Lunch Containers Get Attention as Students Go Back to School
2021-08-17
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1From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.
2In many places around the world, children are preparing to go back to school.
3Those preparations usually include new school clothes, school supplies and a lunch box!
4The right food containers can make packing lunches easier for parents.
5They can preserve the taste of food.
6And these days, they are made of materials that may help the environment.
7In addition, for students who have been learning (and eating lunch) at home, new food containers may also make lunchtime at school more enjoyable.
8A reporter for the Associated Press (AP) recently wrote about the growing choices for children's lunch boxes.
9Years ago, a packed lunch included a sandwich, a piece of fruit, some carrots, and maybe some potato chips.
10These foods were usually packed in plastic bags that kids would throw away.
11These days, the food in packed lunches is likely to be more interesting and so are the containers.
12Reusable lunch containers are already popular in many countries, including the United States.
13But now there are many more choices.
14In the U.S., the popularity of bento lunch boxes continues to grow.
15These Japanese lunch containers keep food separate and are reusable.
16And usually they come in bright colors.
17There are also containers with tops that do not leak liquids.
18So, a child can bring soup.
19And some containers are insulated, meaning they keep hot food hot and cold food cold.
20So, students can have a real homecooked lunch.
21Parents can pack food from dinner the night before.
22This can be a real timesaver.
23Many parents today choose reusable containers instead of single-use plastic ones that are thrown away.
24This creates less waste.
25And containers made from sustainable materials are also becoming more popular.
26Instead of using plastic wrap, some parents choose reusable wrappers made from beeswax.
27The warmth of your hands softens the beeswax so it can wrap around food.
28When you get home, you can wash it and use it again.
29You can also use it for storing things in the refrigerator.
30Some storage bags made from silicone can be washed in a dishwashing machine, heated in a microwave oven, and stored in the freezer.
31These containers come in many shapes, sizes and colors.
32There are also more reusable eating utensils, such as forks, spoons and drinking straws.
33And don't forget reusable water bottles!
34They are sold in many different styles and colors to please any school kid.
35The AP reporter Katie Workman says it is up to "parents, to train the next generation to remember to bring everything home to wash and reuse."
36However, that might not be easy considering some of the most common things in a school's lost-and-found are lunch containers.
37Cost is a big concern for most parents.
38Many companies now offer different kinds of containers at different prices -- from low-cost to high-priced choices.
39And most are now made without a chemical called BPA that is often used in plastics.
40This chemical could get into food and into the body.
41This may create health concerns to some people.
42Besides containing BPA, there is another problem with older lunch boxes:
43They only have one compartment.
44So, all the food moves around and can get damaged -- like an apple rolling onto your sandwich.
45Now, there are lunch boxes with smaller, movable compartments.
46So, depending on the meal, you can keep things separate and undamaged.
47These choices can make lunch healthier and more fun for kids.
48And some show that you are thinking about the environment.
49And that's the Health & Lifestyle report. I'm Anna Matteo.
1From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. 2In many places around the world, children are preparing to go back to school. Those preparations usually include new school clothes, school supplies and a lunch box! 3The right food containers can make packing lunches easier for parents. They can preserve the taste of food. And these days, they are made of materials that may help the environment. 4In addition, for students who have been learning (and eating lunch) at home, new food containers may also make lunchtime at school more enjoyable. 5A reporter for the Associated Press (AP) recently wrote about the growing choices for children's lunch boxes. 6Years ago, a packed lunch included a sandwich, a piece of fruit, some carrots, and maybe some potato chips. These foods were usually packed in plastic bags that kids would throw away. 7These days, the food in packed lunches is likely to be more interesting and so are the containers. Reusable lunch containers are already popular in many countries, including the United States. But now there are many more choices. 8In the U.S., the popularity of bento lunch boxes continues to grow. These Japanese lunch containers keep food separate and are reusable. And usually they come in bright colors. 9There are also containers with tops that do not leak liquids. So, a child can bring soup. And some containers are insulated, meaning they keep hot food hot and cold food cold. So, students can have a real homecooked lunch. Parents can pack food from dinner the night before. This can be a real timesaver. 10Many parents today choose reusable containers instead of single-use plastic ones that are thrown away. This creates less waste. 11And containers made from sustainable materials are also becoming more popular. 12Instead of using plastic wrap, some parents choose reusable wrappers made from beeswax. The warmth of your hands softens the beeswax so it can wrap around food. When you get home, you can wash it and use it again. You can also use it for storing things in the refrigerator. 13Some storage bags made from silicone can be washed in a dishwashing machine, heated in a microwave oven, and stored in the freezer. These containers come in many shapes, sizes and colors. 14There are also more reusable eating utensils, such as forks, spoons and drinking straws. And don't forget reusable water bottles! They are sold in many different styles and colors to please any school kid. 15The AP reporter Katie Workman says it is up to "parents, to train the next generation to remember to bring everything home to wash and reuse." However, that might not be easy considering some of the most common things in a school's lost-and-found are lunch containers. 16Cost is a big concern for most parents. Many companies now offer different kinds of containers at different prices -- from low-cost to high-priced choices. 17And most are now made without a chemical called BPA that is often used in plastics. This chemical could get into food and into the body. This may create health concerns to some people. 18Besides containing BPA, there is another problem with older lunch boxes: They only have one compartment. So, all the food moves around and can get damaged -- like an apple rolling onto your sandwich. Now, there are lunch boxes with smaller, movable compartments. So, depending on the meal, you can keep things separate and undamaged. 19These choices can make lunch healthier and more fun for kids. And some show that you are thinking about the environment. 20And that's the Health & Lifestyle report. I'm Anna Matteo. 21Katie Workman wrote this story for the Associated Press. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 22________________________________________ 23Words in This Story 24pack -v. to put things into a container to be transported or for storage 25sustainable -adj. involving methods that do not completely use up or destroy natural resources 26wrap -n. a material used for covering and storing things 27refrigerator -n. a device that is used to keep food cold 28silicone -n. a chemical compound that does not let water or heat pass through 29style -n. a particular way in which something is done 30compartment -n.an enclosed space that is within a larger container or structure