Lunch Containers Get Attention as Students Go Back to School

From VOA Learning¹ English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

In 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!

The 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.

In addition, for students who have been learning (and eating lunch) at home, new food containers may also make lunchtime at school more enjoyable.

A reporter for the Associated Press (AP) recently wrote about the growing choices for children's lunch boxes.

Years 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.

These 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.

In the U.S., the popularity² of bento lunch boxes continues to grow. These Japanese lunch containers keep food separate and are reusable. And usually they come in bright colors.

There are also containers with tops that do not leak liquids. So, a child can bring soup. And some containers are insulated³, 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.

Many parents today choose reusable containers instead of single-use plastic ones that are thrown away. This creates less waste.

And containers made from sustainable materials are also becoming more popular.

Instead of using plastic wrap, some parents choose reusable wrappers made from beeswax. The warmth of your hands softens⁴ 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.

Some storage bags made from silicone can be washed in a dishwashing machine, heated in a microwave oven⁵, and stored in the freezer. These containers come in many shapes, sizes and colors.

There are also more reusable eating utensils⁶, 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.

The AP reporter Katie Workman⁷ 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.

Cost 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.

And 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.

Besides containing BPA, there is another problem with older lunch boxes: They only have one compartment⁸. 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 compartments⁹. So, depending on the meal, you can keep things separate and undamaged.

These choices can make lunch healthier and more fun for kids. And some show that you are thinking about the environment.

Words in This Story

pack –v. to put things into a container to be transported or for storage

sustainable –adj. involving methods that do not completely use up or destroy natural resources

wrap –n. a material used for covering and storing things

refrigerator –n. a device¹⁰ that is used to keep food cold

silicone –n. a chemical compound¹¹ that does not let water or heat pass through

style –n. a particular way in which something is done

compartment –n.an enclosed space that is within a larger container or structure

1 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

2 popularity   

n.普及，流行，名望，受欢迎

参考例句：

• The story had an extensive popularity among American readers.这本小说在美国读者中赢得广泛的声望。
• Our product enjoys popularity throughout the world.我们的产品饮誉全球。

3 insulated   

绝缘的，隔热的

参考例句：

• This room is insulated against noise. 这个房间隔音。
• The wires must be insulated from touching each other, with a rubber covering. 这些金属线一定要用橡胶皮包起来，以免相互接触。

4 softens   

（使）变软( soften的第三人称单数 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰

参考例句：

• Iron softens with heat. 铁受热就软化。
• Moonlight softens our faults; all shabbiness dissolves into shadow. 月光淡化了我们的各种缺点，所有的卑微都化解为依稀朦胧的阴影。 来自名作英译部分

5 oven   

n.烤炉；烤箱

参考例句：

• You put food inside an oven to cook it.你把食物放进烤箱里热一下。
• She baked bread in an oven.她用烤炉烤面包。

6 utensils   

器具，用具，器皿( utensil的名词复数 )； 器物

参考例句：

• Formerly most of our household utensils were made of brass. 以前我们家庭用的器皿多数是用黄铜做的。
• Some utensils were in a state of decay when they were unearthed. 有些器皿在出土时已经残破。

7 workman   

n.工人，工匠，技工

参考例句：

• A bad workman finds much fault with his tools.蹩脚的工匠总是埋怨自己的工具不好。
• There was a workman up the ladder.有一个工人在梯子上工作。

8 compartment   

n.卧车包房，隔间；分隔的空间

参考例句：

• We were glad to have the whole compartment to ourselves.真高兴，整个客车隔间由我们独享。
• The batteries are safely enclosed in a watertight compartment.电池被安全地置于一个防水的隔间里。

9 compartments   

n.间隔( compartment的名词复数 )；（列车车厢的）隔间；（家具或设备等的）分隔间；隔层

参考例句：

• Your pencil box has several compartments. 你的铅笔盒有好几个格。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The first-class compartments are in front. 头等车室在前头。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 device   

n.器械，装置；计划，策略，诡计

参考例句：

• The device will be in production by the end of the year.该装置将于年底投入生产。
• The device will save much time and effort for us.这种装置会使我们节省大量时间和气力。

11 compound   

n.化合物；大院；adj.化合的；vt.加重；使化合

参考例句：

• Air is a mixture,not a compound of gases.空气是气体的混合物，不是化合物。
• How many households in the compound?院内有几家住户？