save you money in long run. I was astonished by these facts from The Sierra Club:

*Families spend $85 a year on disposable plastic baggies.

*Eliminating disposable packing and single-serving items can save families $250 a year, according to wastefreelunches.org.

Giveaway Closed

Nic and Elli offering one The Inquisitive Mom reader a Reusable Snack Bag. To enter, use the rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is part of the 1000+ Facebook Fan Celebration and will be part of a month long event featuring a number of vendors. Entry into this giveaway will make you eligible for additional prizes and winning does not guarantee you will be selected for the Moraki prize. Visit The Inquisitive Mom Blog to see other awesome giveaway prizes added, as well as new ways to enter! This giveaway open to US and Canadian Residents.

Here’s a shortened URL you can use for shares: http://goo.gl/XmtVg
Here’s a tweet you can use if you’d like: #Win a resusable snack bag from Nic&Elli and @InquisitiveMom! Part of the 1000 FB Fan Huge #giveaway! http://goo.gl/XmtVg #ecofriendly