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Best Plastic Free Lunch Box Gear for Kids

Best plastic free lunch box gear for kids, including containers, snack size boxes, and water bottles. Read on to prepare your kids for back-to-school with a healthy lunchbox, even before the food gets packed. (links below are affiliate links in Amazon for you to see the various sizes available.)

plastic free lunch box for kids containers in stainless steel and glass

 

What are some first steps we can take to create a plastic free lunch box for kids?

  • Switch to glass and stainless steel whenever possible.
  • Purchase produce not wrapped in plastic, or remove once you purchase from the store.
  • Transfer food to glass storage containers as you meal prep.
  • Avoid putting any plastic you have in the dishwasher.

Why do we want a plastic free lunch box for kids?

In case you missed it, the Academy of Pediatrics released a new study showing the danger of plastics and the effects on children. They released a statement expressing concern about the scientific evidence that chemicals from plastics interfere with the body’s natural hormones and long-term development. The chemicals that are cause for concern in the latest statement include phthalates, which are needed to make plastic flexible. It also includes bisphenol (BPA) which is still used to line metal cans, and also perfluoroalkyl (PFCs) found in grease proof paper and packaging.

Infants and children are particularly vulnerable to exposure to hormone disruptors. This can increase their risk of obesity, diabetes, and fertility issues. Make the switch to glass and stainless steel, for your kitchen and for creating a plastic free lunch box for kids.

Best Plastic Free Lunch Box

Let’s start with the actual bag, or tote, for your kid’s lunch. There are so many options, but not all are created equal. Look for ones that are PVC, BPA & Phthalate-free, and CPSIA compliant. One of our favorites has been the Wildkin brand. (they also make really sturdy backpacks too!)

Plastic Free Lunch Box for Kids

PlanetBox

  • Plastic free lunch box bento style in stainless steel
  • Rover is great for most school aged kids.
  • Launch is great for older kids (and adults)
  • Comes with coordinating containers for “wet” food like yogurt, applesauce, and oatmeal.
plastic free lunch box for kids planetbox ideas

So many amazing lunch ideas for the Planetbox.

 

LunchBots

  • variety of simple, stainless steel containers
  • great for busy parents…keeps packing simple and you can toss them in the dishwasher at the end of the day.
  • I have multiple on hand so some are ready to prep, while others are getting washed overnight

plastic free lunch box lunchbots healthy lunch

 

Plastic free lunch box snack containers, great food storage containers for home and school

  • Kids Konserve– variety of sizes and easy to open silicone lids. I’ve used them for years, and finally ordered a second set last year. Love them.
  • Kid Basix Safe Snacker– sandwich size option, but also fits a salad for my 9-year-old. Added this to our lineup last year and it’s a great multi-use option. Also good for car trips.
    • opt for generic colors so the containers don’t “belong” to any particular child. It will make your packing lunch life easier.
  • Wean Green– we have had our first set of Wean Green containers since our youngest went to daycare at 9 months. We packed baby food in them, and now they hold her salad dressings! They now offer a variety of sizes and they are super durable. Dishwasher friendly and the square sizes pack really well in the lunch box. As you go up in size, they are also great for meal prep!

plastic free lunch box wean green kids

Plastic Free Lunch Box Bags and Accessories

  • Beeswax wraps- skip the bag and use a beeswax wrap. This is great for young kids as it’s easy to open, and doesn’t add extra weight to their backpack like glass does.
  • Lunchskins are our favorite fabric sandwich bags. Itzy Ritzy zippered fabric bags are my favorite for smaller snack size options. They have a ton of cute patterns too!
  • Bamboo utensils to pack for oatmeal, salads, or yogurt parfaits for lunch. Stainless steel kid utensils are great for the dishwasher, but adds more weight to the lunch bag.
  • Stainless steel thermos options are another great way to add more variety to your kid’s lunch. We like the Lunchbots Thermo Soup Jar. It works for when we send in oatmeal or a yogurt parfait. (Or a fried egg that stays hot and can be used for an egg sandwich!)

Plastic Free Water Bottle for Lunch Box

This has been a struggle for way longer than I would like to admit. Between straws that are hard to clean, leaky snap covers, and paint that chips off, we have seen it all. I can give you a few suggestions of what everyone has been happiest with lately.

  • Contigo Thermalock bottle– we bought this last September and it’s still in great shape for the school year ahead! No straw, easy to clean. I do think it’s better for older kids as it may be challenging to open it.
  • Eco Vessel Kids Scout bottle– this has also latest over a year for us. It does have a food-grade silicone straw, but it detaches easily and the spout cleans well too. My younger kids have this one and love it.
  • As our kids get older I see them asking for bigger water bottles. Certainly for sports they need more water. The Hydro Flask brand is a favorite in our house as they have a variety of lids, depending on what you need. The sport top is the easiest for the kids to “lock” so we don’t end up with wet backpacks!

Whew! That’s a lot of info about how to switch to a plastic free lunch box! Happy back to school everyone!

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ClimateStore Donates 10% of Earth Week Proceeds to the Solar Electric Light Fund

Today’s Earth Day post is sponsored by ClimateStore. All opinions shared are my own.

Happy Earth Day friends. While everyday should be Earth Day, today gives us a moment to pause and appreciate the resources we need to take care of. This year I’m partnering with ClimateStore to help them promote their message of reducing our carbon footprint. As the kids learned about Earth Week at school, it was fun to have conversations with them about using less water, turning lights off and recycling more items around the house.

ClimateStore donates to SELF

ClimateStore has committed to donating 10% of Earth Week (April 20-27) proceeds to the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF). This fund helps setup solar energy systems in poverty stricken areas around the world. Learning more about how hard it is for people to access water and electricity around the world, I am impressed with the Solar Electric Light Fund’s endeavor to create a renewable resource solution.

  • 2010 earthquake in Haiti, SELF solar installations helped power eight health centers.
  • In Benin, SELF built a solar irrigation system so that families could grow food in a sustainable, empowering way.
  • SELF is currently working on a project to help provide lighting to schools in rural Columbia.

ClimateStore and Sustainable Energy

Head on over to ClimateStore and check out their newest items and help support a worthy cause. Everyday should be Earth Day and you can make a difference with your consumer purchases. Remember it’s time for Mother’s Day purchases, gardening maintenance, new yard lights after this winter’s wrath and water preservation. Happy Earth Day!

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The room where recycling fails the grade

I am partnering with the CARE TO RECYCLE program and The Motherhood. All opinions shared here are my own.

With Earth Day on April 22nd, it’s the time of year when we evaluate our level of “green.” Are we recycling enough? Are the kids turning the lights off when they leave the room? How do we educate the need to recycle, and also the how? We have talked about recycling with our kids since they were little and they are pretty fluent in knowing what items go in which bin. Yet there is one room where we can do a better job.

The bathroom.

Did you know only 1 in 5 people say they consistently recycle items they use in the bathroom? It’s hard, I know. Not everything is labeled. You don’t want to make a mistake and put in the “wrong” item. The good news is that so many of the items we come in contact with in the bathroom can be recycled.

  1. Toilet paper rolls
  2. Cardboard cartons from over-the-counter medicines.
  3. Shampoo bottles
  4. Empty prescription bottles
  5. Shaving cream can

Space is often limited in the bathroom so there may not be room for a recycling bin. Our system is to leave these items at the top of the stairs when they are empty. Another idea is to discard the cartons before they even reach the bathroom.  Some families can put a recycling bin in their second floor laundry room.

Here are some fun projects to reuse some of those bathroom products too.

Toilet paper tube owls

Fun toilet paper owls! (source)

 

Shampoo bottle pencil holders

Fun pencil holders made from shampoo bottles! Use acetone to remove the print (source)

 

Iphone caddy made from shampoo bottle

Cute iPhone Caddy (source)

Join me and other parents as we chat on Earth Day at a Twitter Party, 12:00 EST. #CareToRecycle

What: Did you know that four out of five American adults aren’t consistently recycling their personal health and beauty products? We’re talking perfectly recyclable everyday bathroom items like empty shampoo and lotion bottles. That’s why The Motherhood is excited to join the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies’ CARE TO RECYCLE® program to help spread the word about recycling in the bathroom. This Earth Day, we’re getting the whole family involved!

During the chat, we’ll be sharing fun, easy ways to teach your kids the importance of recycling beyond the kitchen and into the bathroom, and we encourage you to share your tips, too! We will be joined by two special guests, Keep America Beautiful and Recyclebank, who will be stopping by to share their tips and ideas, as well.

When: Wednesday, April 22 (Earth Day) at noon ET 

Where: We’ll be on Twitter – follow the #CareToRecycle hashtag to track the conversation. You can see the details and RSVP via this Vite: http://vite.io/TheMotherhoodChats

Prizes! During the chat, we’ll be giving away five prizes to randomly selected participants who correctly answer the trivia questions tweeted by @TMChatHost. Four (4) winners will receive one (1) prize pack of Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies health and beauty products. One (1) winner will receive one (1) partner prize pack including a $100 gift card to onetwine.com, courtesy of Recyclebank, and a family pack of t-shirts made from recycled content, courtesy of Keep America Beautiful.

Prizes limited to U.S. participants only. Official rules here.

Hosts: @TheMotherhood, @TMChatHost, @CooperMunroe, @EmilyMcKhann

Co-hosts: @realadvicegal, @carogonza, @shoppingduck, @LittleUsBlog, @EmilyARoach, @busymomblog, @KBWhiskey, @allthingsfadra, @ALuckyLadybug, @ourpieceofearth

Special guests: @Recyclebank, @recyclesday

 See you at the party! 

 How else can you reuse your bathroom recyclables?

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How To Save Your Favorite Jeans

How to save your favorite pair of jeans!

Have you ever had a favorite pair of jeans wear out in the knees way too fast? A tear from your boot heels? Turns out there is a place to get your jeans fixed, kind of like a denim hospital. I first read about Denim Therapy in a Real Simple article about organizing your closet. You send away your jeans, they give you an estimate, then you decide if you want to have them fixed.

As I cleaned out my closet of maternity clothes and in-between baby clothes, I found one of my favorite jeans (Gap Curvy) with a split open knee. Distressed jeans can be cool, but this isn’t quite the look. In January I started the process online, printed out the instructions and sent it off to New York. (If you are in NYC, you can just drop them off!)

Repair your favorite jeans with Denim Therapy

While at Disney World, I got the email with an estimate to fix my small hole. It was $12.00 to make the repair. I said yes and they got to work. I waited a few weeks and then wondered where my jeans were. I sent an email off and they called me back within the hour to say the jeans were done, but had accidentally been put in the “pick-up” section. They fixed the problem, since I paid for shipping, and they arrived on my doorstep the next morning. Kudos for fast customer service.

The shipping cost was more than fixing it, $7 there and $12 back. Clearly a more economical choice if you are in NYC, but still a great option if you are looking to fix an expensive pair of jeans. I’m kicking myself that I donated my favorite Citizens of Humanity jeans before I knew about this service. I would have happily paid $31.00 to hang on to those jeans for another year or two.

Fix your favorite jeans with Denim Therapy

So how does the repair look? I say pretty good. The thread matching is good, with just a little discoloration around it where the fabric first started to show some wear and tear. When they are on, you can hardly see the difference. I have washed and dried it and the repair is still strong and flat. Would I send another pair in? Yes, as it’s a great way to maintain the clothes your already own and save you some pennies (and time) shopping for a new pair. It’s great to get your already broken in jeans back into the wardrobe rotation.

Got a favorite pair to fix? Send your jeans to the denim doctors over at Denim Therapy and let them work some magic.

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post, I found them on my own. I did discover that they have an affiliate link to earn “denim dollars” but I’m hoping I don’t have to use them anytime soon! 

 

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The Story Behind Lunch Love (Giveaway)

A few weeks ago, I was surprised by an email from Pinterest that had my Lunch Love board featured in it. It is one of my favorite boards and it has helped me create lots of healthy lunches for my kids. I think it’s no coincidence that my Lunch Love board is a favorite, as packing lunches was what first clued me in to living a more sustainable lifestyle.

The Story Behind the Lunch Love Pinterest Board (giveaway)

My daughter started at day care and I was packing lunches for the first time. First it was breast milk and baby food, and then toddler food. Suddenly, there seemed to be a lot more waste happening. I wanted to make a switch and thankfully, there were lots of other mom-based business offering products to help. Reusable bags, cute toddler sized lunch boxes and kid friendly glass containers were suddenly a normal part of our lunch packing routine. After this switch in our routine, I made other small changes at home. Cloth napkins, cloth diapers, less paper towels, composting and so on. One small step kept leading to another and I was happy about cutting down on the waste happening…that’s really how the name Random Recycling came to be. I wanted to try to cut down on the massive amount of waste/stuff that was coming into our home when we first started having kids. Now the blog clearly has a larger focus and family nutrition is a big part of it.

Izy and Oly Kids Cloth Napkins

Izy and Oly Kids Cloth Napkins

Lunch Love can be a fun part of your routine too. Get your kids involved picking out lunches. Pick up a copy of Weelicious Lunches(which is just awesome!) and get some new ideas on what to pack. Plus tips on “how” to pack kids lunch as it’s so important to keep it simple for them. The time available for lunch is generally short so keep food simple and easy to unwrap. Make sure their containers are easy to open so they can be independent eaters as they sit with their friends.

To kick off my Lunch Love Celebration Week, here is a fun giveaway to enter. One winner will get the following:

  • Rock the Lunch Box assortment of samples and coupons from Stonyfield, Annie’s and Horizon Organics
  • Izy and Oly cloth napkins, just the right size for little hands
  • Squooshi reusable squeeze pouches

Squooshi reusable squeeze pouch for kids

 

Enter below using the Rafflecopter. Giveaway is open until midnight, Sat Sept 28th, 2013. Open to US residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Join me on Thursday night as I chat with Danielle Shea Tan, a health coach who will walk us through how to pack a healthy lunch for our kids. She will have tips for picky eaters and we will talk about how to create the right balance between healthy choices and kids favorites. RSVP for this Google + hangout and we will be talking online at 8:30 pm EST. During the talk, I’ll be giving away one copy of Weelicious Lunches to someone who has RSVP’d!  See you there!

I hope you continue to find inspiration on the Lunch Love board. And thank you Pinterest peeps for sharing it!

I was a partner this summer with Rock the Lunch Box where real moms shared their favorite lunches. Check out the site for loads of ideas and photos. I also received samples of the Izy and Oly napkins and Squooshi pouches so I could test them out first. My kids love both fun accessories in the lunch box! The Weelicious Lunch link to Amazon is an affiliate link, which means this site gets a little kick-back at no cost to you.

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A week for mama in my electric car

I was inspired by Megan Tietz who writes over at SortaCrunchy when she discussed “A Month for Mama.” As a mom with 6 month old twin boys, and two other girls, she has her hands full with taking care of other family members. As I read through her post about trying to carve out some “me” time, it resonated with me. My little Connor is now 12 weeks old and I was feeling the need to get out a little by myself. When I got the opportunity to test drive the new Chevy Volt electric car, it gave me a little extra motivation to get out of the house for some “me” time.

Chevy Volt test drive

JJ wanted to go for a drive in the electric car.

Monday night~ Got out after the kids went to bed for a little drive in the car. Couldn’t believe how quiet it was…both the car and the lack of noise from the back seat.

Chevy Volt ride

Madison got to go for a ride and tested out a new booster seat for the occasion.

Tuesday~ Snuck out with Madison to Trader Joe’s…just the girls. So easy to get out with just one child, it was a treat! I wonder what cars will be fueled with when she is old enough to drive…

Wednesday~ A haircut. Finally. Connor made the trip with me in the new car and was happy to snuggle with Beth, my hairstylist at Creative Expressions, while I enjoyed some magazine reading under the dryer.

Life gets in the way the other days…but my husband took it out for a spin. Thought it was cool, just a bit small for his 6’4″ frame.

volt ride

Sunday~ FINALLY got out for pedicure. Hooray!

volt vs minivan

Time to say goodbye to the Chevy Volt…back to minivan land.

How do you make time for yourself during the week?

I appreciate the opportunity to test drive the Chevy Volt and this is not a paid post. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

 

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25 Earth Day Outdoor Activities for Kids

Free Outdoor Activities for Kids RandomRecycling.com

Happy Earth Day 2013! While I believe Earth Day should be everyday, I do like being able to highlight easy ways to bring a little more green into your life. Getting kids outside to appreciate nature will make them good stewards of the Earth as they grow up. If they don’t get out and experience nature, they won’t be that motivated to help protect it.

25 Earth Day activities outdoors

Here’s my list of 25 Free Outdoor Activities for Kids, all battery-free!

  1. Bring an easel outside to paint or color on
  2. Bubbles
  3. Chalk drawings
  4. Backyard baseball
  5. Soccer practice
  6. Enjoy a picnic lunch
  7. Swing set time
  8. Create an obstacle course
  9. Bug hunting
  10. Bird watching
  11. Identify plants and flowers
  12. Plant seeds
  13. Nature walk
  14. Wagon ride
  15. Neighborhood bike ride
  16. Sandbox castles
  17. Squirt bottle water drawings
  18. Bring musical instruments outside for a jam session
  19. Collect rocks to paint
  20. Hopscotch
  21. Take the dolls for a walk in their stroller or grocery cart
  22. Visit a duck pond
  23. Paint fences or walls with water
  24. Go puddle jumping when the opportunity arises
  25. Lay on a towel and look at the starts together

Earth Day Quote RandomRecycling.com

Which is your favorite activity to do with your kids? Anything else to add to the list?

Ultimate Homemaking ebook bundle Sale

I’m sharing this post with the Tuesday Baby Link Up and Your Green Resource

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Balance Bar Twitter Party to celebrate Earth Day

Earth Day is next Monday, April 22nd. Although I think it’s important to live a green lifestyle every day, Earth Day provides an opportunity to highlight new ways to try to take care of our environment. I’m excited to be partnering with Balance Bar  to share their commitment to the Rainforest Alliance. We will be talking about green living, eco-friendly products and gluten-free living.

Balance Bar Dark Chocolate Bars

Balance Bar’s new Dark Chocolate line is made with 100% certified Rainforest Alliance cocoa. The coconut dark chocolate one is my favorite, and my husband’s. Those disappeared from our complimentary stash very quickly. They are also Gluten Free for those families who are looking for a new snack.

Here’s the link for all the details for the event, but it’s super easy to get involved. No RSVP needed to win your own package of Balance Bar Dark bars and more.

Who: Balance Bar®, Rainforest Alliance, Eco-Friendly Bloggers and You!

What: A Twitter Party in honor of Earth Day and our New Balance Bar Dark Bars

When: Monday, April 22 from 2-3pm EST

Where: Follow @BalanceBar on Twitter and use the hashtag #GreenBalance to tweet your eco-friendly questions for our team of experts. Every question is a chance to win!

Why: Every #GreenBalance tweet earns you an extra entry into our Earth Day Giveaway, giving you an additional chance to be one of the five fans who will win a prize pack that includes a Rainforest Alliance tote bag, notebook and Balance Bar® Dark Bars! Join in for your chance to win, and get some eco-friendly living tips in the process!

Official rules: To be eligible to win, participants must follow @BalanceBar and participate during the Twitter chat hour using the hashtag #GreenBalance. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected at random from eligible participants.

If you can’t make the party, you can enter to win now via the Balance Bar contest on Facebook.  Prizes include a trip to see the Northern Lights!

Disclosure: I am sponsored by Balance Bar to participate in this campaign. All opinions shared here are my own.

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Are You Making the Most of Your Library?

For some families, the library is a part of their weekly routine. For others, they are not sure where to begin. In our family, we are very lucky to have an active local library that is part of an even larger network.  April is “Earth Month” and supporting your local library is a great way to be green. Today I wanted to share some ways to utilize your library, beyond borrowing books.

Make the most of your library at RandomRecycling.com

I realize that not all libraries will have the same resources, but in many cases libraries are connected to other towns in order to broaden the assortment. Our library is part of the Minuteman Library network, which means if my local library doesn’t have something I want, I can request it from somewhere else. No shipping charges either which makes it a better deal than ordering a book from Amazon. The fun part of being part of a network is being able to get new releases faster when another local library invests in them first.

Here is my list of items that we often check out from the library, plus some helpful tips.

Books

The obvious choice at a library are books. It really is an endless supply of learning ahead of you when you think about all the different types of books available. But how to sort through it all? I keep a note in my iPhone of any book suggestion made by a friend, or a book I read about in a magazine. Then I go online and request the book from my library. I don’t have to spend time searching for a book, plus it can be sent over from another library if it’s available. When the book is ready, I get an email and then pick it up at the front desk.

Children’s Books

Over the past four years, we have some bedtime favorites that are always hard to return to the library. I started a little list and sometimes I will request them from the library as well. When I’m crunched for time, all my favorite story books are all pulled together in a pile at the check out desk. I can spend time at the library doing other things with the kids instead of hunting down books.

Borrow Library Cookbooks RandomRecycling.com

Cookbooks

My friend Christy gave me this tip a few years ago. I had never checked out a cookbook from the library but it’s so perfect. I request new releases and see if it’s something I want to add to my own cookbook library, or give as a gift. I currently have The Picky Palate on loan from the library this month. Christy’s rule is, “If you try to renew it three times, then it probably is worth buying a copy for yourself.”

Music

Want to hear the newest Coldplay CD? Not ready to download it from iTunes? Request it from the library. This is also great to do for kid-friendly music CD’s that you really don’t want to invest in. Pick up a few for your next road trip.

Audiobooks

Books on CD’s were my saving grace when I was driving 45 minutes to work everyday. I listened to The Hunger Games on CD and it was just amazing. I remember sitting in a parking lot, not wanting to go inside so I could listen a little longer to the story. Again, it’s a good idea to request what you need as they are often in high demand.

DVD’s

We usually just get the children’s DVD’s as a treat for the kids. My advice is to always get more than one since they are often “well-loved,” or scratched.

Puppets

We are at the saturation point with toys so I was excited when I learned about checking out puppets for the kids. Some comes with CD’s to listen to, others are purely for imagination.

Energy Meter

I borrowed this from our library and was able to see how much energy my electronic draw in a 24 hour period. It was an interesting experiment and I would never have bought a meter to check it out on my own.

Online downloads

Most libraries now offer electronic downloads to your Kindle or Nook to read.

Children’s Activities

We are so lucky to have a library that offers not just story hour, but drop-in craft sessions, Lego building, musical performances and puppet shows. If you are a SAHM, the library is your friend. These activities are nearly always free and it’s a great way to reach out and meet other moms in your area and stay social. I personally love the craft sessions so the kids can get a little messy and it’s not all over my own floors.

Museum passes

Call ahead and see if you can reserve passes to your local museums, aquariums, zoos and more.

Lecture series

Some are historical, some are about new technology. There could be a lecture for you.

 

 Your turn~ what’s the most unusual thing you have found at your local library? 

I’m sharing this at Green Sisterhood and Your Green Resource.

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5 Green Non-Stick Pans to Love

Have you ever been confused about the rules about nonstick pans? Can you use them or not?  For a long time I’ve tried to avoid using them, but when you are cooking eggs there really isn’t a great alternative. There    are a bunch of new “healthy” alternatives to the old Teflon pans many of us grew up with.  You want to look for PFOA and PTFE-free pans, which means is doesn’t release the same cancer causing toxins that Teflon releases when scratched.

Green Nonstick Pans

Below is a collection of well priced green pans that offer the ease of nonstick cooking. Most have either a ceramic coating or a Thermolon coating.

Oh, and if you have an old non-stick pan that is really scratched, get rid   of it. Don’t pass it along. It’s one of those items that shouldn’t be passed along to a new home. You can also extend the life of nonstick pans by using silicone cooking tools and a  Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat.

5 Green Non-Stick Pans to Love

 

What are your “must have” kitchen pans?
I’m sharing this post over at Your Green Resource.
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