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Healthy Choices

Back-to-school basics to protect your family’s health

Back to school means new friends, new routines, and often a long list of supplies. Want to earn an A+ when it comes to protecting your student’s health? Look for these safer options to help reduce their exposure to toxic chemicals.

1. Pack lunch with less plastic

Choose:

  • Stainless steel lunch boxes and food containers
  • Stainless steel water bottles
  • Cloth lunch bags
  • Glass containers when practical

Avoid:

  • Heating food in plastic
  • Disposable plastic bags and plastic wrap when reusable options work
  • Foam (polystyrene) food containers, polycarbonate, and black plastic

Why: This reduces exposure to microplastics, bisphenols (like BPA), phthalates, toxic flame retardants, and other chemicals that can migrate into food, especially when plastics are heated or become scratched or worn.

2. Skip vinyl (PVC) school supplies

Choose:

  • Canvas backpacks
  • Cloth pencil cases
  • Paper folders
  • Cloth lunch bags

Avoid:

  • Vinyl backpacks
  • Vinyl binders
  • Vinyl pencil pouches
  • Vinyl rain gear

Why: PVC products may contain phthalates and other chemicals used during manufacturing. 

3. Choose simple, fragrance-free school supplies

Kids don’t need supplies that smell like fruit or candy.

Choose:

  • Water-based markers and paints
  • Fragrance-free products
  • Supplies certified for classroom use (such as ACMI AP Certified)

Avoid:

  • Scented markers
  • Scented crayons
  • Strongly fragranced glues
  • Permanent markers unless necessary

Why: Many fragrances are made from undisclosed chemical mixtures, and solvent-based art supplies can contain chemicals children don’t need to be exposed to. 

4. Send healthier food with fewer packaged snacks

Choose:

  • Fresh fruits and vegetables
  • Homemade snacks
  • Bulk snacks packed into reusable containers
  • Refillable stainless steel water bottles

Avoid:

  • Individually wrapped snacks
  • Plastic-wrapped processed foods
  • Disposable drink pouches

5. Buy durable products that last

One of the healthiest and most affordable strategies is simply buying fewer, better products.

Choose:

  • A backpack that lasts several years
  • Refillable pens and pencils
  • Durable lunch containers
  • High-quality reusable stainless steel water bottles

Why: Buying fewer disposable products reduces waste, saves money over time, and lowers overall exposure to unnecessary chemicals.