What: Wrap-n-Mat

Features: A reusable sandwich wrap and a place mat, all in one—the Wrap-n-Mat is perfect for meals on the go. It’s easy to clean; simply hand wash and hang to dry. (Tip: Get two so you can use one while the other is drying).

Green Factor: The lining is made with a low-density polyethylene, which is free of phthalates, lead and BPA. It’s estimated that every school day, 20,000,000 plastic baggies are used and discarded—Wrap-n-Mats are a great alternative to disposable plastic packaging!

Bonus: Available in regular and large sizes. Check out the web site for colors, patterns and other reusable products

Find It Here: Wrap-n-Mat

I’ve bought Eden Organics canned goods on many occasions in the past, mainly because I’d heard their can liners were BPA-free. But when I actually saw it on the side of the can, my heart leapt. No, really. I was THAT excited. Someday I hope we’ll see “BPA Free” on ALL canned foods.

High fives to Eden Organics for making my weekend just a little bit better—and to Canada for officially declaring BPA (bisphenol-A) toxic!!!

What: LunchBots

Features: Dishwasher safe stainless steel lunch containers that can be reused over and over for waste-free lunches.

Green Factor: They’re made from the highest quality stainless steel and contain no plastic, BPA, phthalates, or VOC’s and independently lab-certified to be lead-free.

Bonus: Use the following coupon code for 15% off an order from Lunchbots: BACKTOSCHOOL

Win It: One randomly selected winner will score a set of Uno and Duo Lunchbot containers! Just leave a comment telling us what you’d pack in a Lunchbot. Giveaway ends at midnight  8/27/10; $30 value. Open to US residents only. Official Rules.

Extra Entries: Tweet about this giveaway (be sure to include @greenmomreview in your tweet) and note in your comment that you tweeted the giveaway to receive an extra entry.

What: Set of 4 silicone ice pop molds

Features: Molds have a tapered design that makes ice pops easy to eat; 3.5 oz. size is perfect for little hands!

Green Factor: BPA, PVC and phthalate-free and you can use your own healthy ingredients instead of the high fructose corn syrup and artificial colors/flavors found in most store-bought ice pops and popsicles.

Bonus: Dishwasher, refrigerator, freezer, and microwave safe and the silicone is naturally bacteria resistant.

Find It Here: The Soft Landing

What: Bamboo Veneerwear  by Bambu

Features: Available in sets of eight, these single-use plates come in three sizes (appetizer, salad and dinner plate) and are far sturdier (and more attractive!) than their disposable counterparts

Green Factor: While simply washing regular plates is the greenest option, if you require something disposable or less fragile, Veneerwear plates are made of 100% organically grown bamboo, peeled right from the stalk. They’re also compostable, biodegrading within four to six months, and FDA approved food-safe

Bonus: Veneerware was named Best Product Design by Fortune Magazine in 2004!

Find It Here: re:modern

The Certified Humane Raised & Handled® program is the only farm animal welfare and food labeling program in the U.S. dedicated to improving the welfare of farm animals in food production and include all stages of the animal’s life including handling and slaughter. What do the standards require? Read the rest of this entry »

What: Little Bites Storage Jars

Features: Packing a lunch ain’t what it used to be—on top of providing a nutritional meal, today’s parents also have to make sure that what they’re packing those lunches in isn’t full of harmful toxins or chemicals. These brightly colored Little Bites storage jars from Kinderville are the perfect solution—you can pack them in lunches or stack them in your freezer, worry-free.

Green Factor: The containers (and their lids) are made from a high-grade silicone, making them freezer, microwave and dishwasher safe. Like the rest of Kinderville’s wares, they’re BPA, phthalate and lead-free and bacteria resistant, too.

Bonus: The price is right—a set of four is less than $20!

Find It Here: Kinderville on Amazon

What: Surf Sweets organic gummy candy and jelly beans

Features: An all-natural, organic candy that provides 100% of your recommended daily Vitamin C intake and includes Fruity Bears, Gummy Bears & Worms, Gummy Swirls, Jelly Beans and more.

Green Factor: Surf Sweets candy is made with all-natural, organic ingredients and none of the bad stuff like trans fats, GMOs (genetically modified organisms), corn syrups, gluten and artificial colors and synthetic flavors.

Bonus: Surf Sweets are USDA certified organic, made in the USA and three products (Fruity Bears, Gummy Swirls, and Sour Worms) are vegan. Their candy is produced in a facility free of wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, nuts, fish, and shellfish.

Find It Here: Surf Sweets

Win It: We’ve partnered with Surf Sweets to give away a variety pack of Surf Sweets candy AND a Surf Sweets t-shirt to one lucky winner!

Click here to fill out our simple entry form. Just enter SS05 as the giveaway name and tell us how many packages of Surf Sweet candy are pictured on the home page. Giveaway ends 05/19/10; $25 value. Open to US residents only. Official Rules Giveaway has ended.

What: SOS! The Six O’Clock Scramble to the Rescue!

Features: Aviva Goldfarb’s new cookbook, SOS! The Six O’Clock Scramble to the Rescue!, is packed with ideas for preparing meals for busy families, as well as ways to eat with the environment in mind. Aviva dishes up tips on efficient meal planning, buying in bulk and freezing/storing meals. Also helpful are suggestions for weekly plans and shopping lists that will make the most of your grocery trips.

Green Factor: Teaches readers how to lessen their environmental footprint by eating seasonally, cutting out waste, knowing when to buy organic and by moving toward a slightly more vegetarian menu.

Bonus: Subscribe to The Scramble to receive weekly menu plans, newsletters and nutritional information. Create your own Recipe Box, search the database to customize your weekly dinner plan and organize your meals, all in one place!

Find It Here: The Six O’Clock Scramble

Win It: We’ve partnered with The Six O’Clock Scramble to give away a copy of SOS! The Six O’Clock Scramble to the Rescue! PLUS a three-month subscription to The Scramble!

Click here to fill out our simple entry form. Just enter SS04 as the giveaway name and tell us what magazine is giving the cookbook rave reviews. Giveaway ends 05/04/10; $37 value. Open to US & Canadian residents only. Official Rules. Giveaway has ended.

On our Blog: The Pollution INSIDE Your Home

Children’s developing bodies are especially vulnerable to toxins found in our food and environment. Switching to organic food has an immediate effect on the body. Within 36 hours, pesticides may no longer be detected in a child’s urine.

Pesticide Exposure Has Been Shown to:

• cause low birth weight and birth defects;
• interfere with child development and cognitive ability;
• cause neurological problems;
• disrupt hormone function;
• cause a variety of cancers, including leukemia, kidney cancer, brain cancer, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Read the rest of this entry »

What: Sun Chips in greener packaging

Features: Did you know that the small bags of Sun Chips are now packaged in a completely biodegradable bag? Each 10.5 oz bag will fully break down in about 14 weeks when composted.

Green Factor: In addition to creating compostable packaging, Sun Chips has started using solar power as opposed to fossil fuels in their Modesto, CA plant

Bonus: Less packaging guilt! Also, you can watch how the new Sun Chips bag decomposes here—it’s pretty neat.

Find It Here: Sun Chips

What: Meat Free Mondays

Features: The “Meat Free Mondays” campaign is getting worldwide attention as people become more committed to protecting the environment. Taking meat out of one day’s worth of meals is a simple way that we can help save the planet and adopt healthier eating habits, all at the same time

Green Factor: The UN has said that the meat industry dominates one-fifth of all man-made greenhouse gas emissions. Ouch! Going veggie one day a week or more would dramatically reduce those harmful emissions, and would save gallons upon gallons of water and gasoline

Bonus: The Meat Free Mondays web site is full of good stuff–there’s all sorts of information and recipes, including tips on which wine will best compliment your meal. Deee-lish!

Find It Here: Meat Free Mondays

On Our Blog: You Owe It to Your Kids to Care